History provides a different definition

Reading Larry Hodgden's letter ('Three-step plan to address national crisis,” Jan. 23), one wonders why anyone wants to immigrate and why citizens stay. For real crises look at other countries and history. To remedy racial inequality Zimbabwe and South Africa confiscated white-owned farmland. Witness Venezuela. Such wealth redistribution and nationalization breed corruption, food shortages, hyperinflation and poverty.

Currently Congressional upstarts, who know little about economics and history, advocate government redistribution of wealth. Proposals include: Outlaw billionaires (except Bill Gates and Warren Buffett); impose 70 percent tax for the wealthy; provide Medicare and free health care for everyone legal or not; fund what would eventually be trillions to prevent global warming catastrophes; abolish Immigration Customs Enforcement; stop 'immoral” border barriers; admit illegals and provide sanctuary.

Furthermore, those who stand for traditional values, national pride, and have achieved success are vilified, shamed, shouted down, threatened, disinvited, dubbed racists, and labeled 'anti-' and '-phobic.” The radical left has hijacked language to control the narrative. Sadly, 90 percent of reporting on the President is negative while social and mainstream media opinion is presented as front page fact.

The fallen Soviet Union highlights failures of Socialism. Meanwhile, socialist China, learning from our successes, now embraces much capitalism. With the 1997 annexation of Hong Kong, China didn't want to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. If we kill our wealthy with taxes, provide everyone with promised benefits, foolishly fund speculative 'science,” we will have equality. Everyone will be equally poor.

Tim Bickel

Cedar Rapids