Labor Day – Traditionally, Labor Day has been the day when people promoted socialism and Marxism and the “workers’ paradise” of communism.  Nobody uses those terms anymore, because we all know that socialism, Marxism and communism have all been disastrous failures – producing not a paradise but rather a hell on earth.  However, politicians still keep pushing the same socialist/Marxist agenda using different terminology, still exploiting people’s jealousy and greed in order to obtain political power. 

They tell us we are being exploited and that we need to elect them to protect us, but the reality is that the politicians are the ones really doing the exploiting.  So, when they tell us we are making peanuts compared to the evil corporate executives, we ought to consider that almost all of us are driving our own cars, living in our own air conditioned homes, talking on cell phones, wearing trendy clothes, and taking nice vacations.   Not too bad for lowly peons!  Who cares if somebody else is making tons more money?  How does that hurt us?

And when politicians tell us they can fix health care by putting it fully under government control, we ought to consider what government control has done to our education system, and we ought to look at Canada’s government-controlled health care system, where people die waiting for an MRI or kidney dialysis or hip replacement, or look at France’s government-controlled health care system, where thousands of people died during a heat wave because the hospitals refused to treat them.  And check out this website about healthcare.

Ask the oldest among us what life was like when they were young.  Many did not have running water in their homes.  They were lucky to have a “party line” telephone.  They depended on the “ice man” for their refrigeration.  They worked very hard and were at risk of dying from diseases that have almost been eradicated today.  If the tremendous growth and prosperity we have seen in the capitalistic U.S. over the past few generations is what being exploited is like, then we need more of it, not less!  In my book, good results trump the claim of good intentions every time.  In fact, I wonder how long these politicians can continue to claim to have good intentions when they promote socialist policies that have caused widespread misery everywhere they have been tried.

ND Sports – This past Saturday, Guillermo and I went back to Notre Dame to watch a football game for the first time in about 25 years.  I think we should have waited a bit longer!  While getting walloped all day by Georgia Tech was painful, I can think of two good things that came from the experience.  First, we got to see all three of Notre Dame’s quarterbacks play.  Second, we were reminded of one of the great appeals of sports – you can’t live on your reputation or your connections or tradition but rather have to be ready to perform every time you come out to play.  If not, you get creamed like Notre Dame did on Saturday.