Furthermore...

I'll tell you what I think...

The most disturbing trend of the last four years is NOT the "progressive" trend that so much of America has seemingly embraced... that happens with fair regularity every quarter century or so. No, the problem I see is the shocking regularity with which terms like "wealth redistribution" and "wealth equality" are bantered about in everyday conversation and debate.

These terms are not being used in a critical context either. They are discussed, debated and even defended by sources of information and ideas that really have no cause or justification to use them. Worse than all others are the ones within our own Congress that use these terms on an almost daily basis.

Not even 30 years ago, the use of these terms (and any others like them) would have sent shock waves through the electorate... because they are taken directly from socialist and communist sources.

Has this trend developed simply because "communism" is dead as we knew it? Does the specter no longer exist because the "eternal source" (i.e. the USSR) has gone belly-up? Perhaps... I can't deny the possibility, but it doesn't matter in the long run. The facts remain that socialism on a macro-economic or political scale, in almost any of its complete forms... DOES NOT WORK. It is antithetical to damn near everything that this nation has stood for since 1776, and as such it should not be "okay" to simply throw around Marxist jargon like it was mainstream, functional socio-political terminology.

Now, since you all know me as well as you do... even our frequent readers must know I'm as guilty of this as anyone you care to name... I will admit that my first reaction to the use of terms like this in conversation with a Democrat or a liberal typically results in my calling them (actually calling them, to their faces) Marxists, Maoists, Soviets, or any one of a baker's dozen other labels that do no justice to my position and result only in the alienation of the person in question. Ryan could write volumes on the times I have done this to him by routinely referring to him as a "fascist" anytime he began one of his "my country, right or wrong" rants. I was wrong then, and I don't think it is the way to go now.

However, if I or any of you encounter someone that wants to use such terms or phrases because they think it "hip" or that it lends some sort of scholastic "halo" to their position in a discussion, I think that it should demanded that they explain, in detail, what those terms actually mean and why they apply to this society's current problems. Since no one that I know can defend terms like "wealth redistribution" as in any way constructive to the effort to improve our economy... because it is antithetical to the very concept of a free society and can't possibly help improve that society at all... it is the quickest, easiest way I know to end the use of such terms without giving immediate offense (like I was so fond of doing back in the day). In an ideal world, this would apply to ANYONE that uses these terms, including Barney Frank and the rest of the raging liberals in Congress. I know that the first time I hear one of my Senators or Representatives use those terms, I'm rifling off a letter asking for an explanation in detail or I promise they will never get my vote again.