Socialism: Political disease spreads wildly again

With the ascendency of Bernie Sanders to near the top of the heap of Democrat presidential candidates, the infection of democratic socialism is increasingly incubating within Generation X and many older Americans as well.

The feverish popularity of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is further evidence of this spreading disease.

The disease is not new. An earlier outbreak was known as National Socialism, or nazism/fascism, which swept over much of Europe in the first half of the 20th century. This was nothing more than a mutation of the other disastrous pandemic of the 20th century: socialism.

The antidotes to these diseases are free markets, political liberty and constitutional government.

Inoculation can only begin by recognizing fascism and socialism are opposite sides of the same coin. Like diseases of a biological nature, the symptoms can go unnoticed until the infection is far advanced, as evidenced by the millions of deaths resulting from earlier outbreaks of socialism and fascism.

A cure is only possible with a correct diagnosis and a willingness to confront the disease head on. There is nothing democratic about concentrating economic power in the state.

This story was originally published February 1, 2020 at 5:11 PM with the headline "Socialism: Political disease spreads wildly again."