From The Trussville Tribune staff reports
WASHINGTON — Congressman Mo Brooks, of Alabama’s fifth district, introduced the House anti-socialism resolution on Thursday afternoon. According to Brooks’ office, this resolution was offered amid unprecedented Socialist Democrat attacks on free-enterprise, the economic system that has resulted in America’s unprecedented prosperity and made America the greatest nation in world history.
The bill was co-sponsored by Congressman Ralph Norman (SC-05), Congressman Mark Green (TN-07), Congressman Paul Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04), Congressman Alex Mooney (WV-02), Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10), Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) Congressman Tom McClintock (CA-04), and Congressman Steve King (IA-04).
“Socialist Democrat Party leader Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently proclaimed ‘I’m the boss’ and absurdly claimed that ‘capitalism is irredeemable,’” said Brooks. “Ocasio-Cortez is a card-carrying member of the Democratic Socialists of America and has introduced Green New Deal legislation that promises ‘massive government intervention’ and the ‘economic transformation’ of America. Both claims are true. But who, other than Socialist Democrats, think(s) it is a good thing to ‘transform’ a wealthy America into a poor America that can’t feed or clothe its poor? The claim that freedom and liberty should give way to government control and dictatorial socialism is astonishing, sad, and alien to the America I know.”
Brooks further posited that not only are market economies superior command economies, but that planned economies are incompatible with the American way.
“The argument that socialism is better than free-enterprise is not only a betrayal of America’s foundational principles of freedom and liberty, it is also dangerous and must be dealt with quickly and severely,” said Brooks. “History is replete with examples of dead or dying nations that have paid a heavy price for succumbing to socialist politicians who cared more about personal and dictatorial power, who cared more about being ‘the boss,’ than the welfare of their own people.”
Brooks underscored his argument by pointing out recent developments in Venezuela.
“Venezuela’s economic and humanitarian catastrophe is a present-day, glaring example that warns all tempted by the siren song of socialism,” said Brooks. “The result of Venezuela’s socialism:
- Thousands of Venezuelans are dying from malnutrition, disease, and lack of food and medicine
- 7,523 civilians murdered due to clashes with military and state police forces
- Mothers are forced to choose which child to feed and which child goes hungry
- The average Venezuelan lost 24 pounds in 2017 because they could not get the calories necessary to maintain their body weight[8]
- Venezuelans are searching for food in trash cans and are fortunate if they can eat once a day
- Suicide rates have skyrocketed to almost twice the global suicide rate
- 2018’s inflation rate soared to 80,000 percent
- Nearly 90 percent of the population is living below the poverty line
- Electricity is unreliable, as Venezuela’s capital city, Caracas, suffers from sporadic, total power failures
- According to a 2018 report by the World Economic Forum, Venezuela is the second most dangerous country in the world,[14] with Caracas coming in as the second most dangerous city overall with 111 homicides per 100,000 residents
- Thousands of Venezuelans are fleeing as refugees to neighboring countries that cannot take care of them.”
Brooks concluded his appeal for a resolution condemning socialism by defining the proposition of centrally conducted production calculation in moral terms.
“History has proven time and again that socialism is evil,” Brooks said. “Socialism has caused untold human suffering and death in countries that have been seduced by its siren song. It is working people who bear the brunt of socialism’s evils while ruling dictatorial politicians line their pockets and live high on the hog. Implementing socialism in America would ruin the greatest nation in world history. The House should reject socialism outright by passing this important resolution.”