Signs Of Rampant Socialist Government

Posted: 10/25/2015

These signs are not listed in any particular order (this list is not exhaustive):

1. Highly, extensively, and comprehensively regulated and controlled industries or business sectors such as banking/insurance/finance, communications, healthcare, energy, transportation, housing etc.
2. Managed or mercantilist foreign trade instead of free trade
3. Labor unions are given legal privileges or are exempted like no other institutions and have outsized influence on politics
4. One or more sin taxes like on alcohol, tobacco, fuel, sugar, fat and much more
5. Extensive control over interest rates and lending conditions
6. An all powerful central government in control of most everything happening in the country despite federalism
7. Government runs and controls education and schools to a large extent whereas in a country founded on individual liberty education should be largely privatized
8. Government is running and in control of health care for a majority of its citizens
9. Narcotics are prohibited and medical drugs are not freely available to citizens
10. Government prohibitions and mandates are frequent and most often unjustifiable like light bulbs; smoking in private businesses (e.g. bars, restaurants); bike helmets; seat belts and much more
11. Government is running and in control of retirement finances of most of its citizens
12. Permanent obsession with gun control against citizens
13. Highly, extensively, and comprehensively regulated and controlled labor markets infringing on property rights and freedom of contract
14. Professional licensing is mandated for too many jobs. Government allowed and promoted that the medical and the legal profession set up high hurdles like a cartel

Where do you think the United States stands compared to the above list? I am afraid, the U.S. has come way too far down the socialist Road To Serfdom since at least the beginning of the 20th century!

It is high time to reverse this horrible trend!