Until recently, Americans were not accustomed to violent political unrest. But the dissent and violence during the George Floyd riots in places like Minneapolis upended our ability to tune out political turmoil. Freedom of speech, association, and assembly have always been ingrained in our culture, and we’re used to generally less repressive responses by authorities to those kind of events in the US.
Meanwhile, Americans have seen increased concerns about election integrity and voter suppression. While not as severe as in Venezuela, these issues have the potential to erode trust in democratic institutions and lead to political instability. It is important to note that the current crisis in Venezuela is the result of economic mismanagement, political repression, and corruption–hallmarks of socialism. Key events contributed to the crisis and the aforementioned are not an exhaustive list. The situation in Venezuela remains fluid and uncertain, and it will require a concerted effort from both the Venezuelan people and the international community to find a lasting solution.
Americans should understand the parallels between the rise of socialism in Venezuela and the current state of affairs in the US. For now, the US has stronger democratic institutions and a more diversified economy. But the embrace of socialist policies and the erosion of democratic norms could lead to challenges similar to Venezuela in the long run. We should learn from Venezuela’s mistakes and strive for a balanced approach that promotes both economic prosperity and individual freedoms.
The US’s reservoirs of tax money are not unlimited. For every federal outlay, more money is borrowed. The author of the Great Society, President Lyndon Baines Johnson said, “It is not enough just to send in a cheque. Real charity isn’t giving away what you don’t need. Real charity is sacrifice.” Unfortunately, the sacrifice is of taxpayers for programs in sore need for reform. Pretty soon you run out of other people’s money.
While a social safety net is something that we as Americans have assented to, more socialism will not solve our social ills. The socialist solution has been tried and that way leads to debt and disaster.