Week in Review: The Truth about Socialism

March 9, 2019

Headline-grabbing politicians like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are making the case for socialist policies, even as socialist countries like Cuba and Venezuela are mired in poverty. That raises the question: Do Americans really understand what socialism is all about? 

“Talking about socialism in America is a luxury paid for by the successes of capitalism,” said Garry Kasparov, the human rights activist and former World Chess Champion who was honored with the Goldwater Institute Freedom Award. Kasparov grew up under the Soviet system and understands the perils of the flawed political ideology.

“[Barry] Goldwater was right in 1960 and it became even clearer with the collapse of the USSR that the historical record leaves no doubt: Free markets and free people create prosperity while government control of resources and citizens creates poverty,” Kasparov added.

In a new article on the In Defense of Liberty blog, Goldwater Institute deputy communications director Jennifer Tiedemann writes about the terrifying movement toward socialism in America today. 

Victory for Home-Sharing Rights in Nebraska

Nebraskans are more free today thanks to a new law that protects homeowners’ rights to share their residences.

Yesterday, Governor Pete Ricketts signed Legislative Bill 57, joining the Nebraska legislature in protecting the private property rights of Cornhuskers statewide. The new law allows responsible homeowners to offer their homes to visitors as short-term rentals and is a welcome development for Nebraskans who rely on home-sharing income to pay bills. 

Alongside the Platte Institute, a diverse coalition of individuals and groups, including the Goldwater Institute, submitted testimony on behalf of the bill, demonstrating the real-world impact of the new law. Policymakers expressed overwhelming support for the bill, approving it on a vote of 46-0. In 2017, Arizona passed landmark legislation that protects home-sharing statewide, and today the Goldwater Institute is leading a coast-to-coast fight to protect home-sharing.

Click here to read more about the new law and how home-sharing lowers prices and increases options for visitors, provides supplemental income for home-owners, and drives revenue to local economies. 

What can citizens do when they’re bullied by the government?

According to a recently released city personnel investigation, Scottsdale City Prosecutor Caron Close berated and bullied people in front of others. She played favorites among her employees, giving certain people special treatment while singling others out for punishment, and creating a “toxic” environment rife with fear of retaliation. The results of the review prompted Close’s retirement, effective March 18.

If Close treated her employees so aggressively, imagine what defendants that she and her office went after were subjected to.

What can citizens do when they’re bullied by the government? Goldwater Institute national investigative journalist Mark Flatten looks at the issue in a new article on the In Defense of Libertyblog.