America must never become a socialist country

OPINION:

America: Freedom & Opportunity for All. Put an American flag on a T-shirt with this slogan, and you have apparel you can wear any month of the year. It is what brings the nation together.

Ironically, today it’s those on the left who seem to be working against unity in our country. They talk about tolerance yet disrespect anyone who does not fall in lockstep with their radical views.

Instead of arguing the merits of their ideas, Marxists attempt to destroy their opposition through character assassination. They do not have a defense for the fact that communism and socialism have failed throughout the history of the world. Even the Danish prime minister acknowledges that Denmark has a market-based economy, not a socialist one. Remove the incentive for people to work or invest, and you remove the ability to prosper outside of a system rigged for the powerful elites.

Instead of attempting to showcase a Marxist system they think was successful, defenders deflect and suggest the current system in America favors the powerful. It does, but not because there is too little government involvement and oversight. If anything, there is too much. We need more market-based capitalism and less government-run socialism.

Think of a system with no loopholes or special treatment — a system where people paid the same percentage of their income regardless of how much they make. Under a flat tax system, someone who makes 10 times as much as another would pay 10 times as much in taxes. All too often, the current system favors those who have high-priced lobbyists who carve out special benefits at the expense of other taxpayers. We need a fair system.

People living under communist rule in the old Soviet Union used to joke that the government pretended to pay them and they pretended to work. Historically, hard work and reasonable risk are rewarded — leading to great prosperity for the masses. If the government takes away much of the reward for working extra hours or investing in a new business, why would people take risks? All the more reason America must never become a socialist country.

Education and health care are two industries where government rules and regulations dominate. Not surprisingly, these are some of the sectors in our society with the highest costs and lowest quality. The problem is not too little government oversight, but too much.

Government involvement tends to stifle innovation. Public funding limits the ability to deliver services effectively and efficiently.

Think about the changes in transportation since the creation of ride-hailing companies such as Uber and Lyft. Years ago, I would take a cab from the airport to my hotel on a trip. The rates were, at best, confusing. If I were going somewhere other than my hotel or back to the airport, I typically had to rent a car.

Today, consumers can get a ride to and from a location just about anywhere in the country. Ride-hailing companies use technology to safely get a rider and driver from one location to the next in a decent amount of time and at a reasonable price. I can even schedule a ride days in advance.

Cabs can be found in a few larger cities. Most places, however, have given way to the wave of Uber and Lyft. Why?

Cab companies frequently operate in urban areas where they license, tax and regulate vehicles. Ride-hailing is driven by supply and demand. An Uber or Lyft driver can transport people either as a full-time job or as a way to make extra cash.

In the same vein as a taxi company, Marxists tell the people where to go, how to get there, and when they can arrive. Conservatives don’t dictate to people overall how to live their lives. If you don’t risk the health and safety of your neighbors and you are an adult, do your own thing and live your own life. We believe in the individual, family and God. They believe in the government.

Yeonmi Park is one of our great speakers at Young America’s Foundation. She escaped from North Korea and eventually found her way to America. After settling in the United States, she was accepted to Columbia University.

Over time, Ms. Park was compelled to speak out about what she was seeing in her classes. She was amazed to find so many college students hated America. Day after day, she was told about the importance of equity. Her ancestors were promised the same thing. What they got was oppression and poverty. Like so many other legal immigrants to our country, she is grateful to live in a place where freedom and opportunity are available to all who seek it.

Regardless of race, sex, age, ethnicity, religion, ideology or other distinction, America is the home of the free. We should thank the good Lord for living in a country that protects our God-given rights.

• Scott Walker is president of Young America’s Foundation and served as the 45th governor of Wisconsin from 2011 to 2019.