June 14, 1953 — The Indianapolis Star (Letter)
| The Mossadegh Project | March 31, 2020 |
Musing on the ubiquity of Socialism in America, this letter to the editor of an Indiana newspaper ran in the early months of Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first term.
One may recall that at the Presidential debates in 2015, Sen. Bernie Sanders, the poster boy for socialism in the USA, claimed he was actually less of a socialist than Eisenhower, citing record high tax rates under the former President.
June 14, 1953
Taxpayer Does Not Get Money’s Worth?
To the Editor of The Star:
One of President Ike’s campaign promises was to end the trend toward Socialism in government. Here are a few of the things that I wish that he would put a stop to.
I have never had any children, still part of my tax dollar goes to pay for the education of other people’s children. Part of my tax dollar goes to the support of the postal system. About all the letters I get are bills, so stop it. Part of my tax dollar goes to build dams and other flood prevention measures on the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. I don’t live near them, so stop that.
Part of my tax dollar goes to support the Weather Bureau. Most of the time when they predict sunshine it rains, so stop that. Part of my tax dollar goes for R.E.A. electricity for farmers. [Rural Electrification Act] I live in town, so stop that. Part of my tax dollar goes for public health, for the other fellow, so stop that.
The things mentioned are just a few that are socialistic. I could write all day, and still not be able to name them all. Part of my tax dollar goes to support the bank depositors’ insurance. I haven’t got any money in the bank, so stop that.
Socialism means taking from one to help another. So if Ike stops it, he sure has a lot of stopping to do.
1302 S. Belmont.
Related links:
DNC Accused of Preselecting Presidential Nominee (July 1952 Letter to the Editor)
American Way Good, Let’s Keep It Forever (Oct. 1951 Letter to the Editor)
Iran’s Nationalism a Tool Of a Reckless Ruling Class | Weekly People, August 16, 1952
MOSSADEGH t-shirts — “If I sit silently, I have sinned”
