Russian columnist Stanislav Mishin writes about what he calls the American descent into Marxism. Published in Pravda, his article outlines the steps the Obama Administration and Democratic Congress have and are trying to destroy Capitalism and take us down a path towards Marxism ‘with breath taking speed,’. Read about it below.
I spent today in the Czech Republic. Its the first time I’ve ever been there at all. We went to Karlovy Vary, otherwise known as Karlsbad, Czech Republic. I’m told that the city is also known as Little Moscow. It certainly felt that way, however that might feel. In crossing a border between one country and another, we had left the West and entered into a totally different world. That’s not unusual, of course, but it was striking in this case.
As we traveled through the country towards town, I found myself wondering how many years, or generations, does it take a country to recover from generations under the thumb of a Communist government. The Soviet Union collapsed in the early 1990s and still the countries of the Soviet bloc are struggling to regain the dignity and prosperity that come with freedom. Prostitutes and brothels lined the highway. The highways were under construction, but the workers were standing around smoking and talking. It appeared that little work was being accomplished. What looked to have once been quaint villages were run down and their houses dilapidated. The same countryside that was charming on one side of the border appeared rough, disheveled and tired on the other side.
The town center of Karlovy Vary (Karlsbad) is lovely. Warm springs, spas, grand hotels, restaurants and shops of every description inhabit magnificent buildings that line the cobblestone streets on either side of the river that flows through the center of town. However, one block in any direction from the well-heeled center of town is desolation and poverty that would do any large urban area shame. We parked our car a few blocks away and I watched a young, pale couple digging through large garbage dumpsters, eating and drinking whatever food and drink they found. They feasted there for quite a while before they moved on. Homeless laid on grassy areas just off the sidewalks, covering themselves with coats against the cold rain and wind. People were walking everywhere, many disheveled, none friendly, few appeared happy and all appeared quite willing to charge us as much as they thought we’d pay for whatever they were trying to sell.
We took a buggy ride in town. The driver was decked out in period clothing and alternated between German and English while describing the various sites we were passing. When we passed an ornate cathedral, a German friend riding with us asked her if she was Catholic. She said that she was not. She explained that they don’t have religion there. She went on showing the sites. I was struck by the fact that the building had all been done centuries ago, when the area that is now the Czech Republic had been a part of Austria. I want to ask her had there been any accomplishments, buildings, artists, philosophers since then, but I didn’t. She explained that Karlsbad is known as Little Moscow because wealthy Russians have restored that area of town and own the few blocks of businesses we saw during our carriage ride.
And that brings me back to Stanislav Mishin’s article on the American decent into Marxism. The point is, he would know. Most Russians would know. Most people who have lived in countries that were part of the Soviet Bloc would know. In his article, American capitalism gone with a whimper, he points out that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has warned the U.S. and the U.K. about Marxism, from the perspective of a country that suffered under that kind of oppression for 70 years. He outlines the process of change from dumbing down the population, to control of what is taught in schools, to ridding the population of pesky little things like religion and personal responsibility and accountability, to the hostile takeovers of free enterprise and a system based on a competitive market, to big government controls on salaries, the stock market and more.
He gives props to Obama and the Democratic Congress for the speed with which they are changing the entire American system of government with virtually no opposition. He notes that our Congress seems to lack a voice, or courage, to stand up against the tidal wave that is rolling over American Capitalism.
I’ve wondered about that myself.
Where are our Statesmen? Does anyone have the courage of their convictions anymore, or do we just blindly follow while everything is taken away from us and horded for the privileged few who are fortunate enough to be part of the inner circle of power?
The problem is, of course, Americans have enjoyed unprecedented freedoms for so many generations that we don’t think it can happen to us.
