The United States celebrates a major milestone today - 250 years since the birth of America. But amidst the celebrations, a growing trend threatens to undermine the very foundations of the nation.
Just two years ago, few would have predicted that Marxist radicals would be gaining traction within the Democratic Party. However, the sweep of Democratic Socialists in the New York City primaries has confirmed a disturbing trend. These self-proclaimed "Democratic Socialists" have drawn young people and others into the Marxist fold, promising a utopia of "free everything" by confiscating the wealth of successful individuals.
But the record of communist governments is a stark reminder of what this "collective warmth" has wrought. Since the 1917 Russian revolution, communist regimes have cost an estimated 100 million lives, including 20 million in the Soviet Union, 65 million in China, and millions more in Vietnam, Cambodia, and other countries.
Communist-style socialism has brought poverty, mass starvation, and subsistence misery to tens of millions worldwide. It has turned once-flourishing societies like Venezuela into economic basket cases, reduced others like Poland and Romania to Third World status, and spawned economic disaster in countries like Cuba and North Korea.
Meanwhile, the United States has a record of freedom and prosperity that is unparalleled in human history. From the end of World War II to the present day, America has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for immigrants and citizens alike. The country's capitalist economy has drawn people from around the world, while socialist and communist economies have driven people away.
The choice facing Americans is clear: Americanism and freedom, or communism and slavery. As the Founding Fathers knew, demagogues like Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders can manipulate millions of voters into believing that economics is a zero-sum game. But our Founders also knew how to protect individual rights and freedoms, safeguarding property and promoting innovation under the Constitution.
The power of individual creativity and imagination has driven the United States to unprecedented heights, from the telegraph and electric light bulb to the automobile, microchip, and today's AI and quantum computers. This is in stark contrast to communist regimes, which have to steal intellectual property to stay ahead.
The choice America faces is not just about the midterms or the next election cycle, but about the future of the nation. Will we continue to make the right choice, as we have over the last 250 years, and uphold the principles of Americanism and freedom, or will we succumb to the allure of communism and slavery?
As we reflect on the birth of America, let us remember the Founding Fathers' trust in us to continue making the right choice. Let us hope and pray that they were right, and that we will continue to choose freedom, not slavery; Americanism, not communism; and a future built on human creativity and innovation, not organized theft.
