I Saw Socialism Up Close as a Global Negotator -- Why Bernie Sanders Version is Equally Disastrous

Bernie Sanders calls himself the "Democratic Socialist" as a badge of honor.

In my global negotiations I was in socialist/communist countries such as the Peoples Republic of China (its real name) in the early 80's. I went to Nicaragua just before it was taken over by the socialist Sandinistas. Know what I found?

The people were dirt poor and had nothing, yet those at the top of the party had access to education, money, cars, privileges that the 99% outside the party didn't have. yYu can see in the photos I published in my book showing "old" China under Mao's economy in 1982, people wearing the same drab clothes pushing brooms in the streets before it adopted a free market.  The people that I met at the Ministry of Machine Building had privileges in special shops no one else could access. They drove us around in the only cars available - government cars that looked like they belonged in the 50's when I was there in the 80s.

In socialist Cuba, the Castro brothers and their top commanders have it all. Everyone else has to live on $20 a MONTH (yes, that's $5 per week in 2016 dollars), even doctors! Nothing grows. 

Bernie's proposals would do here what his friend Fidel Castro has done in Cuba - wreck our economy. His ban on fracking would cost millions of jobs overnight, while his plan of raising taxes on low and middle income by $4,700 a year would be the price for "free" college. Where does any of this make sense?

I saw socialism and communist on a global scale. Our system is not perfect but beats socialism and communism a thousand times over....

Sorry Bernie, your socialist ideas haven't worked any place in the world where I have seen it in action. Your economic plan would cost us $15 TRILLION in increased deficits, while raising taxes on the middle and lower income by $4,700 a year (compare that to Trump/Cruz plans that would create $10 Trillion Deficit versus Hillary's $1 Trillion.)

That is a stiff price to pay for "free" college. It would be cheaper for Americans to fly to Norway where it is free, even for foreigners.

See for yourself in "Better Times Ahead April Fool."  Socialism is not an answer.

Michael Fjetland
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