Halloween is a lead-in to All Souls’ Day. Will the “soul” of the American ideal be one we lament in the future? Will 2021 be the year that future historians will cite as the Republic’s death? Halloween may be a scary day but 2021 may mark the beginning of a scary era for this country. The rise of authoritarianism, inflation, collectivism and shortages should scare the average American, and if the left has its way, will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It’s not too late to turn back, but will we? Tuesday, Nov 2nd is All Souls Day. It is also Election Day. How we celebrate one may affect how we celebrate the other.

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Four real things that scare me this Halloween:

Shortages.  This is a man-made catastrophe. When you pay people to not work, this is what you get.  Not enough people designing, making, transporting, and selling things.  The three major causes:  Lockdowns, disincentives to work, vaccine mandates.

Inflation.  Another man-made catastrophe.  Like the shortages we’re experiencing now, Inflation can be traced to the government’s interference in the normal economic cycle.  It’s a combination of money given and not earned, and money created to monetize public debt.  Inflation is the most regressive of taxes.

Authoritarianism.  The alarming rise in authoritarianism in Western democracies is just that, alarming. It can come from a benevolent place, a patronizing attitude toward common people.  It can come from a sinister place, a sadistic need to control others and delight in their misery. It is condescension made into governmental policy. Utopianism requires tyranny to overcome the basic human need to exercise rational self-interest.

Collectivism. This ranks #1 on this list because the other three, Authoritarianism, Inflation, and Shortages can all trace their roots to its implementation.  “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”  -Socialist slogan. Collectivism rejects the notion of individual rights and sovereignty. Communism, socialism, and fascism are all forms of collectivism. Because they run contrary to human nature, these forms of state collectivism require authoritarianism to keep them alive. Inflation and shortages are common real-world byproducts of collective economic practices, especially socialism.

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Thanks for listening, and be not afraid!

J.P. Mac