When it happened, I thought it would be the clear turning point: the left would admit it was wrong, if not clueless, about central planning.
But it was I who was wrong. Congress legislates like the Wall never fell.
Given that, it's important to look back to some East German accounts from when the wall fell. From the Washington Post:
Just a few steps from the checkpoint, two wheels fell off the baby stroller. A cold rain was falling. The border guards had submachine guns and sour faces. The Sickert family had one umbrella….
"This is the biggest moment in my life," said 38-year-old Klaus Sickert, wet, bareheaded and carrying [his four] children's clothes in a backpack…
If he had not packed up his family and abandoned East Germany this morning, he would be working as a weaver in a textile mill near Karl-Marx-Stadt. But he said he had come to believe over the weekend that there is a brighter future in being a refugee in West Germany than a worker at home…
From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Thousands more weary but jubilant East Germans packed aboard "freedom trains" crossed the border into West Germany on Thursday after an overnight journey from Czechoslovakia.
"Out of hell, finally!" shouted one young man.
When the wall stood, about 5,000 East Germans risked guards with machine guns to get to West Berlin. More than a hundred were killed trying.
The Competitive Enterprise Institute has released this video of some escape attempts.
With freedom, Eastern European economies exploded: Polish citizens went from making $3,300 a year in 1988 to an average of $17,300 a year now.
There was one bad thing about the fall of the USSR: We lost a very visible bad example of big centralized government.
With Washington now turning to central planning to “fix” healthcare, clean the environment, and “create” jobs, it’s helpful to have role models of failure. They remind citizens of the politicians’ arrogance.
For the young, the example of the Soviet Union resonates less and less.
We do, however, still have North Korea, Cuba, State Motor Vehicles Departments, K-12 education, and the Us Postal Service.
When are we going to realize and admit the muslims and their religion are death to infidels--us. It is written in their book of so called religion, kill the infidels if they do not convert!! Wake up America and treat them like what they are cult radicals--period.
Having spent two months backpacking in Europe just prior to the wall coming down, and having spent several days living with a Hungarian family, I agree with Stossel. The youngest of the Hungarian kids was 16 or so at the time, his older brother was attending the University of Colorado. Instead of posters of Cheerleaders, rock bands, or athletes on his tiny bedroom wall, he proudly displayed a United States map. Too many Americans take for granted what we have!
we don't have tricky dick to kick around anymore, damn it the USSR went belly up. The Taliban is like arguing with a ATM machine the interest rate keeps going up, we need a bad guy to kick around.
November 9, 2009 at 10:47 pm
PeteR..
I'm guilty of being too relaxed after we "won". America and other free people thought the biggest threat was gone. I didn't push or try to educate friends about freedom and conservatism. But our current situation has woken me up and other conservative friends. Our idealogical enemy went from being foreign to domestic. It's up to us to prod our aquaintences from their shallow thought process (liberalism) to the obviously superior theory of individual liberty.
Commentor Pedderson apparently believes the following:
1. Monopolies produce high quality service at low prices.
2. People spend other people's money more carefully than their own.
3. Government bureaucrats are sufficiently intuitive to weight costs and benefits in the absence of prices.
Mr. Pedderson ignores the unseen effects of government policy. Stifled innovation, wasted resources, lower wages and high unemployment are just some of the unseen effects he ignores.
November 9, 2009 at 6:30 pm
BabaLou
Is Congress so disconnected that they actually believe we want them to take over our healthcare? I have two words for them---TERM LIMITS.
November 9, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Rob
I believe Mr. Pedersson to have a genuine opinion, but he is wrong in one respect, we are the pride of this world when it comes to health care. All those wonderful gov't run health care recipients are flocking to the US for Health Care! Why is that I wonder??!!
November 9, 2009 at 6:07 pm
mikeit
The Beatle's said it BEST, "Back In The USSR".
November 9, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Larry
We now have Congress as a model of failure for failing to remember who employs them.
To compare the US to Cold War USSR is disingenuous at best. At its worst, it is false, misleading and entirely uninformed.
Ironically, you use the fall of the Berlin Wall to show the failures of centralized government. Yet, you neglect to mention that a non-Communist Germany continues to provide universal health care to its citizens and that its health care system, along with other mostly government-funded systems, such as Sweden, Great Britain and France, is considered far superior to ours.
To compare the US to Cold War USSR is disingenuous at best. At its worst, it is false, misleading and entirely uninformed.
Ironically, you use the fall of the Berlin Wall to show the failures of centralized government. Yet, you neglect to mention that a non-Communist Germany continues to provide universal health care to its citizens and that its health care system, along with other mostly government-funded systems, such as Sweden, Great Britain abd France, is considered far superior to ours.
Mr. Stossel's take is right on. I think I am more frustrated with the lack of common sense. Not sure if I should be directing my frustration at our current government or the American people who can't see what's in front of them.
Simply put since the end of the USSR we have been living like spoiled children. When we are told we can't have what we want without earning it we through a temper tantrum (bad economy) then we run to the other parent who says 'don't worry I'll give it to you' (Obama).
John Stossel joined FOX Business and FOX News in October 2009. He is the New York Times best-selling author of Give Me A Break and Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity. His "Give Me a Break" commentaries take a skeptical look at a wide array of issues, such as education, the economy, parenting, and more.
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zangomike
When are we going to realize and admit the muslims and their religion are death to infidels--us. It is written in their book of so called religion, kill the infidels if they do not convert!! Wake up America and treat them like what they are cult radicals--period.
John
Having spent two months backpacking in Europe just prior to the wall coming down, and having spent several days living with a Hungarian family, I agree with Stossel. The youngest of the Hungarian kids was 16 or so at the time, his older brother was attending the University of Colorado. Instead of posters of Cheerleaders, rock bands, or athletes on his tiny bedroom wall, he proudly displayed a United States map. Too many Americans take for granted what we have!
Homerbob
we don't have tricky dick to kick around anymore, damn it the USSR went belly up. The Taliban is like arguing with a ATM machine the interest rate keeps going up, we need a bad guy to kick around.
PeteR..
I'm guilty of being too relaxed after we "won". America and other free people thought the biggest threat was gone. I didn't push or try to educate friends about freedom and conservatism. But our current situation has woken me up and other conservative friends. Our idealogical enemy went from being foreign to domestic. It's up to us to prod our aquaintences from their shallow thought process (liberalism) to the obviously superior theory of individual liberty.
LAD
Commentor Pedderson apparently believes the following: 1. Monopolies produce high quality service at low prices. 2. People spend other people's money more carefully than their own. 3. Government bureaucrats are sufficiently intuitive to weight costs and benefits in the absence of prices. Mr. Pedderson ignores the unseen effects of government policy. Stifled innovation, wasted resources, lower wages and high unemployment are just some of the unseen effects he ignores.
BabaLou
Is Congress so disconnected that they actually believe we want them to take over our healthcare? I have two words for them---TERM LIMITS.
Rob
I believe Mr. Pedersson to have a genuine opinion, but he is wrong in one respect, we are the pride of this world when it comes to health care. All those wonderful gov't run health care recipients are flocking to the US for Health Care! Why is that I wonder??!!
mikeit
The Beatle's said it BEST, "Back In The USSR".
Larry
We now have Congress as a model of failure for failing to remember who employs them.
Jim Pedderson
To compare the US to Cold War USSR is disingenuous at best. At its worst, it is false, misleading and entirely uninformed. Ironically, you use the fall of the Berlin Wall to show the failures of centralized government. Yet, you neglect to mention that a non-Communist Germany continues to provide universal health care to its citizens and that its health care system, along with other mostly government-funded systems, such as Sweden, Great Britain and France, is considered far superior to ours.
Jim Pedderson
To compare the US to Cold War USSR is disingenuous at best. At its worst, it is false, misleading and entirely uninformed. Ironically, you use the fall of the Berlin Wall to show the failures of centralized government. Yet, you neglect to mention that a non-Communist Germany continues to provide universal health care to its citizens and that its health care system, along with other mostly government-funded systems, such as Sweden, Great Britain abd France, is considered far superior to ours.
Aaron
Mr. Stossel's take is right on. I think I am more frustrated with the lack of common sense. Not sure if I should be directing my frustration at our current government or the American people who can't see what's in front of them. Simply put since the end of the USSR we have been living like spoiled children. When we are told we can't have what we want without earning it we through a temper tantrum (bad economy) then we run to the other parent who says 'don't worry I'll give it to you' (Obama).