The more we allow government to intrude into our lives, the worse things are going to get.
In 2025, the demonization of free enterprise is all the rage. Everyday, I hear more about how capitalism isn't working, and that we need a change in our system, etc. While I agree that the status quo is no longer sufficient, capitalism is not the root cause of the problem; bloated government is. Because government is overreaching and ineffectual, radical ideologies seem more appealing to the little guy. This is happening all over America, especially in major cities.
The overpriced cost of living has pushed people to their breaking point, so much so that people here in NYC were willing to vote for a Socialist/Communist, who just became the Big Apple's next Mayor. People are revolting against a free market system that they feel is rigged against them. But the system wasn't always this way, and capitalism isn't the enemy. The real enemy is government overreach and control through financial and regulatory means, which is negatively impacting all of our respective bottom lines.
Take NYC, for example. We pay city tax, state tax, local tax, federal tax, and sales tax. Just like that, about 25-35% of all our money is gone before it even gets into our pockets. This is all under the guise of morality for the "greater good" in our city while it continues to decline. After we receive our post tax paychecks, the rest of our purchases are also subject to sales taxes. We then pay taxes on land we already own and purchases that were previously taxed on other individuals, such as used automobiles. What do we get for all this taxation in NYC? For starters: terrible infrastructure, some of the worst roads in the country that destroy your vehicle, utility companies such as Con Edison that are partially taxpayer funded and keep raising rates yet can't keep up with the demand during summer season. Regardless of the fact that our taxes fund these companies and programs, we receive no help from government when our vehicles fall apart due to crumbling roads, or when our homes have no air conditioning in the summertime for hours or even days. In addition, NYC has a law enforcement agency that is more focused on generating extra revenue for the city than enforcing Constitutional law and helping citizens.
Through over taxation, government has destroyed the incentive to work harder, put in overtime, and advance. Why? The harder you work, the more you're punished when your paycheck comes, and during tax season. Doesn't sound much like a capitalistic, free market society to me. What happens when you don't get a return on your investment that you had no say in depositing? You become angry and frustrated and instead of blaming the people who hold the cards, you blame the cards themselves. America was a country built on community, individualism, and freedom. The more we allow government to intrude into our lives, the worse things are going to get.
Things didn't always used to be this way. Take, for instance, how life was in our country just a short time ago, in the mid- to late-20th century: families could survive off of one parent's income with a home, kids, and a vehicle. Even an annual vacation. Most of American history shows us that families were able to thrive in a household where one parent worked and the other took care of the family if they so chose to. To blame our current day issues on capitalism is very disingenuous and to turn a blind eye to the real problem and blame a free market economic system is deceitful. The only difference between then and now is the magnitude in which the government has grown. All the choices they supposedly made on our behalf have not benefited the average American, and have affected the cost of so many things in our country.
It's crucial that we continue to speak up against government overreach and corruption. Doing so will take time, prudence, and determination.
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