Socialism story

I have a story here for all you Bernie Sanders supporters who think the world is unfair and Socialism is the answer to all your worries.

　

Over 15 years ago, I was a computer technician in a small shop in Helena, Montana. I was working for wages and doing ok and I'd have probably stayed that way for a long time. But, one day, the owner decided he wasn't going to deal with the hassles of employees and overhead and was shutting down the business and downsizing to a one-man shop.

　

He suggested that I go out on my own also instead of going back to school or finding another job and that is what I did.

　

January 1, 2000, I started Broadwater Computer Service, by myself with no backup job or even part time employment any where else.

　

The first couple of years were pretty tough and I was taking any repair/service/install...computer related job I could find. I did warranty work for the major companies; bending ears and ocaisional adams apples in order to get paid. I fixed home computers, I fixed business computers, I designed and installed small networks, I wrote simple websites and I sold parts. Anything to make a buck.

　

After about five years, I was too busy to keep up. I had many business clients as well as home customers and I was travelling all around this region with a trunkfull of computer and networking parts and tools. I no longer accepted warranty work unless they paid now. No more "net thirty". No more accepting their rates. If a warranty company wanted me, they had to pay my rates...now.

　

I got to a point where I either had to hire help or back off and reduce the amount of business I was handling. I had all the status indicators; a nice car, nice clothes, expensive toys and so on. At about that time I got a really good musician/entertainer job for the summer which took me away from my primary business area for several days at a time and I had to start making choices...play music or go home and handle computer calls. For a while, I did both and then the music/entertainment side of me won out.

　

I cut back on my standard of living, getting rid of the cars for which I was making payments, dumping cable TV (never home anyway) and basically reducing my financial burden so that I could live on less.

　

I still fix computers and networks, especially in the winter, but it no longer drives me. I work in a local cafe when they need me but not full time and I still do my sumer entertainer thing but I've basically "retired"...on nothing.

　

I have only the few college credits I earned in The U.S. Air Force, none of which are electrically or computer oriented. I learned the IT business the way Lincoln learned to be a lawyer. I read and studied at home and worked on them.

　

If I'd continued to work as hard at the IT business as I had been, I'd be much higher on the financial ladder today than I am. My current "class" is my choice. I chose to walk away from the higher paying business as I wanted less stress. Society or "the rich" didn't grind me down or keep me from making it. I'll say it again: It Was My Choice.

　

At this time in our country, it is still your choice whether you get ahead or not. All the self-help books are right! If you have a dream then go get it. Set goals. Make a plan and follow it. If you fail, get up and try again.

If you choose to stay in your wage-slave job; 9-5, same old schedule, same old cubicle and same old commute; well, that's your choice and I shouldn't have to pay more in taxes so that you can be more comfortable in your choice.

　

Socialism effectively takes away that choice. If the Government is supporting you, then you do what the Government tells you. Government run health care will be substandard. I use the VA so I know what I'm talking about here! If your education is paid for by the Government, then your professors will make much less, be less motivated and less effective. Your education will be substandard. What's worse, those of us NOT getting your education will be the ones paying for it.

　

If you want to know what a Bernie Sanders America will look like, take a field trip to an

Indian reservation.