Socialism Humor

I realize that mocking socialism is like taking candy from a baby, but I have several items to add to our collection.

But today I’m going to follow the advice of some readers who have told me that I should make a serious point with each bit of satire so that readers (especially those not already immersed in these issues) understand why socialism is both laughable and tragic.

Our first example is some humor based on The Simpson’s, and it makes the important point that majoritarian coercion is still coercion.

Which is why America’s Founders did their best to limit the extent of majoritarian democracy.

I like this next image because it’s the satirical version of my column on why the left should be nice to upper-income taxpayers.

Sadly, my friends on the left seem unable to resist killing – or at least driving away – those golden geese.

And when more and more people are riding in the wagon and fewer and fewer people are pulling the wagon, the end result is not pretty.

Speaking of not pretty, this is the R-rated version of a great Michael Ramirez cartoon.

President Eisenhower also had something to say about free stuff.

Moving to our next example, socialists have this romantic notion of a society where everyone pulls together for the common good.

But when they try to set up such systems on a voluntary basis, they inevitably fail because of an unsolvable incentive structure.

Which is what makes this sign funny…and accurate.

Reminds me of this superb tweet.

Our final example just appeared in my inbox this morning, so it’s very well timed.

It makes the all-important point that ever-expanding government power is bad for civil liberties (hence this very powerful poster about gun control) and bad for full stomachs.

While the image is funny, the real-world consequences are not.

Poor people are starving to death in Venezuela.

And don’t forget the tens of millions of deaths thanks to famines in Mao’s China or the Ukraine under Stalin. Or the mass starvation in North Korea (which was portrayed as a triumph against obesity by an especially despicable bureaucrat at the World Health Organization).

To be sure, there’s a big difference between liberal socialism and totalitarian socialism. I’d take the former if forced to choose. And even when considering liberal socialism, there’s are big differences between market-friendly versions and intervention-based versions.

But, all things considered, I prefer freedom and prosperity.

Read Full Post »

Ocasio-Cortez Humor

I have an entire page dedicated to columns that mock the evils of socialism and communism.

But we may need a special section for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and her vapid – yet earnest – smiley-face statism.

I’ve already shared some AOC humor, but only incidental examples while making other points.

Today, the entire column is dedicated to the younger version of Crazy Bernie.

We’ll start by mocking things she has actually said. Our first item is self-explanatory, at least for anyone with a passing familiarity with 20th-century history.

Our next example captures her utopian statism.

Just think Green New Deal.

I don’t believe this next example is an exact quote, but she is a rabid climate alarmist (though hopefully not this extreme or this extreme) and did say something about time running out, which makes this next bit of satire rather amusing.

Though we should already be boiling to death according to some of Al Gore’s fevered statements, so you can probably still make long-term plans.

AOC is also amazingly ignorant of America’s system of government (probably on purpose since I’m sure she would be horrified about the views of the Founders), though this doesn’t stop her from pontificating on the topic.

Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: "If we work our butts off to make sure that we take back all three chambers of Congress — Uh, rather, all three chambers of government: the presidency, the Senate, and the House."

The 3 branches of government: executive, legislative, judicial. pic.twitter.com/8rPSpzottE

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) November 19, 2018

Let’s get briefly serious.

Some people say we shouldn’t be giving AOC so much attention.

I disagree. Her ideas are so nutty that she presumably helps ordinary people realize that big government is a bad idea.

Kimberley Strassel of the Wall Street Journal agrees that her radicalism will backfire on Democrats.

The Republican Party has a secret weapon for 2020. It’s especially effective because it’s stealthy… All Republicans have to do is sit back and watch 29-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez… In a few months she’s gone from an unknown New York bartender to the democratic socialist darling of the left and its media hordes. …Republicans don’t know whether to applaud or laugh. Most do both. …what’s not to love? …She’s made friends with Jeremy Corbyn, leader of Britain’s Labour Party, who has been accused of anti-Semitism. She’s called the American system of wealth creation “immoral” and believes government has a duty to provide “economic security” to people who are “unwilling to work.” …Ms. Ocasio-Cortez unveiled her vaunted Green New Deal…which AOC is determined to force a full House vote. That means every Democrat in Washington will get to go on the record in favor of abolishing air travel, outlawing steaks, forcing all American homeowners to retrofit their houses, putting every miner, oil rigger, livestock rancher and gas-station attendant out of a job, and spending trillions and trillions more tax money. Oh, also for government-run health care, which is somehow a prerequisite for a clean economy. …The Green New Deal encapsulates everything Americans fear from government, all in one bonkers resolution. …AOC may not prove able to eradicate “fully” every family Christmas or strip of bacon in a decade, but that’s the goal. …Ms. Ocasio-Cortez is a freight train gaining speed by the day—and helping Republicans with every passing minute.

Now back to having some fun.

Let’s look at two made-up quotes, both of which are very amusing because you could easily imagine her making these statements.

We’ll start with her proof that socialism is successful.

And here’s a made-up observation about trade policy.

Actually, I don’t recall her supporting protectionism, so it’s possible that there may be an issue where she actually is on the side of economic liberty.

As we begin to wrap up, here’s a satirical video that’s been circulating. Enjoy.

Last but not least, I don’t know if she actually said this next statement, but I’m including it because it made me laugh (though since Venezuelans are eating zoo animals and household pets, I realize it’s not funny in real life).

I also wish the creator of this meme used somebody other than Trump. After all, he’s also guilty of supporting some big-government policies, so he’s hardly the best person to throw stones at socialism since he’s in a house that’s part glass.

But let’s not get hung up on technicalities. I’m for good political satire, even if I don’t agree with the message.

Read Full Post »

Mocking the Horror of Communism

Today is a good opportunity to augment our collection of humor about socialism and communism.

Our first addition made me laugh out loud. Kudos to “writeidiaz” (who should have a contest with “TOOAJoyce” and “ItsMeKarlMarx” for best use of sarcasm).

 

Next we have a variation of the “real communism” or “real socialism” excuse.

Since socialist and communist regimes are great places to lose a lot of weight (albeit involuntarily), here’s an interesting way of diagnosing what’s wrong with your latest batch of cookies.

Excellent humor. Reminds me of the satire about communist electricity.

I encourage readers, the next time they see some vapid millennial wearing a Che t-shirt, to share these three examples.

P.S. We also need to include “REDACTED” and “Fathercommunism” in our contest for best anti-communist satire.

Read Full Post »

Have a Very Merry Libertarian Christmas

In the past, I’ve highlighted Christmas rivalries.

• Is Santa Claus liberal or conservative?
• Do we want a Christmas that celebrates political correctness or mocks political correctness?
• How about an Ayn Rand vs Karl Marx Christmas?
• Or how about Ted Cruz vs Karl Marx on Christmas?
• Last but not least, anybody up for a Christmas battle between libertarians and socialists?

This Christmas, though, let’s just go with a libertarian theme. We’ll start with a new video from the clever folks at Reason.

Since the video mentioned Santa sneaking in the country and evading tariffs, here’s a cartoon strip featuring a protectionist Scrooge.

Poor Santa Claus.

He already buried by red tape and he’s been hassled by the IRS and other federal agencies.

Plus he has to deal with children who make impossible requests.

The last thing he needs is trade taxes reducing the amount of toys he can distribute.

But there is hope for a détente between Trump and Santa.

Now let’s focus on some good news.

Here’s a video about the blessings of capitalism. It has a Christmas theme, but free enterprise is a gift every single day of the year.

The above video makes a very Schumpeterian point about how capitalism is the system that best serves the needs of poor people.

But let’s not digress from out holiday theme.

We now have another video from Reason. Remy sings about how a corrupt tax code forces a very unsavory form of redistribution from the poor to the rich.

And if you liked that Remy video, he has a pair of great Christmas-themed videos (here and here) about the TSA.

Merry Christmas!

P.S. Here are Christmas carols to enlighten Keynesians.

P.P.S. Here’s a Christmas commercial for fans of the 2nd Amendment.

P.P.P.S. Jay Leno shared the best-ever Christmas joke.

P.P.P.P.S. Speaking of best-ever, you’ll understand why this Christmas present ranks among my favorites.

P.P.P.P.P.S. Here are some additional Christmas-themed TSA songs.

Read Full Post »

A New Edition of Shutdown Humor

The government is (partially) shut down, yet I’m not happy or excited.

That’s because Washington isn’t fighting about something I care about, such as the near-shutdown over spending levels in 2011 or the shutdown over Obamacare in 2013.

Instead, the latest drama in Washington is because Trump wants money for a border wall, which is an issue that doesn’t motivate me (though I keep asking my GOP friends why they don’t propose to finance the wall by cutting back on wasteful domestic programs).

But at least this battle gives me an opportunity to augment my collection of shutdown humor.

My favorite for today comes from libertarian Reddit.

Amen. As Jay Leno joked back in 2013, the real problem is that politicians eventually figure out how to get the government going again.

Sticking with that theme, let’s enjoy excerpts from some satire by Babylon Bee earlier this year.

As the federal government faces a shutdown…, millions of Americans reported…a sense of relief washing over them like a wave of peace and serenity at the possibility of a powering-down of our volatile governing bodies. “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if the federal government would just close up shop and go away for a little while,” one smiling man told reporters. “They’re such a source of strife and frustration in our daily lives—we need a little peace of mind. I really hope they’ll go ahead and take a little break.” “Don’t worry about us, politicians—we’ll be fine. Just go ahead, shut her down and take as much time as you need,” he added.

So even if it’s only a partial shutdown, and even though it’s not for the reasons I would prefer, I still share the sentiment in the Babylon Bee article.

Which is a good segue to an amusing image from Imgur.

The seal in the above image should thank Hank Stanson, at least according to another article from Babylon Bee.

…local libertarian man Hank Stanson reportedly wrote a letter to Santa asking for the entire government to cease operations forever for Christmas this year. “Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is for you to shut down the federal government permanently,” his modest request read. “All non-essential services should be shut down immediately.” …”I’ve been a very good boy this year,” he wrote, arguing his case. “I haven’t smoked any marijuana, and I haven’t shouted at any police officers that taxation is theft yet. When a prominent politician died earlier this year, I even waited a full day before blasting him on my Facebook page. So please, Santa Claus, please make this staunch liberty lover a very happy man this year.”

I’ve also been a good boy. I waited a full week after George H.W. Bush died before pointing out that he was not a good president.

On a semi-serious note, it’s worth noting that shutdowns don’t actually save any money.

Notwithstanding this bit of satire, we still have to pay taxes.

And the vast army of minions in the federal bureaucracy get paid for sitting at home.

That’s the message in another contribution from Imgur.

To be fair, I don’t actually object to bureaucrats getting paid during shutdown.

I’m much more concerned that they oftentimes work for agencies and departments that shouldn’t exist.

Which brings us to the final bit of humor for today.

This hits the nail on the head.

Every employee at the Department of Housing and Urban Development is nonessential.

The same is true for the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation, Department of Energy, and many other boxes on the federal flowchart.

P.S. I linked above to a couple of prior examples of shutdown humor. You can enjoy other editions by clicking here, here, and here.

P.P.S. People say fiscal policy is dry, but we’re actually fun-loving people. There’s also debt-limit humor and sequestration humor.

Read Full Post »

Libertarian Infrastructure Humor

While folks on the left sometimes imply that libertarians are autistic dorks, we do have a sense of humor. Even about our own unusual traits.

But we also like to mock big government, and that’s why we have some new material for our collection of Libertarian humor.

We’ll start with this bit of satire. I don’t know if it accurately captures the preferences of feminists, but it definitely summarizes how we feel about government.

Speaking of “basic functions,” that presumably includes infrastructure.

However, I don’t want Washington to be in charge of such matters. Though that doesn’t mean I have great confidence that any government at any level will do a good job.

Which is the theme from these three images from Columbia University’s Xavier Sala-i-Martin.

We’ll start with some evidence of poor coordination by the bureaucrats in charge of street and the bureaucrats in charge of sidewalks.

I already knew governments had problems with lines on roadways, but this even surprises me.

And I’m not even sure how to describe this bit of road planning. Makes this sign seem like genius by comparison.

Last but not least, this item from Powerline is a perfect way to conclude today’s collection. Maybe John Stossel was right when he wrote that the private sector deserves a bigger role.

The bottom line if that you’ve asked a very silly question if the answer is more government.

Read Full Post »

Let’s Cheer for this Caravan of Migrants

Years ago, I shared a joke about American leftists fleeing to Canada.

But since Canada actually has a lot of pro-free enterprise policies (completely decentralized education and school choice, welfare reform and reduction, privatized air traffic control, etc), it doesn’t make much sense for statists to head north.

Last year, I followed up with some humor asking why leftists don’t move to places where socialism actually exists, such as Venezuela.

Well, the satirists at Babylon Bee have big news.

The caravan of Central American migrants heading to the U.S. is going to cross paths with a southbound caravan.

A migrant caravan full of leftists desiring to enter the socialist paradise of Venezuela departed the United States Thursday and began marching toward through Mexico, stating they will demand asylum so they might experience the far better life that socialism offers. …”Everyone there has the same quantity of possessions and food,” said one marcher. “Everyone makes millions of dollars, and very few people work. It’s a real paradise.” The refugees have complex motivations, but the vast majority simply want to see everything socialism has to offer after suffering the amazing benefits of capitalism for too long. …At its current pace, the caravan is expected to arrive just in time for Venezuela to run out of food entirely.

That sounds like a good trade to me.

Venezuela gets a bunch of crazies who will revel in equal levels of poverty (with the exception of the ruling elite, of course), and America will get a bunch of folks who want to work hard for a better life (an outcome that will be more likely since there will be fewer statists offering them welfare and telling them not to assimilate.

Speaking of assimilation, I suspect the leftists will have a very hard time adjusting to life under socialism.

P.S. Sticking with satire, American refugees have also fled to Peru.

P.P.S. If leftists don’t want to leave, maybe they’d go with this proposed national divorce agreement?

Read Full Post »

There’s Nothing Funny about Socialism and Communism, but…

Let’s add to our collection of anti-socialism humor.

Let’s start with this gem from Libertarian Reddit.

To be fair, there is a difference between democratic socialism and totalitarian socialism

But this cartoon helps to show that even the benign form of socialism is a high-risk proposition.

So true.

The underlying incentive system in socialism will lead to bad results regardless of whether supporters have good intentions

But many statists don’t have good intentions, which is the point of this cartoon.

At what point does the left admit that “real communism” is brutality and oppression?

Last but not least, whoever put this together deserves credit for a clever bit of satire. Though I suppose we should be fair and acknowledge that communism “only” killed 100 million people.

The bottom line is that socialism is always a failure. The only open issue is whether it is the benign version or totalitarian version.

For more on that discussion, I created a flowchart to illustrate different forms of statism.

Read Full Post »

A Humorous Look at Asset Forfeiture

In the world of public policy, it’s very easy to make fun of politicians (especially Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren).

And there are plenty of jokes about certain issues in the public arena, particularly the IRS, but also gun control and Brexit. And I have entire pages dedicated to libertarian humor and communism/socialism humor.

But some topics are so grim that’s it’s not easy to laugh about them. There’s nothing funny about the horror of Venezuela, for instance, though there are examples of dark humor from that unfortunate nation.

Another topic that doesn’t lend itself to laughs is the horrid practice of civil asset forfeiture. I’ve shared many nauseating stories about how governments literally steal property from people who have not been convicted of crimes (or, in many cases, have not even been accused of any crime).

Here’s the latest absurd example, this time from Michigan.

Nearly 400 people in Wayne County who were never charged with a crime still lost property to law enforcement agencies last year through a legal procedure called civil asset forfeiture… Altogether, there were 736 asset forfeiture proceedings in Michigan in 2017 during which someone lost property to the government despite never being charged with any crime; this happened 380 times in Wayne County. …Jarrett Skorup of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, who co-authored a recent report on civil forfeiture, said…it’s likely that these forfeitures disproportionately affected low-income individuals, who are less able to afford an attorney or navigate the legal system to reclaim their property. Revenue obtained from forfeited property typically goes to the agency that seized the property.

Yes, you read correctly. The agency that steals the property gets to keep the money, which is why the disgusting practice of civil asset forfeiture is sometimes known as “policing for profit.”

If this sounds like the kind of behavior you’d find in a third-world banana republic, you’re right.

Anyhow, is there any way we can find mirth and amusement in this reprehensible practice?

Actually, courtesy of libertarian Reddit, there is.

Kudos to the clever person who left this comment. Maybe the bureaucrats finally understand what it feels like to have property arbitrarily seized.

I’m not quite ready to applaud the actual thief, however, since a speed trailer only notifies people how fast they’re traveling.

If that person wants my praise, go after speed-trap cameras like this hero.

P.S. There is an example of money-laundering humor, and it features a former President.

Read Full Post »

A Preview of the Trump-Warren 2020 Election

Time for some political humor.

Though some may consider this tragedy rather than comedy since the theme will be the potential contest between Donald Trump and Elizabeth Warren in 2020.

But some people are happy about the possible match-up. For instance, both likely candidates are a gold mine for satirists.

We’ll start with Elizabeth “Soul Woman” Warren, She claimed Indian ancestry to give herself an advantage when seeking university jobs, but this produced enough mockery that she felt compelled to get a DNA test.

Which led to some brutal mockery (h/t: Powerline blog). Here’s the one that got the most laughs from me.

Maybe Nike can replace Colin Kaepernick?

Here’s another amusing image.

Let’s look at three additional choices.

If a tiny share of DNA is enough to claim Indian status, then the AFLAC duck gets to be a bald eagle.

And if Warren picks Crazy Bernie as her running mate, they already have a campaign poster.

But before we get to 2020, we have this year’s midterm elections. Trump is dragging down GOP candidates, but Democrats also have some liabilities.

Now let’s turn our attention to Trump.

A friend sent me a great site for Putin/Trump memes. Here’s the one that earned the biggest chuckle from me.

And this one also is amusingly brutal.

And I can’t resist sharing this option as well.

For those of you who like Trump because of his “recreational choices,” you may want to jump ship to someone with better qualifications.

Last but not least, here’s a look back at our dismal choice from 2016.

 

Reminds me of the meme about libertarians.

Given the choice between Trump and Hillary, it is kind of amazing that Gary Johnson did so poorly. Though the Onion has a theory about why that happened.

Makes you wonder how they will bungle (what presumably will be) an equally good opportunity in 2020.

Read Full Post »

In a Single Image, Exposing the Fallacy of Zero-Sum Class Warfare

A few years ago, I shared an image that neatly summarized why the left’s fixation on income inequality is misguided.

Now I have something even better.

I don’t know who “JIMBOB” is, but this cartoon he created is a masterpiece. The car analogy is perfect.

I’ll have to recycle this cartoon every time I write on the issue (along with substantive analysis, including Max Roser’s numbers and the powerful Chinese data).

That being said, I’m going to suggest one possible revision to JIMBOB. I think it would be a slight improvement if both captions started with “some.”

For what it’s worth, I think that phrasing would better reflect how the left thinks.

Or, to be fair, it shows how some on the left think.

I’ve never forgotten a conversation I had with a friend from the other side of the spectrum. His support for class-warfare policies is based on the fact that some (many?) rich people got their wealth via government.

And those people obviously don’t deserve their loot.

The difference between me and my friend is that I’d rather keep tax rates low and get rid of the programs that provide unjust riches. In other words, we should be guided by this very powerful image.

Read Full Post »

Laughing at the Evil of Communism

It’s time to add to my collection of Socialism/Communism Humor.

I wrote a serious column a few days ago about Colin Kaepernick and his new Nike ad about protesting. Well, that’s become a meme, including this appearance by Joseph Stalin.

I guess he would argue that you can’t make an omelet without breaking a few eggs.

This next example is very simplistic, but it somehow got a chuckle from me.

This cartoon strip is clever. I’m assuming the kid is the same one from this classroom.

And here’s some biting sarcasm from Libertarian Reddit.

And here’s a reappearance of the real-communism-hasn’t-been-tried excuse.

Sticking with that theme, here’s another example. Funny how anything labeled communism always fails, but some sinister fools rationalize how it can work next time.

Next, we have a list of fantasy authors, though the President of the European Commission might disagree.

Last but not least, we have my favorite from today’s collection.

Yuri Gagarin was a hero for the Soviets and he probably was loyal to the regime, but I like this reinterpretation of his motives.

In any event, flying into space beats crawling under barbed wire.

P.S. While it’s cathartic to mock communism, let’s never forget that this statist ideology was truly horrible in practice.

Read Full Post »

Socialism Humor

A few days ago, I posted an interview about the supposed resurgence of socialism and pointed out that Bernie Sanders isn’t really a socialist. At least if we use the technical definition of that unsavory form of statism.

Based on reader reaction, though, what people most liked about that column were the links at the end to various examples of anti-socialism humor.

I’m happy to cater to those preferences since I like mocking statist ideologies, so let’s enjoy a new edition of socialism humor.

I’ve previously posted a column that summarizes socialism in three pictures. Well, here’s the four-picture version.

By the way, left-wing friends have nit-picked by arguing that some of these photos don’t depict actual socialism.

I tell them that they’re being too literal. That’s not how humor works. Moreover, if they want to have a debate on the real-world consequences of socialism, I’m happy to do that.

I’m not even sure this next item, from libertarian Reddit, makes sense. But I confess I laughed when I first saw it.

Maybe it’s just because both only math-challenged people are drawn to Bernienomics and this “special.”

This next cartoon, also from libertarian Reddit, is self-explanatory.

Very similar to the last cartoon in this collection.

Let’s shift from images to an article. I’m not a conspiracy-minded guy, but I’ve sometimes wondered whether all the feature articles in the establishment press about ant colonies and bee hives is a subliminal effort to promote socialism. With that in mind, this satire from Babylon Bee is spot on.

It was a socialist paradise. Everyone working together in harmony and equally sharing in the labor. But then disaster struck. Disaster in the form of seven-year-old Timmy Gunderson. …he shook his older sister’s ant farm as if trying to reset an Etch A Sketch. Until then, the ant farm had been a model of true socialism. No markets. No capitalists growing rich off the labor of others. Just everyone sharing in the noble work of digging tunnels and harvesting the seeds and sugar water provided daily by eleven-year-old Molly Gunderson. …“The right might seize on the collapse of yet another socialist society,” said professor Clinton Morris. “But it’s important to note that what happened was not a failure of socialism. What caused its failure were outside forces, namely little Timmy.” …measures have been taken to prevent the same disaster from happening again, namely placing the ant farm high up on a bookshelf. Perhaps this time socialism’s promise of a perfect society will be fulfilled.

But maybe socialist society won’t be so perfect for Fido and Rover.

I’ll close with another item that showed up in my inbox.

Given what’s happening in Venezuela, we probably shouldn’t laugh.

P.S. To make my life simpler (adding a long collection of hyperlinks is a pain in the butt), I’ve created a special page for all of my socialism and communism humor.

Read Full Post »

Virtue Signaling, Plastic Straws, and Political Humor

Since I focus on public finance, I think California is crazy because of punitive taxes and reckless spending policies.

But I can understand why other people think California is crazy, period.

This is a state, after all, where politicians come up with bizarre ideas such as regulating babysitting and banning Happy Meals.

Not to mention banning other things as well.

So you won’t be surprised to learn that the Golden State is leading the way in attacking the horrible scourge of plastic straws.

Plastic straws are quickly becoming a takeout taboo. Starbucks has vowed to get its iconic green sippers completely off store shelves by 2020, while Seattle banned all plastic utensils, including straws, from bars and businesses city-wide earlier this month. San Francisco quickly followed suit this week and passed an ordinance that, once approved, will ban plastic straws beginning in July of 2019… It may seem as though the quarter-of-an-inch diameter drinking straw is the least of our worries. But environmentalists say the fight’s got to start somewhere. “We look at straws as one of the gateway issues to help people start thinking about the global plastic pollution problem,” Plastic Pollution Coalition CEO Dianna Cohen told Business Insider.

If I’m willing to claim earmarks are the gateway drug for big spending, then I can’t complain when other people come up with imaginative claims about other types of “gateways.”

In any event, there is a legitimate reason to be concerned about plastic.

Some straws drift out to sea, becoming just one more piece of the 79 thousand-ton colossal floating iceberg of trash called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Scientists who’ve studied the patch, a trash heap wider than two whole Texases that bobs somewhere between Hawaii and California, have discovered it’s essentially a watery pit of litter and illegal dumps that’s trapped in the ocean currents, and it is basically all plastic. …The anti-straw movement may have first picked up steam because…Texas A&M graduate student Christine Figgener…noticed something encrusted in the nose of one of the male turtles. …The team soon figured out it was actually a “plastic straw stuck in his nose,” and removed it, hoping the extraction might help give him some more breathing time on Earth.

But the people on the left side of the country are not actually solving this problem.

Plastic pollution is basically a problem caused by developing countries.

So the politicians in Seattle and San Francisco are making the Nanny State more intrusive without achieving anything.

A classic case of virtue signaling.

But look at the bright side. It’s already generated some great political satire.

Starting with this little girl.

I imagine the plastic straw will be a gateway for operating an unlicensed lemonade stand!

And if SWAT teams run out of harmless pot smokers to harass, they now have new target to justify their budgets.

And the gun grabbers will appreciate the importance of dealing with high-capacity straw dispensers.

Though it’s unclear how the left will deal with the danger of concealed straws.

Especially since some of those straw nuts will become dealers.

I’ve saved the best for last. For those old enough to remember OJ Simpson and the white Bronco, this image of a renegade toddler will bring back memories.

Remember, if you outlaw straws, only outlaws will have straws.

Next thing you know, they’ll try to outlaw tanks.

It’s a slippery slope!

Read Full Post »

Politician of the Year?

Back in 2016, I had an informal “politician of the year” contest. The three candidates were:

• The Prime Minister of Malaysia, who took normal cronyist corruption and added several zeroes to the total.
• The president of the Philippines, because he announced to voters that none of his mistresses would be on the public payroll.
• The follicly-challenged President of France, Francois Hollande, who squandered more than $100,000 per year on a hair stylist.

As a proud American, I was chagrined that no Americans made the list.

So I’m delighted to report that our first contestant in the 2018 race is from the United States.

Courtesy of the Washingtonian, let’s look at a very strong candidate for this year’s award.

Parking laws in the District can seem like a mess, but as any DC driver can note, confusion is not an excuse for breaking the law—unless you’re DC Councilmember Jack Evans. Evans, whose free-form approach to parking regulations has been well-documented, was spotted in his car Saturday morning, idling in a no-parking zone in Georgetown… Evans is hardly the first member of the DC Council to be criticized or spotlighted for flouting the District’s traffic and parking rules. …But of all of these, Evans is the council’s best-known parking-law skeptic. As it turns out, he has a point: In 2002, the DC Council granted itself the same legal immunity that members of Congress enjoy in the District, allowing them to park in bus zones, crosswalks, and residential permit zones when on official city business.

But the mere fact that there are special rules for insiders isn’t what qualifies Mr. Evans for an award.

If that was the case, the folks on Capitol Hill would deserve an award for wanting exemptions from the Obamacare law that they imposed on the country. Or we could give a giant prize to the bureaucrats at the OECD, who get tax-exempt salaries while pushing higher taxes on the rest of us.

What makes Mr. Evans worthy is the remarkable logic that he used when confronted by a lowly voter.

Kmetz says he first noticed Evans’ car parked at the corner of 32nd and Q streets, Northwest, while on his way to the post office. …Kmetz approaching Evans and asking the councilmember if he knows he is parking illegally. “Can I ask you something? Why do you care?” Evans responds. “Because if I parked illegally, I would get a ticket,” Kmetz says. “If I park illegally, that opens up a spot for you,” Evans says.

That’s some impressive sophistry.

But I’m wondering if Mr. Evans missed a golden opportunity. Instead of being snarky, he should have expressed fake empathy and told Mr. Kmetz that he would “solve” the problem the by submitting a bill to provide chauffeur-driven limousines to all members of the DC Council.

And he could even demonstrate his “frugality” by buying second-hand limos from the federal government’s massive fleet.

P.S. Since I’m mocking politicians, here’s an amusing joke that a reader shared with me.

Though I would amend the joke by removing “bipartisan.” As we saw with TARP, or the budget deal earlier this year, it’s almost always bad news for taxpayers when the Evil Party and Stupid Party agree on something.

P.P.S. Here’s a good link if you enjoy anti-politician jokes.

Read Full Post »

Statism in Five Images

Last month, we summarized libertarianism in five images.

In the interest of fairness, now let’s give equal time to the other side. After all, statists deserve an opportunity to present their case.

And we’ll start with this image, which makes the same point about coercion found in the “two-sentences” column I shared two months ago.

Unfortunately for our leftist friends, coercion doesn’t lead to effectiveness.

So this next image aptly captures the inherent problem of statist solutions.

So now you understand why Santa Claus sometimes has a problem.

And what happens when you mix the coercive nature of government with the fantasy world of government-provided goodies? Well, President Eisenhower already gave us the answer, but here’s the visual version.

But let’s not forget somebody has to pay for this collectivist utopia.

And that brings us to the joy of taxation.

“And then men with guns take money from your parents and give it to me.”
byu/Anen-o-me inlibertarianmeme

Last but not least, we’ll close with an image that illustrates how statism works in practice, which is why the message in this poster is so painfully true.

Having now presented five images for libertarianism and five images for statism, I suppose I could put together a poll to see which philosophy has more support.

But since libertarians are against untrammeled majoritarianism, that somehow doesn’t seem right. So instead I’ll simply recycle this bit of humor on the difference between the public sector and the private sector. Actually, there’s a scene from Ghostbusters that tells us everything we need to know.

Read Full Post »

Updating the Humor Collection: Are Libertarians Annoying or Dorky?

As part of my collection of libertarian humor (both pro and con), I provide an answer to the age-old question of “why did the libertarian chicken cross the road?”

Sticking with that theme, here’s some amusing satire from Babylon Bee.

Clad in his favorite Sunday Gadsden flag T-shirt, local libertarian believer John Revere reportedly screamed, “AM I BEING DETAINED!?!” to every person who attempted to shake his hand during the greeting time at Beech Reformed Church over the weekend. He bellowed the phrase at the top of his lungs to each of the fourteen people who happily greeted him and grabbed his hand during the mandatory time of saying hello, witnesses confirmed. …“You can’t be too careful,” he said. “Deep-state government shills are everywhere, and as soon as you let your guard down, you find yourself in a dungeon getting waterboarded at Guantanamo Bay.” …Revere had…tithed his 10% to the church using an untrackable crypto-currency, sources confirmed.

This is probably the same guy who is the annoying libertarian at Thanksgiving dinner.

But sometimes libertarians can be pathetically awkward rather than merely annoying.

I’ve shared Part I and Part II of the life of a libertarian dork. Well, here’s Part III.

Ouch. No wonder some leftists accuse us of being dorks.

P.S. I like to think I’m more of an opportunistic – but probably deluded – libertarian.

Read Full Post »

An Amusing Examination of Socialism

I’m a big believer that some images do a great job of capturing an issue.

• The essential insight of supply-side economics.
• The Washington welfare morass.
• America’s inescapable demographic challenge.
• The ever-more-confusing tax code.
• How the swamp beat Trump on the budget.
• The left’s view of how insurance should work.
• The one-way street toward liberty.
• The economic incentives of socialism.

Speaking of socialism, let’s look at some more images that reveal the essence of that bankrupt ideology.

Here’s a cartoon from Libertarian Reddit that does a great job of showing the real difference between capitalism and socialism.

Perfectly stated. Reminds me of the insights offered by Thatcher and Churchill.

Sadly, if you provide the statists with real-world evidence, many of them still prefer the world in top-right frame rather than the bottom-right frame.

Heck, the IMF actually publishes studies supporting equal levels of poverty.

As you might suspect, there are plenty of socialists who enjoy the benefits of capitalism while urging statism for everyone else. Think, for instance, about all the leftists who use tax havens.

Or this hipster millennial.

Maybe he could have a ménage à trois with Pajama Boy and Julia? Though only if everyone is guaranteed equal levels of disappointment.

Next is a helpful reminder from Bernie Sanders about the very thin line between socialism and communism.

Though I’m not sure there’s a meaningful difference.

Last but not least, this gem from Libertarian Reddit appealed to my juvenile sense of humor.

Basically the same message you find in the last item in this collection of socialism humor.

P.S. Here’s my two-part series (here and here) on the bizarre allure of socialism.

P.P.S. For additional examples of socialism humor, click here, here, here, here, and here.

Read Full Post »

Another Edition of Anti-Communism Humor

I expressed my disapproval yesterday about the pro-Stalin propaganda in Gori, Georgia.

Yes, I realize he’s the most noteworthy person to be born in that town, but that’s hardly a reason to acknowledge – much less celebrate – the life of a totalitarian butcher.

In response, I thought about writing a column documenting Stalin’s awful crimes against humanity, but perhaps mockery is a more appropriate response.

So let’s start with this news report from the Onion.

…a group of Johns Hopkins University researchers released a report Tuesday indicating that the late Soviet Union leader Joseph Stalin was only one great purge away from creating a communist utopia. “Our research demonstrates that if Stalin had shipped a mere 100,000 more people to Siberia, the whole communist experiment would have worked out perfectly,” said historian and report co-author Franklin Morrison, adding that all of the USSR’s corruption, hunger, and disease would have disappeared overnight if Stalin had simply been able to let a few million more Ukrainians starve to death. “It’s a shame, because in 1953 the Soviet Union was really on the precipice of becoming a perpetual workers’ paradise devoid of all poverty and want. Unfortunately, Stalin passed away before he could round up just one last group of intellectuals and make them dig their own mass graves.”

Sadly, some leftist academic probably believe this satire.

They need a copy of this book.

Of course, some statists (like these dopes) will trot out their usual excuse that “real communism hasn’t been tried.”

Speaking of dopes, I wrote last month about the loathsome decision by the President of the European Commission to honor Karl Marx. Well, it appears he’s also going to authorize having Marx on the currency.

But the sensible folks at the European Central Bank intervened and insisted on an appropriate denomination.

I’ve saved the best for last.

Those of you familiar with the silly fuss over “cultural appropriation” will definitely appreciate this gem.

Marx must be very proud of the starvation caused by his ideas since he also tweeted on the topic back in March.

For additional examples of communist satire, click here, here, and here.

Read Full Post »

In Honor of “May Day,” another Edition of Anti-Communism Humor

I’m currently in Zürich, Switzerland, where most shops are closed because “May Day” is an official holiday (thanks to Swiss federalism, the 26 cantons make such decisions rather than the central government).

As a fan of warm weather, I certainly don’t object to a celebration of springtime. But I have a hard time feeling festive because May 1 also has been hijacked by communists and socialists for “International Workers’ Day.” And the two holidays – unfortunately – have blurred together for some people.

Celebrating workers and seeking to boost their incomes is a worthwhile goal, of course, but communists and socialists shouldn’t be involved since their policies invariably result in lower living standards for ordinary people.

So I’m going to celebrate May Day by adding to my collection of anti-communism humor (see here, here, here, and here for other examples). For our first item, we’re going to mock the leftist claim that communism has never failed because various totalitarian regimes were not examples of “real communism.”

And some true believers hold to this laughable excuse until the bitter end.

Let’s briefly digress so I can make a serious point. A few days ago, I condemned the European Commission’s top bureaucrat for agreeing to take part in a celebration of Marx’s 200th birthday.

Well, the New York Times reminds us that it also belongs on the list of dupes and apologists by publishing a column lauding the supposed insights of Marx.

What precisely is Marx’s lasting contribution? Today the legacy would appear to be alive and well. …countless books have appeared, from scholarly works to popular biographies, broadly endorsing Marx’s reading of capitalism… In 2002, the French philosopher Alain Badiou declared…that educated liberal opinion is today more or less unanimous in its agreement that Marx’s basic thesis — that capitalism is driven by a deeply divisive class struggle in which the ruling-class minority appropriates the surplus labor of the working-class majority as profit — is correct. …Racial and sexual oppression have been added to the dynamic of class exploitation. Social justice movements like Black Lives Matter and #MeToo, owe something of an unspoken debt to Marx… The transition to a new society where relations among people, rather than capital relations, finally determine an individual’s worth is arguably proving to be quite a task. …But he does offer a powerful intellectual acid test for that change.

Amazing that someone could write such nonsense in 2018.

Now let’s return to the deliberate humor. Here are some parents who don’t realize they’re making a big mistake (though, as Chuck Asay humorously depicted, maybe we should blame the person who believes in myths as an adult).

For what it’s worth, I think the cartoon would have been even better if the guy was wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt.

I’ve saved the best for last. Or, to be more accurate, this final bit of humor is my favorite because it’s hard to find economics-oriented humor (hence my appreciation for this Wizard-of-Id parody).

,

Reminds me of Cuba and North Korea (and Venezuela, though I don’t believe that awful regime has ever officially claimed to be Marxist).

Read Full Post »

More Anti-Libertarian Humor

My collection of “Libertarian Humor” is very ecumenical since I have “pro” jokes and “con” jokes.

Today, we’re going to add to the latter collection with three new items.

We’ll start with some satire about the theoretical Libertarian Party vs the real-world Libertarian Party. I get the feeling the guy on the right is an older version of Libertarian Doofus 1 or Libertarian Doofus 2.

Maybe this means we have to create a new type of libertarian. After all, the guy on the right doesn’t fit any of the 24 categories in this collection. Well, maybe three rows down and second from the right, but I don’t want to be judgemental.

For our second item, here’s some great satire from Babylon Bee about a libertarian driver’s heroic effort to avoid government-funded roads.

In a calculated move intended to demonstrate the power of the free market, libertarian man Patrick Wallace drove his SUV through dozens of other peoples’ back yards, across several open fields, over a stretch of rocky terrain, and even off a cliff into a small ravine in order to avoid using any government-funded roads, sources confirmed Thursday. According to witnesses, the man got into his vehicle to head to work, started it up, and immediately barreled across his lawn, down his neighbor’s side yard, through a row of back yards, and right into an adjacent wood, all while carefully preventing his tires from ever touching any road built by tax dollars. “What would we do without roads funded by government coercion? That’s easy,” the man told reporters later as he attempted to push his car out of a creek. “We’d be able to drive straight to work through any obstacles we wanted, without the state telling us we’re not allowed to launch over a gully to get to the office on time.” …After getting his car moving again, Wallace reportedly hurtled down the brook, across a steep ski slope, and burst through a cemetery, waving at the groundskeeper to get out of the way, before launching off a homemade ramp over a county road to his office. At publishing time, Wallace had fashioned a rope swing at the office in order to help him get to the Dunkin’ Donuts across the street without walking on “roads funded by theft.”

Reminds me of the libertarian police officer who tried to chase a criminal without stepping on government sidewalks.

Another example of why it ain’t easy being libertarian. We need a Nirvana where all infrastructure is private!

Lastly, we have an observation about the ongoing challenge of trying to stop statism.

There’s a lot of truth to this image. Most libertarians in the real world don’t worry too much about theory. They just want more freedom.

But in the world of professional libertarians, there are sectarian fights between Randians, Austrians, anarcho-capitalists, Rothbardians, liberaltarians, and many other niche groups. And they oftentimes don’t get along with each other.

No wonder we have a hard time getting others to agree with our agenda.

Read Full Post »

Deconstructing David Hogg’s Proposed Anti-Gun Boycott

After the horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida, I explained that the gun-control policies being pushed by left-leaning students such as David Hogg would be utterly ineffective at deterring evil people.

But give the kid credit. He’s fully exploiting his 15 minutes of fame (in a way that makes Sandra Fluke look like an amateur).

His latest idea is to somehow boycott financial firms that do business with gun manufacturers.

Dana Loesch asked me to appear on her show to discuss the economics of this issue. It’s a Skype interview, so the quality on my end leaves something to be desired, but I hopefully got across my main point that boycotts only work if consumers change their buying patterns. And, to be blunt, David Hogg is not going to change the minds of people who appreciate the 2nd Amendment.

I also explained that Hogg’s proposed boycott is a private version of Obama’s reprehensible Operation Chokepoint.

Except it won’t work because Hogg’s hyperbole isn’t nearly as effective as the coercive power of government.

Indeed, Hogg is far more likely to increase gun sales, which is the point of this bit of satire.

Though I don’t want to imply that the leftist students from Parkland, Florida, have been completely ineffective.

They demanded change. And the school gave it to them in the form of a preposterous requirement for see-through backpacks. Here are some details from a CNN story.

Survivors of a school shooting in Parkland, Florida, returned from spring break Monday to new security measures that some students said made them feel like they were in prison. Marjory Stoneman Douglas students encountered security barriers and bag check lines as they entered campus Monday morning. Inside the school, administrators handed out the students’ newest mandatory accessories: a see-through backpack much like the ones required at some stadiums and arenas… Now, with the bags, they’re sacrificing their privacy for what he and others consider an ineffective security measure.

Of course these clear backpacks are a joke.

But, as illustrated by this bit of satire, it’s rather naive to expect good results when you ask for more government.

And since students such as Hogg make a big deal about “assault rifles” that are functionally the same as other rifles, it’s poetic justice that he’s now being deprived of an “assault backpack.”

But why stop there?

Surely we don’t want to run the risk of a student hiding a gun under their clothes. We need to ban “assault clothing”!

But David Hogg isn’t meekly acquiescing to see-through backpacks. At least according to this final bit of satire.

Ouch. I thought some of the anti-Fluke humor was hard hitting, but both “hold my sippy cup” and “from my damp soft hands” are rather brutal.

Read Full Post »

Socialism: A Dreary Failure, Malignantly Evil, or Both?

When trying to convince someone about the downsides of socialism, I generally make a practical argument. I point out that socialism has universally failed, whether looking at totalitarian versions in places such as North Korea and Cuba or democratic versions in places such as Venezuela and Greece.

Simply stated, the particular strain of socialism doesn’t make a difference. At the end of the day, the greater the level of statism, the greater the level of economic damage.

But our friends on the left aren’t discouraged. Indeed, the support for cranks like Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn is a sign that socialist policies still have appeal to some people.

Writing for CapX, Kristian Niemietz of London’s Institute for Economic Affairs contemplates the resurgence of socialism. He starts by citing examples of pro-socialist writings.

Opinion pieces which tell us to stop obsessing over socialism’s past failures…have almost become a genre… Nathan Robinson, the editor of Current Affairs, wrote…that socialism has not “failed”. It has just never been done properly… Closer to home, Owen Jones wrote that Cuba’s current version of socialism was not “real” socialism… And Washington Post columnist Elizabeth Bruenig wrote an article with the self-explanatory title ‘It’s time to give socialism a try’.

Kristian provides three reasons why the we’ll-do-better-next-time theory of socialism is very impractical.

…articles in this genre share a number of common flaws. First, as much as the authors insist that previous examples of socialism were not “really” socialist, none of them can tell us what exactly they would do differently. …Secondly, the authors do not seem to realise that there is nothing remotely new about the lofty aspirations they talk about, and the buzzphrases they use. Giving “the people” democratic control over economic life has always been the aspiration, and the promise, of socialism. …Thirdly, contemporary socialists completely fail to address the deficiencies of socialism in the economic sphere. They talk a lot about how their version of socialism would be democratic, participatory, non-authoritarian, nice and cuddly. Suppose they could…magically make that work. What then? They would then be able to avoid the Gulags, the show trials and the secret police… But we would still be left with a dysfunctional economy.

Amen to the last point.

I wrote last year that Marxist socialism is disgusting and brutal compared to liberal socialism, but both versions lead to economic malaise.

Which leads to the conclusion of Kristian’s column.

Ultimately, the contemporary argument for socialism boils down to: “next time will be different, because we say so.” After more than two dozen failed attempts, that is just not good enough.

Of course, some people instinctively knew that socialism was a pre-determined recipe for failure. Here’s the great Winston Churchill speaking about statism shortly after World War II.

Spot on. You can’t control an economy without controlling people.

And here’s another voice from the past, courtesy of Reddit‘s libertarian page.

And here’s Mr. Rogers imagining a fantasy world where socialism might work.

Last but not least, let’s close with this gem from Reddit‘s Libertarian Meme page.

Though when you think about people starving to death in places like Venezuela and North Korea, I suppose we shouldn’t laugh too much.

P.S. Other examples of socialism humor can be enjoyed here, here, and here.

Read Full Post »

Gun Control Satire

It’s time to augment the satirical columns about gun control that I shared in February and March.

Let’s start with a very useful set of definitions, sort of like this Republican-to-English dictionary, for anyone who follows what the establishment media writes about gun control.

By the way, I don’t blame many columnists and reporters fro being unfamiliar with guns. My knowledge also is rather limited.

But shouldn’t they do a bit of research before spouting off on the topic? Heck, just read this Larry Correia column. They don’t have to agree with him, but at least they should know the basics.

Our next item is from Reddit‘s Libertarian Meme page. It’s sort of a combination of this real sign and this satirical video. But it sadly captures the left’s mentality.

Speaking of the left-wing mentality on the issue of guns, I wonder how many of them would volunteer to be philosophically consistent and take this step to fight rape?

If they think full amputation is too much, perhaps they can follow the advice in the image at the bottom of this post.

This next gem is basically the Twitter version of my column last month on the 2nd Amendment, addressing the fact that most advocates of gun control, if you press them on the issue, really do want to confiscate all guns and eviscerate part of the Bill of Rights.

Last but not least, we have an expanded version of the anti-rape image from above.

The line about drunk drivers is nicely captured by the bottom image in this column.

I also can’t resist also calling attention to the bottom image in this column. It’s perfect for your lefty friends who argue that “assault weapons” aren’t covered by the 2nd Amendment.

Read Full Post »

Mocking Gun Control

I shared some satire about gun control last month, but the left’s campaign to exploit the horrible Parkland shooting seems to have instigated a bunch of new material.

So let’s have some weekend fun.

We’ll start with this humorous image from Reddit‘s libertarian page that actually does a good job of showing that gun control is pointless because criminals don’t care about laws.

This next image, also from Reddit, resonates with me because I’ve had many conversations with leftists who genuinely think a “semi-automatic rifle” is the same as a machine gun.

Or that “assault weapons” are somehow more lethal hunting rifles.

Though the gun-control crowd doesn’t seem to care even when you point out that their talking points are nonsense.

This next image arrived in my inbox a few days ago. I imagine the women calling the cops also failed this IQ test.

Next we have an apparently genuine sign from one of the student protests against civil liberties. Astoundingly, this girl doesn’t realize that she has everything wrong. The White House is filled with armed personnel and her school is the gun-free zone.

And we know from this cartoon whether bad people prefer unarmed victims. I guess we’ll call the student Exhibit A in the case against government-run schools.

This next item isn’t humorous, but I’m including it solely because I hope it’s a true story rather than an urban legend. If anybody knows, please share details in the comments section.

I like this next item because libertarians seem to be the only ones who value both the 1st Amendment and 2nd Amendment.

Given how California has drifted so far to the left, this next joke my turn into reality at some point. Well, even they’re not that foolish, but I can’t help but hope it might happen.

Last but not least, this item from Reddit‘s libertarian page does make me wonder about my left-wing friends. They despise Trump, yet they want to citizens to be disarmed.

Wow. Reminds me of this image.

P.S. You can still cast a vote in the online poll to identify the most important reason to defend the Second Amendment.

Read Full Post »

Three More Reasons to Laugh at Communism

I sometimes feel guilty when I mock communism. Should I really be joking about an ideology that directly or indirectly caused 100 million deaths? Are laughs appropriate when there is ongoing torture, abuse, and starvation in communist hellholes such as North Korea and Cuba?

Seems on the same level as cracking jokes about the holocaust.

But I think there’s a difference. Adolf Hitler’s National Socialist Workers Party is gone and every single educated and civilized person agrees we never want something similar to reemerge.

By contrast, there are still modern-day Marxists. They’re in the Antifa movement. There are Marxist professors with tenure on college campuses. I certainly don’t think it’s a dominant ideology on the left, but there are far too many Marxists and Marxist apologists.

Indeed, this is why I think there’s a big difference between liberal socialism and Marxist socialism.

Anyhow, I’ll continue to share anti-communism humor for the simple reason that we still need to discourage this evil ideology from gaining more adherents. And since people don’t like to be mocked and ridiculed, it’s good to use humor to make Marxism toxic.

We have three items today, starting with some very clever Twitter satire.

The millions of people who starved to death under Mao’s reign in China and during the oppression of the Ukraine certainly wouldn’t laugh at this joke, but I found it amusing.

Next, we have one of Fidel’s chief butchers. Vapid college kids may put Che Guevara on a t-shirt, but the rest of us should put his image in urinals.

Anti-Hero
byu/tehForce inLibertarian

I’ve saved the best for the last.

Here’s the communist version of monopoly, featuring many chances to go the gulag. But if you’re lucky, you get food rations!

My only quibble is that “pay luxury tax” is a real thing in the real Monopoly. Certainly seem that it also belongs in the commie version.

P.S. Previous collections of ant-communism mockery can be found here, here, and here.

Read Full Post »

Socialism Humor

I like to share examples of political/policy humor, including self-deprecating jokes that poke fun at libertarians (we may be dorky, but at least we don’t want to control your life!).

But I have a challenge. When sharing jokes that make mock leftist economics, I have to decide whether something is socialist humor, communist humor, or generic anti-leftist or anti-Democrat humor. And that’s sometimes not easy because the technical definition of socialism (government ownership of the means of production) makes it very similar to communism, but the man-on-the-street definition of socialism (a big welfare state) makes it very similar to Obamanomics or Clintonomics (Hillary, not Bill).

Well, whoever put this together wants us to believe that there’s no difference between Democrats and socialists, which is arguable (as Debbie Wasserman-Schultz will agree). But I think the part about the difference between socialism and communism is very clever.

Kudos to whoever created this. I wrote an entire column on the difference between liberal socialism and Marxist socialism, but this gets across the same point much more succinctly.

Moving on, I’m convinced that many of my leftist friends support bad policy because they have the mistaken view that the economy is a fixed pie. And when they start with that inaccurate assumption, they naturally think that a rich person’s wealth means poverty for others.

And that’s reflected in this comparison.

By the way, some people do get expensive houses under socialism, and you can probably guess which ones.

Our next image wins the prize for subtle humor.

Though I’m guessing Bernie didn’t laugh at this practical application of his philosophy.

Next, from Reddit’s libertarian page, here’s an image that mocks the endless failure of statist economics. Yes, I realize that Venezuelan statism and North Korean statism aren’t the same (and that Ukraine is a failed kleptocracy more than anything else), but the broad point about the failure of big government makes this meme worth sharing.

And since we’re on the topic of how big government fails everyplace where it’s tried, let’s conclude today with a video that was turned into humor by the addition of a five-word caption.

At the risk of injecting some serious discussion into today’s column, allow me to preemptively address the leftist argument that Scandinavian nations show that socialism can work.

• In global ranking of economic liberty, Nordic nations score relatively high, with Denmark and Finland in the top 20.
• Scandinavian nations have large welfare states, but otherwise have very laissez-faire economic policies.
• Nordic nations got rich when government was small, but growth has slowed since welfare states were imposed.

P.S. If you want even more socialism humor, click here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Read Full Post »

Adding to the Collection of Gun Control Humor

My all-time favorite example of serious gun-control satire features some of the world’s worst people.

But that’s just the tip of a big iceberg of amusing material on the topic. Today, let’s add to the collection.

Here’s some clever humor from the Reddit libertarian page.

For what it’s worth, I’m not overly worried about America succumbing to a fascist dictatorship.

My paranoid concern – as expressed on this NRA TV interview – is that we’ll eventually have a societal breakdown because of a Greek-style fiscal crisis.

Regardless, I certainly agree that it’s very unwise to let politicians – whether they’re evil or merely feckless – to be the only ones owning guns.

Next we have a video that brings back pleasant memories of Obama’s failed efforts to exploit gun shootings.

You can find a collection of Hitler-parody videos here, but since today’s topic gun-control humor, here are some related satirical videos.

• A revealing look at how leftists think about gun control.
• A heartwarming adoption story.
• An amusing cartoon conversation between an anti-gun ideologue and a supporter of the Constitution.
• Joe Biden’s self-defense advice.
• Debunking leftist comics on the “Black NRA.”
• Gun control from the burglar’s perspective.
• The impact of gun-free zones.

The next item, also from the libertarian page on Reddit, definitely belongs in the too-good-to-check category. All I know is that I hope it’s real.

For what it’s worth, I strongly suspect that gun-buyback programs do nothing to take weapons out of the hands of bad people.

I’ll close by sharing some regional gun-control humor featuring Texas, California, Europe, and Chicago.

Read Full Post »

Another Edition of Anti-Libertarian Humor

So long as people keep emailing me libertarian humor (pro and con), I’ll continue to periodically share the items that meet my test.

Today, we have another edition of anti-libertarian humor. Nothing funny enough to supplant the “Libertarian Paradise of Somalia,” which still is at the top of my list, but I got a laugh from several items.

We’ll start with what happens when the same company that produces “Libertarios” also runs a bar.

I shouldhn’t have to say this, but I’ll point out that businesses don’t make profits by killing their customers, so this may be funny satire, but it’s also inaccurate satire.

But I like the dig about tyranny, just like “socialist snowplows.”

Our next item, from Babylon Bee, exploits the stereotype that libertarians are part of some sort of Randian cult.

While browsing memes on a popular libertarian meme Facebook page, local man Kyle Coats reportedly felt himself “cut to the heart” Wednesday, grabbing a Gadsden flag he had recently purchased and darting outside into the afternoon sun where he dropped to his knees and asked Ron Paul to come into his heart, once and for all, fully committing his life to the ideals of liberty he stands for. …“Ron, would you come into my life and make me new?” he whispered privately to himself, a single tear streaming down his cheek as he clutched the “DON’T TREAD ON ME” flag, according to sources. “Please, Ron, forgive me of all my violations of the non-aggression principle and all the times I unwittingly supported a statist agenda.” “I swear here and now, taxation is theft!” he added.

Sort of the like the dorky libertarians who care more about dogma than the opposite sex.

Next we have a libertarian super hero.

Libertarian Spiderman
by inLibertarian

Reminds me of the libertarian at Thanksgiving dinner.

And if you’ve ever been trapped by a libertarian in a discussion on the nuances of limited government, such as private roads, you may appreciate how there are different types of headaches.

For what it’s worth, I only do this to people when pontificating about the Laffer Curve.

This last bit of satire doesn’t target libertarians, per se, but I’m including it since libertarians (like Ron Swanson) are the only people nowadays who will defend child labor.

Don’t forget that libertarians also defend sweatshops, so I’m sure that will be the topic of some future anti-libertarian satire.

Anyhow, enjoy today’s collection and feel free to share with others to show that libertarians have the self-confidence to laugh at themselves. But if you feel a need to also laugh at big government to confirm your philosophical bona fides, this collection of cartoons is a good place to start.

Read Full Post »

Another Dose of Communism Humor

When I shared some anti-communism humor on January 14, I figured that it would be quite some time before I had another opportunity to mock that evil ideology.

But that column triggered a bunch of messages, with friends and acquaintances sending me new material.

I figured that was a sign of interest in the topic, so let’s once again have a few laughs.

We’ll start with a couple of Wendy’s commercials. I actually remember the first one from my younger days and it is definitely my favorite because of the (very accurate) way it portrays that totalitarian ideology.

I hope you enjoy the Soviet fashion show as much as I did.

Here’s another commercial from Wendy’s. I don’t remember seeing it on TV.

I don’t think it’s quite as clever as the fashion show, but it still makes fun of how the system tried to control people and deny freedom.

Now let’s check out a couple of images that showed up in my inbox.

This first one is the sarcastic version of a 2013 column that included a poster mocking people who claim that communism has never been tried.

This final image is my favorite.

It’s a more clever version of an image I shared back in 2014 comparing night-time views of North Korea and South Korea.

Let’s close on a serious note. North Korea is a horrifically backwards and evil place.

So while the image is amusing, let’s not forget (as captured by these two short videos) that it actually represents utter misery and unimaginable agony for millions of innocent people.

Something to keep in mind the next time you see some morally bankrupt jerk with a Che t-shirt.

P.S. You can click here for the inaugural collection of anti-communist humor.

Read Full Post »