Local Socialism in the US
Hi all,
On occasion I make my forays into mudslinging, flaming hell (here), and today is just such a day.
Now first, in regards to the title, I am not against socialism per say, as long as the population is totally for it, and happy under it. Hey, we're not all perfect
BACKGROUND:
However, I have an odd situation that I'm sure other college towns have all over the US.
Las Cruces, NM, is a college AND retirement town. We have NMSU, which has about 4,000 students at last count (iirc) and the staff, community colleges attached, etc. The whole city now consists of just over 100k people.
No total tally, but I'd estimate that there's about 4-5k retirees as well. The rest of the population are lower to middle class workers, in all fields, etc.
NOW, TO THE TOPIC:
Las Cruces has become increasingly socialist in the past few years. Historically a Spanish Army post 300 years ago, then a US Postal "Pony Express" stop, and then on to a city in her own right, it has a large hispanic demographic and a large international university population.
Now, I have nothing against retirees, and them wanting to live out life in peace, and harmony, and blah blah, but here's the deal. Las Cruces, as part of New Mexico, has always had a relatively 'old timey' view on life. It was truly gov't of the people, by the people- we even, in our state constitution, guarantee everyone the rights given them in the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848), over half a century before our statehood.
However, in the two years I've lived in redland, I've noticed several things:
-The main population demo are working class. They have no time to press their issues, they just obey the law.
-College kids, predominatley liberal or socialist, press national or international issues for 4 years, get a real job and move on.
-Retirees think the world owes them for their 55 years in a coal mine, or 15 years as CEO of a fortune 500 company, or whatever. Some are just nice old folk, some are really, really, uncompatible with human existence.
These retired folk also have 20, 30, hopefully only 5 or 6, years on their hands with nothing to do. They blew their retirement on a 2500sf house and a Mercedes, and live on socialist government income (Social Security, etc). All good and fine, except they (almost) all claim to be "Conservatives," "Republicans," etc.
Yet, with their spare time, they badger the local government to instill such laws as Fireworks laws in "the name of their poor traumatized cat," or city laws such as "Operation clean sweep," not a drug program and not a litter cleanup program, but a municipal code system with uniformed gestapo officers that come and tell you what you are doing wrong on your own property.
I.e. people get "Criminal Summons" for having too many weeds; too many cars; parking too close to stop signs; not cleaning up the sidewalk (which, by local law, you have to give 8-50' to the city in ways of easements and tracts from your property to build a house, hence it's government property they confiscate, then tell you via another set of laws it's your job to maintain it?).
Now, these minority groups are able to raise such a rukus, with no opposition (we're all, you know, working to pay for such socialist programs they put in place), that the city council enacts these laws.
Then, to enforce them, they have a uniformed branch of the LCPD known as "Codes enforcement." In Cali, where I used to live, we had codes enforcement, but it was called "County Code inspectors," civilians who came out and would knock on your door, and explain, "hey, just so you know, you have one more dog than county/city code allows; I'm just telling you, I'll be back in a month to see if it's solved." then there was a written warning, and then, only then, was further action taken.
Here, these uniformed gestapo agents [who really are as such; a Police Officer is a Public Defender. Thus, he upholds the law, and in theory prevents you from causing harm to other citizens. A Code Enforcement Officer is just that; he does not care about the people he works for, he cares about enforcing every municipal law that by definition infringes on your right to property (protected under NM State Constitutional law, which outlines not only Life, Liberty, and the persuit of happiness- but also, Property, to leave nothing un-challenged in regards to civil liberties)] do nothing but drive around in short shorts and impose upon you every local law that was lobbied for by retirees and socialists.
Now, if we were a wealthy society here, or even not in the midst of a depression, people could hire a good lawyer and have every one of these cases driven from court. I daresay that they would even cause the municipal code to be changed, the Codes enforcement offices to be downsized dramatically, and 99 year old anti-liberty retirees to die of heart attacks because next July 4th, despite fluffy's rancid fear of fireworks, the fireworks laws were overturned!!!
But alas, we are not. And here, as with almost all cities of our caliber in NM, the newspaper is on the payroll of the City. So, of course, it sways with the politicians in office, and so change it sterilized, and every week, more 8-5'ers are sent to court for not having time to weed their yard, or not maintaining city property, etc.
Any thoughts on this? Where does the positive socialism end (if there's such a thing?) and the utter end to right to property, liberty, and happiness start? At least they're not shooting dissenters yet in LC.
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