Question: If you count the tail as a leg, how many legs would a dog have?

Answer: Four. No matter what you call it, the tail is still a tail.

The tendency of many people in modern times is to rename things. This is a method of denying the truth of what something actually is.

Q: Which is the heavier, a pound of feathers or a pound of lead?

A: Whatever your immediate thought, a pound is a pound. They weigh exactly the same.

No matter how light and airy or great and wonderful something may be presented as being, if it's lead, it is still lead.

Q: What is socialism?

A: A system in which the means of production and distribution of goods is owned and controlled by a centralized government.

Under this president, the U.S. government has come to own automobile manufacturers, banks, financial companies and some insurance companies. Government exerts control over nearly every other aspect of our economy and country. It doesn't matter what misnomer you may use, that is socialism. The mainstream media are happily giving themselves over to government control. If you don't think so, mayhap you need to look, listen and re-evaluate. I keep trying to prove to myself that the media aren't in the tank for the current president, but they keep showing they are.

Q: What is fascism?

A: A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, with stringent socioeconomic controls and suppression of opposition through terror and censorship.

The information has come out that some bankers were told they must accept the so-called stimulus money or their personal reputations would be destroyed by the government-controlled media. Some banks have tried to repay the stimulus money, and the government would not readily accept the payback. What possible reason, except to maintain and exert control, could government have to not accept the repayment?

The current president claims he is going to create or save X number of jobs. Nevermind that, since his taking over, unemployment has increased exponentially. And the current administration has spent more than the total of the previous 43 presidents. The economy still appears to be at a standstill. It is obvious to the most casual observer the so-called stimulus isn't working. In fact, a fairly good argument can be made that current efforts are hurting the economy.

How can government create jobs? Government doesn't produce anything for sale. Government by its very nature can only regulate the work of the productive others. The purpose of any business is to make money for the owners and investors, not to provide jobs, as so many mistakenly believe. Jobs are a side benefit, the result of need a business may have to produce its product.

Who owns the job? You or the business? If you think an individual owns the job, call me, I'll come over and perform my job for you. Of course, I expect you to pay me full union scale with all benefits. I mean, it's my right. You owe that to me, right?

Property is the byproduct of our labor. In our system, we work and receive money in payment. That money is your property and a very dear possession. You trade the time of your life for it. When anyone claims a right to your property, he places a lien on your life and becomes an owner of you.

These concepts are simple, not difficult to understand. It is obvious from many politicians statements and the bills they put forth they consider that they own all of us. They take my little bit and promise to give it to some one that didn't work for it but is willing to vote for them.

Considering the rapid digression of our society, it can be easily discerned that our country is nearly totally socialized under a fascist dictator. Never would I have believed it possible.

Definition of "insanity": Repeatedly doing something the same way and expecting a different result.

The current politicians keep on with stimulus bills when it is obvious to anyone that the stimulus isn't working.

We've all seen this president flatly state that he favors spreading the wealth around. A couple of weeks ago we heard him in a speech stating that his stimulus wasn't designed to work quickly, but rather over several years. These words can only mean he wants to spread the misery around. What possible reason could there be not to have a rapid stimulus? In fact, if it is anything but rapid, it can't be stimulus, but rather it may be slow growth, or possibly decline. Did not the president originally claim that the effects of the stimulus would be dramatic and felt immediately? Why don't the media loudly proclaim this?

I can only hope the population shrugs off the mass hypnotism that seems to have descended on this country and rejects this mantle of socialism/fascism that is creeping in like fog in the night.

Note: Definitions are the result of Google searches.

Gale Wisdom is a Jackson resident.