RUSH LIMBAUGH: "The real meaning of Thanksgiving"

As told beginning on page 70 of his book 'See I Told you So' Rush Limbaugh spells out what is the real meaning and lessons of the first Thanksgiving. That lesson is the utter failure of Collectivism or Socialism and the triumph of Free Market Capitalism. The original contract the Pilgrims entered into with merchant-sponsors in London called for everything produced to go into a common store and for every member of the community to be entitled to one common share. All of the land they cleared and the houses they built belonged to the community as well. This is the essence of Socialism. What happened with this early experiment? Their leader William Bradford writes:

“For the young men that were able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children, without recompense. The strong, or men of parts, had no more division of food, clothes, etc. then he that was weak and not able to do a quarter the other could; this was thought injustice. The aged and graver men to be ranked and equalized in labor, and food, clothes, etc. with the meaner and younger sort, thought it some indignant and disrespect unto them. And for men’s wives to be commanded to do service for other men, as dressing their meat, washing their clothes, etc. they deemed it a kind of slavery, neither could man husbands brook it."

Bradford goes on:

The experience that was had in this common course and condition, tried sundry years… that by taking away property, and bringing community into a common wealth, would make them happy and flourishing — as if they were wiser than God,” Bradford wrote. “For this community [so far as it was] was found to breed much confusion and discontent, and retard much employment that would have been to their benefit and comfort. For young men that were most able and fit for labor and service did repine that they should spend their time and strength to work for other men’s wives and children without any recompense… that was thought injustice.”

So what did Bradford’s community try next? They harnessed the power of good old free enterprise by invoking the capitalistic principle of private property. Every family was assigned its own plot of land to work and permitted to market its own crops and products. And what was the result?

“This had very good success,” wrote Bradford, “for it made all hands industrious, so as much more corn was planted than otherwise would have been”…

In no time, the Pilgrims found they had more food than they could eat themselves. So they set up trading posts and exchanged goods with the Indians. The profits allowed them to pay off their debts to the merchants in London. And the success and prosperity of the Plymouth settlement attracted more Europeans and began what came to be known as the “Great Puritan Migration.”

And that is the real LESSON of Thanksgiving: That long before Marx and Lenin, long before Obama began bragging about "Spreading the wealth around" Socialism was tried and failed on this continent. Now I ask you - where outside of Rush's radio show and/or his book have your read this. This lesson should be taught from the kindergarten on - how dangerous and how much a failure socialism is and how capitilism and free markets create wealth for everyone!

Spread the word. Thanksgiving is the TRIUMPH of Capitalism over Socialism. It is proof positive that free market capitalism works. Are they teaching this in your public school?? Probably not, any wonder why home schooling is growing at rates between 11 - 40% a year!

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• George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamati0n:
• Abraham Lincoln's Thanksgiving Proclamation:
• Michelle Malkins syndicated column is an outstanding Thanksgiving read: