HomeUploadUpload DirectHotlinkRandomAbouttheme toggle
Expand

Stossel: Rand Paul on The Case Against Socialism

Views:1010
@ReasonVids

Sen. Rand Paul takes on socialist arguments about Venezuela, Scandinavia, and fairness.

-------
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/ReasonTV?subconfirmation=1
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine.
Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason
Subscribe to our podcast at iTunes: https://goo.gl/az3a7a

Reason is the planet's leading source of news, politics, and culture from a libertarian perspective. Go to reason.com for a point of view you won't get from legacy media and old left-right opinion magazines.
---------
Even as Venezuelans starve, Senator Rand Paul (R–Ky.) notes that socialism has gained ground in the United States.

That's why he wrote "The Case Against Socialism." The chapter on Venezuelan socialism is titled, "Because Eating Your Pets is Overrated."

"You would think that…when your economy gets to the point where people are eating their pets, people might have second thoughts about what economic system they've chosen," Paul tells John Stossel.

But Stossel notes that today American socialists say, "We won't be like that." Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–Vt.) says, "when I talk about Democratic socialism, I'm not looking at Venezuela. I'm not looking at Cuba. I'm looking at countries like Denmark and Sweden."

But Paul debunks that myth in his book.

"It's not true that the Scandinavian countries are socialist," Paul tells Stossel.

Stossel points out that while Scandinavia tried socialist policies years ago, they then turned away from socialism, privatizing industries and repealing regulations. In fact, when experts rank economic freedom, Scandinavian countries rank near the top.

Denmark's prime minister even responded to Sanders, saying: "Denmark is far from a socialist planned economy."

Scandinavia did keep socialist policies like government-run health care. Media outlets suggest that's why Scandinavians live longer.

But Paul says: "This is the trick of statistics…it started way before socialized medicine."

His book has the stats to back that up. In the 1960s, before Sweden's healthcare was totally nationalized, Swedish men already lived five years longer than American men. Now, they…still live five years longer.

Stossel says Paul's book is different from other politicians' platitude-filled books. Paul did actual research. He cites sources that back up his point about health care, comparing the life expectancy of Swedish men and American men in 1960s.

Regarding Sweden's ability to pull people out of poverty, Paul credits Swedish culture, not government programs. He tells Stossel of a story about Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman:

"This Swedish economist comes up to him and he says, 'You know in Sweden we have no poverty.' And Friedman responds, 'Well, yeah, in America we have no poverty among Swedish Americans.'"

Paul confirms that with data from Swedish researcher Nima Sanandaji, who writes: "Danish Americans today have fully 55 percent higher living standard than Danes. Similarly, Swedish Americans have a 53 percent higher living standard than Swedes."

Stossel says it's good that Paul debunks these myths and warns against repeating the tragic history of socialism.

Paul gives a partial list of failures: "Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, Castro, Chavez, Maduro. It doesn't work."


The views expressed in this video are solely those of John Stossel; his independent production company, Stossel Productions; and the people he interviews. The claims and opinions set forth in the video and accompanying text are not necessarily those of Reason.

libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
rand paul
,
socialism
,
the case against socialism
,
communism
,
socialism doesn't work
,
economics
,
sweden
,
norway
,
denmark
,
scandinavia
,
venezuela
,
dictator
,
rights
,
senator rand paul
,
debunk
    Thumbnail for Activists vs. One Man’s Skee-Ball Arcade: How Red Tape Is Ruining San Francisco4:59
    Activists vs. One Man’s Skee-Ball Arcade: How Red Tape Is Ruining San Francisco
    ReasonVids
    895 views
    Thumbnail for Starbucks vs. the Little Guy3:53
    Starbucks vs. the Little Guy
    ReasonVids
    917 views
    Thumbnail for Why Capitalism is Better than Socialism8:04
    Why Capitalism is Better than Socialism
    ReasonVids
    882 views
    Thumbnail for Hogg Slaying | Grunt Speak Shorts8:46
    Hogg Slaying | Grunt Speak Shorts
    Terrence Popp
    1577 views
    Thumbnail for Kamala Harris: Best Debate Moments4:37
    Kamala Harris: Best Debate Moments
    WarmPotato
    1437 views
    Thumbnail for An elderly man find his lost dog in the street after 3-years of searching.0:52
    An elderly man find his lost dog in the street after 3-years of searching.
    AOUisgay
    513 views
    Thumbnail for "When do Americans get their freedom back?" Jim Jordan and Fauci CLASH during hearing on COVID-196:52
    "When do Americans get their freedom back?" Jim Jordan and Fauci CLASH during hearing on COVID-19
    bestofpoal
    1649 views
    Thumbnail for Generational Divide: CPAC Gets High and Gay Married2:50
    Generational Divide: CPAC Gets High and Gay Married
    ReasonVids
    853 views
    Thumbnail for Feds vs. Raisins: Small Farmers Stand Up to the USDA7:12
    Feds vs. Raisins: Small Farmers Stand Up to the USDA
    ReasonVids
    940 views
    Thumbnail for Dumb Bitch Discovers She’s a Dumb Bitch0:54
    Dumb Bitch Discovers She’s a Dumb Bitch
    AOU
    4218 views
    Thumbnail for Sunday Morning Worship 9am | Pastor Keion Henderson1:52:12
    Sunday Morning Worship 9am | Pastor Keion Henderson
    invidious
    129 views
    Thumbnail for Unbelievable boots on the ground footage, Ukraine March 2022 What is going on here? Lez Luthor clips15:22
    Unbelievable boots on the ground footage, Ukraine March 2022 What is going on here? Lez Luthor clips
    AOU
    1086 views
    Thumbnail for Israel demolishes at least 11 homes Largest Israeli demolition in a decade displaces dozens Most of those made homeless are children0:55
    Israel demolishes at least 11 homes Largest Israeli demolition in a decade displaces dozens Most of those made homeless are children
    bestofnab
    2243 views
    Thumbnail for Find out who you are not allowed to criticize0:57
    Find out who you are not allowed to criticize
    bestofvoatxyz
    4843 views
    Thumbnail for You're Killing Me! Was a police-related jailhouse death an accident or a homicide?9:37
    You're Killing Me! Was a police-related jailhouse death an accident or a homicide?
    ReasonVids
    964 views
    Thumbnail for Marijuana Is Legal in Colorado...Now What?2:33
    Marijuana Is Legal in Colorado...Now What?
    ReasonVids
    761 views
    Thumbnail for Sideshow Bob & The Democrats0:15
    Sideshow Bob & The Democrats
    bestofsaidit
    1697 views
    Thumbnail for 02 A History of Scotland - Hammers of the Scots58:40
    02 A History of Scotland - Hammers of the Scots
    AOUisgay
    525 views
    Thumbnail for Bugs are bad eating. No way!! 1:16
    Bugs are bad eating. No way!!
    bestofupgoat
    71 views
    Thumbnail for DeJa Vu!0:11
    DeJa Vu!
    bestofupgoat
    249 views
    Thumbnail for Immortality through delicious t shirt money4:38
    Immortality through delicious t shirt money
    murdochmurdoch
    1203 views
    Thumbnail for Don't Fear Independents Like Howard Schultz! Politics Should Be More Like a Starbucks Menu3:39
    Don't Fear Independents Like Howard Schultz! Politics Should Be More Like a Starbucks Menu
    ReasonVids
    1034 views
    Thumbnail for You don't have to speak German to get the point of this great invention.0:38
    You don't have to speak German to get the point of this great invention.
    AOUisgay
    477 views
    Thumbnail for Ice Cream Happy Song (the Amazing Digital Circus) #pomni | 어메이징 디지털 서커스 | 🐺Wolf and Dolphin🐬0:20
    Ice Cream Happy Song (the Amazing Digital Circus) #pomni | 어메이징 디지털 서커스 | 🐺Wolf and Dolphin🐬
    invidious
    124 views
    Thumbnail for “Dad, how did you know mom was the one?” the mom in question: | FunnyMemeSpot0:10
    “Dad, how did you know mom was the one?” the mom in question: | FunnyMemeSpot
    invidious
    111 views

points

Permalink
Reply
libertarian
,
reason magazine
,
reason.com
,
reason.tv
,
reasontv
,
rand paul
,
socialism
,
the case against socialism
,
communism
,
socialism doesn't work
,
economics
,
sweden
,
norway
,
denmark
,
scandinavia
,
venezuela
,
dictator
,
rights
,
senator rand paul
,
debunk
TOS  •  Add Keywords  •  Donate  •   Analytics  •   DMCA  •   Puzzle