Newsweek Says That We Are All Socialists Now - And They Are Right

Newsweek has a shocking new article out entitled "We Are All Socialists Now". While the magazine probably just intended for this headline to stir debate and get attention, the reality is that Newsweek is right.

We have become socialists and many of us don't even know it.

The truth is that United States government is almost 40 percent of GDP.

The truth is that when you add up all of the taxes that the average American pays out in one form or another, they total over 50 percent of what the average American makes.

So more than half of your money goes to the government.

How does that make you feel?

Consider the following list of the different kinds of taxes that Americans pay each year.....

Accounts Receivable Tax

Building Permit Tax

Capital Gains Tax

CDL license Tax

Cigarette Tax

Corporate Income Tax

Court Fines (indirect taxes)

Dog License Tax

Federal Income Tax

Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)

Fishing License Tax

Food License Tax

Fuel permit tax

Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)

Hunting License Tax

Inheritance Tax Interest expense (tax on the money)

Inventory tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)

IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)

Liquor Tax

Local Income Tax

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Tax

Medicare Tax

Property Tax

Real Estate Tax

Septic Permit Tax

Service Charge Taxes

Social Security Tax

Road Usage Taxes (Truckers)

Sales Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Tax

Road Toll Booth Taxes

School Tax

State Income Tax

State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)

Telephone federal excise tax

Telephone federal universal service fee tax

Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes

Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax

Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax

Telephone state and local tax

Telephone usage charge tax

Toll Bridge Taxes

Toll Tunnel Taxes

Traffic Fines (indirect taxation)

Trailer registration tax

Utility Taxes

Vehicle License Registration Tax

Vehicle Sales Tax

Watercraft registration Tax

Well Permit Tax

Workers Compensation Tax

Pretty frightening, eh?

But the reality is that America is becoming more socialist by the day.

After all, who is the biggest "business owner" in the United States?

The government.

Who is the biggest "spender" in the United States?

The government.

Who does everyone expect to "fix" and "run" the economy?

The government.

During this latest economic crisis, the federal government of the United States has "bailed out", nationalized or taken ownership interests in a vast array of banks, financial institutions, insurance companies and large corporations.

That doesn't sound anything like "capitalism" to me.

The reality is that a new generation of Americans has arisen that expects the government to take care of them from the cradle to the grave. They expect the government to fix all their problems and to provide them with a great life.

Haven't we learned anything from the dramatic failure of other socialist regimes throughout history?

Apparently not.

It is not just in the United States either - all around the world people are clamoring for socialism.

And the truly frightening thing is that wherever there is a move towards socialism or communism there is almost always a corresponding move towards atheism.

And wherever atheism rises, persecution of Christians soon follows.

But we should not expect the world to love us.

In John 15:19, Jesus said this.....

If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

The truth is that in these last days, no matter what form governments around the world take the reality is that they are going to ultimately turn against Christianity. The Scriptures tell us that there will be brutal persecution of Christians in the end times, and that is a reality that we are going to have to be ready for.