Between the Berlin Wall: Todays American Mindset

Last November, I blogged about the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, one of the great events of the last century. We thought communism was, for all purposes, dead. While communism hasn’t died totally, the once Iron Curtain is gone. Through a chain of events, I had planned to be in Berlin last November but those plans fell through.


So what does this title, "The Berlin Wall Mindset: Today’s American Entitlements", have to do with all I’ve said up to this point? I recalled this because of someone I was seeing briefly. She was a German nanny (age 18, I was 20 at the time). She was from Bremen and was in the US to study Spanish (go figure). During the brief time I had with her, I learned a lot of interesting things. We talked about the Berlin Wall I shared that we had a major earthquake a few weeks prior (Loma Prieta, October, 1989, during the World Series). I, in typical American fashion, said how wonderful it was that it fell. She said as a whole, things were good but there were some things she said and were pretty profound (especially considering she was 18 at the time). She mentioned that the East Germans who came over to the West (to sum up what she said) had a certain mentality. She said that many East Germans didn’t want to work, attend school, contribute and expect to have things done for them. Does this sound familiar? You have one group of people who want to do their own thing and be left alone (West Germans) while another group is conditioned to entitlements (East Germans). This is not to say EVERY East German believed in entitlements because many tried to flee East Germany. Some were placed in prison or killed if they didn’t manage to escape. There are both segments seen in post Berlin Wall Germany that I see here in the United States. Two types of mentalities seperated by one giant wall.


Now, in fairness to the East Germans, THAT is the way they were conditioned to think. Many didn’t know any better. The Wall went up in 1961 so if you were born around that time, this is all you were told. Do what the State tells you to do. The State is the answer for everything. That’s why so many East Germans left after World War II- they either knew better or saw that all the opportunities were in West Germany. That’s part of why the Wall was built- so more East Germans can’t leave. But we, in America, should know better. I have never seen the level of reliance on the State for their own well being that I see now. People expect someone else to pay for their needs and the State is their savior. How is it that people think the State can provide what is best for your health and well-being? The East Germans relied on the State because they had NO other sources. Now, the Obama administration, instead of creating policies to create jobs, they extend unemployment benefits and call it growth. They say that the job picture is getting better but wait until the census is done and those jobs are gone. When the businesses who put this administration in the White House are telling them you may want to rethink the strategy, you would think they would listen (especially when one of which is one of the 3 wealthiest people in the world).

While the US isn’t perfect (no place where man rules will ever be), it provides the best chance for people to be successful and enjoy their lives. In East Germany, you were basically told what you could listen to, what to read, and how your life is governed. You were monitored in your every move and if you got out of line, the Stasi (State Police) “fixed” the problem. Many Stasi members were former Nazi SS (1). This entire attempt to silence those who disagree with this administration is as close as I have ever come to East Germany life. East Germany also had high unemployment. Among those who did work, they worked longer hours, made less money, made few consumer good and were often lower quality than those in West Germany and other places. East Germany also was big on preaching “collectivism” and things of the like. What’s worse is that too many people in the United States are buying this thinking on a much greater scale than before. Well, they had free health care. Sure, socialist health care works like a charm. Just ask Boris Yeltsin, who couldn’t get the proper care for HIS OWN MOTHER while he was running Russia. Russia, who picked the East German’s pockets for post war compensation, ended the same way as East Germany- BROKE. Yet so many Americans actually want to immulate a system that never worked. Look at the differences between the cars East Germans drove versus West Germans (think Yugo for the East and a Caddy for the West). This is one more example of making an individual part of the collective when most don’t want to do so. Collectivism is statism no matter how you slice it. I do not work for the collective but for myself. A person should share as their conscience leads them but should not be forced to do so.


Economically, the East Germans were deep in debt to the USSR post World War II. Does that sound familiar? The United State is heavily in debt to China. In fact, China holds over 900 Billion dollars in US debt (2). Japan is not far behind with over $700 Billion in US debt. Too many Americans think that this health care reform will work. Let’s follow Germany, the United Kingdom and other who realize national health care doesn’t work. In fact, the UK is making a move toward decentralizing health care. Yet the US wants to imitate something that hasn’t worked elsewhere. So Scandinavia made national health care work. OK, fair enough. The countries that make up Scandinavia has a total population that’s not much bigger than the five boroughs of New York City.


To think I can make comparisons of a former Iron Curtain country with the greatest nation on the planet. This does concern me a great deal, especially since US GPD is over 95% of National Debt, the highest it’s been since Truman (3). It wasn’t until LBJ that National Debt as GDP where it back under 50%. What can I hope for? I hope this radical element talking about wealth redistribution and collective salvation (ALL Marxist ideologies) are removed from power via our elections. There is hope since I see more Americans understand what is happening in our country. If there’s one time I WISH and HOPE I AM WRONG, this is it.


Works Cited:
1. DW-World.de, 10/31/2008 article: http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,1760980,00.html
2. CNBC.com, “The Biggest Holders of US Debt”, Paul Toscano, June 15, 2010:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/29880401/The_Biggest_Holders_of_US_Government_Debt

3. National Debt Graph: http://zfacts.com/p/318.html