As H.L. Mencken wrote, "Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods."

The 2004 presidential election is over and Republican socialism was triumphant over Democratic socialism.

Bush supporters voted for deficit spending, farm and social welfare, military interventionism, socialized health care, high tariffs, the Social Security tax, gun control, the Patriot Act police state, vaccine shortages and Federal Reserve money manipulation.

Kerry voters supported a variation of these schemes plus many others.

If you voted on Nov. 2, you endorsed a system that forces your neighbors to pay for aid to foreign governments.

You endorsed the deaths of tens of thousands awaiting organ transplants because Congress banned the profit incentive in the 1984 National Organ Transplant Act.

Your vote for socialism ensured polluting industries have no incentive to upgrade their plants for fear of becoming a new source as outlined in the 1970 so-called Clean Air Act.

The reality of these unintended consequences contrast the feel-good campaign promises blathered by politicians who promote government solutions.

I hope that Americans actually research these issues, realize the history of benefits from free market capitalism vs. the destruction of government intervention, and abstain from mindlessly voting in the next election.

If you do vote, you can't complain.

Mark D. Valenti

Robinson Township