October 25, 2023: Is the US a meritocracy? Killers of the Flower Moon, The Two-Parent Privilege, The path to communism/authoritarianism

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Thought Provoker:
First up, Sam. “participation trophies vs meritocracy”

Next up, Matt.” Martin Scorsese’s newly released film “Killers of the Flower Moon” is based on actual events that happened in Oklahoma in the 1920s. You can follow the link to read the full history, but the short version is that US government policy toward native Americans (specifically the Osage Tribe) in Oklahoma required them to prove that they were competent enough to manage their wealth that came from oil discovered on their lands. If an Osage citizen were deemed incompetent (determined by being too Native American) a guardian would be appointed to manage their assets. Since guardians would inherit the wealth of the Native person should they die, lots of Osage citizens started being killed. What moral obligation does Congress have to the Osage people? They passed a law in 1921 that allowed white people to steal the assets of Osage Natives. What ought to be done?”
Finally, Shawn: “A new book out by University of Maryland economics professor Melissa S. Kearney, is getting lots of attention. She claims with clarifying bluntness, that marriage is “the most reliable institution for delivering a high level of resources and long-term stability to children.” She marshals the voluminous evidence in her new book, “The Two-Parent Privilege.” in the U.S.; American children are increasingly being born and raised by single mothers. The U.S. has the world's highest rate of children living in single-parent households, according to a 2019 Pew Research Center study. Almost a quarter, or 23% of U.S. children under age 18, live with one parent and no other adults. Kearney's argument that children who grow up in unmarried households are fighting the odds has progressives miffed and accusing Kearney of stigmatizing single mothers. Conservatives are celebrating her findings as validating their support of marriage. For decades, liberals have run away from the issue of marriage and single parenthood, afraid of stigmatizing unwed mothers and their children. Now some are wondering whether the conservative marriage movement, embraced by President Bush, is on to something. Can government help poor communities by promoting marriage? Have families disintegrated in the wake of the liberals’ expansion of the welfare state.

The Big Question (From a Listener):

“Your gun control discussion reminded me of something I think Republicans get wrong. I'd love to hear your responses. In the Republican mind, the origin story of totalitarian communism goes like this:
1. A free and democratic country decides to provide unemployment benefits.
2. They provide health care to everyone.
3. Their children read Marx at college.
4. They vote in a communist dictator.

But the history of communism is almost the exact opposite. It goes like this:
1. An oppressive and wealthy dictator runs a country for the benefit of the wealthy (the Romanovs, Fulgencio Batista, the Qing dynasty, etc.)
2. He ignores the suffering of his people.
3. He lets his wealthy friends plunder the country.
4. The workers rebel and kill the dictator/czar/emperor.
5. One of the rebel warlords becomes a communist dictator.

Historically, the path to communism is not to provide health care a