Though Halloween has passed, with ghosts, goblins and scary scarecrows all about, an upcoming event based on real-world history and current events will really scare you to death.

The Gray Republican Committee is teaming with the Windham Republican Committee and 46 other sponsors to host an event examining the true nature of socialism. The night kicks off at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, at the Windham Veterans Center.

WGAN NewsRadio has been advertising the event, and it sounds like organizers have an information-packed night planned, complete with three speakers, one of whom owned a business in socialism-wracked Venezuela.

The event is a response to Democrat presidential hopefuls espousing the virtues of socialism. The two Republican committees want to remind attendees of past atrocities committed under authoritarian socialist regimes around the world and also warn voters to beware anyone espousing similar views here.

The need for such an event would have been unimaginable just a decade ago. Americans have always loved and coveted their freedoms. That propensity is shifting, however, with polls saying many would be willing to forego freedom for government-provided, cradle-to-grave security.

With the rise of socialist stars such as Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren calling for universal health care, free college tuition and burdensome taxation required to pay for it all, the need to remind voters how socialist policies choke the life out of the economy and sap personal freedom is sadly required.

One of the event’s speakers will be former Rep. Bruce Poliquin, who was interviewed recently on WGAN. Poliquin gave an apt summary for how socialism destroys freedom by first asking the radio audience to imagine paying 80-90% of their wages in taxes to afford all the freebies Sanders and Warren are promising.

That level of taxation, he said, would mean very little left over to pay for the needs of daily life such as food, rent and utilities. With all of one’s wages going to daily needs, there would be little left for wants such as hobbies, sports or even Sunday afternoon drives in the countryside.

And for those entrepreneurial capitalists who dream of one day opening their own business, of course there’d be no money left over for such pursuits, he added.

As a result, the deadly combination of high taxation and little extra spending money would strangle the economy.

Right now, America thrives because most citizens have the buying power to provide for their needs and wants. Trump’s tax cuts have further fueled citizens’ and companies’ cash reserves. If taxes rise to 80% and accumulated wealth dries up, those dreams disappear and life becomes one of survival.

Sure, we’d have free health care (as long as doctors and nurses still enter that demanding field for little reward), but we’d lead miserable lives making sure we always pleased the government, from which all things would derive.

History tells us that socialism results from societies choosing equality of outcome and security over equality of opportunity and freedom. America’s founders were the first to trust the common people with true liberty and a vote. For 245 years, we’ve enjoyed abundant life brought on by this inheritance of freedom, so much so that many take it for granted.

Democrat Presidential hopefuls promising personal and economic security through socialism are threatening that freedom. I don’t think they’ll win over the majority of Americans with their foolish ideology in 2020, but at least they are sparking spirited discussions of the issue, one of which will take place Nov. 20 in Windham.

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