Fanis the bodyguard episode 38 A glimpse into Communism

                Kera is in her flat in London watching the results of the New Hampshire primaries.  Although her bodyguard and cousin Fanis is highly into politics, since he hates all the Democrat candidates, he is not really paying attention and occupies his time doing other things.  Even though he didn’t care, that didn’t stop Kera from shouting out, “Hey Fanis, Bernie won.”

                He replies, “So, we have a socialist winning the New Hampshire primary.”

                “Yup, and he’s giving a speech about how he’s going to transform the country.”

                “The problem is he’s serious.  The point is what does he want to transform it to?  He wants to take the richest, freest, most prosperous country in human history and transform it into a communist shithole.”

                “Let’s talk about this on the plane.”

                “Where are we off to?”

                “Cuba”

                “Oh good, then you can see what communism leads to.  Watch the people and see if you see anyone smiling.”

                “Will you just get ready?”

                It only took Fanis five minutes to get ready and when he did, they were on the plane and heading to Cuba.  Kera knew that Fanis was upset and she enjoyed egging him on.  She remarked, “Don’t you admire the revolutionary spirit of socialists such as Che Guevara?”

                “No! Socialist revolutionaries are frauds that want to impose pain that they’ve never experienced on people.”

                “That’s just conservative propaganda.”

                “Find me one refugee from a communist or socialist country that is a still a communist or socialist.  Our hero Ayn Rand left communist Russia and her objectivist philosophy is the basis of my entire belief system.  Do you want to know why she was so right wing?  Because she knew how bad socialism was so appreciated capitalism as the system that frees people instead of communism, the city that binds people.”

                “She was an atheist, which is a leftist and socialist position.  What’s so bad?”

                “A lot but in a nut shell, when I work, I want it to benefit me or people I care about, which is the same thing because if people I care about are doing better then I benefit.  I don’t want to work for Bernie.  Like Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Slavery runs on the principle, you work and I eat.  Socialism works the same way.”

                They land in Havana and check into their hotel, where they are given a cigar and a mojito upon entering.   The hotel is on a large hill and, in the back; there is a good view of the Caribbean with a ladder leading down to the water. 

                There is an outdoor café where Kera and Fanis hang out before turning in for the night.  The next day, Kera and Fanis go to the meet point where Kera is going to attempt to sell a Chinese artifact.  While there, Fanis starts talking with the security in Spanish.  Fanis attacks socialism but the security isn’t really taking the bait but they appear very uncomfortable as they look around.  Fanis immediately realizes that they are afraid someone is watching or listening.  Eventually Fanis gives up trying to talk to them about socialism and walks to the other side of the room.  One guard follows him and comments in Spanish, “You don’t have to walk away, just don’t lead with such serious topics.”

                Fanis nods and states, “I live in England now. It’s so nice to be in nice weather here.”

                The guy approaches and utters under his breath, “If what you’re saying about a socialist winning a primary is true, then you have a lot to be worried about.”

                At first, Fanis assumed that they didn’t know the results because Cubans don’t care about the Democrat primaries but then he realized that Cubans are cut off from the rest of the world.  One time when he was here, someone asked him for a newspaper.  Fanis hadn’t held one of those in a long time as everything is digital nowadays but walking into Cuba was like walking into a time machine with the 1950s car and technology.  Fanis responded in a non-hushed tone, “I know, and all people can talk about is how authentic he is.”

                “Yea, that’s how they get you.  They make you appreciate their honesty but you have to focus on what they’re saying.”

                “Yea, Stalin and Hitler were honest too but that doesn’t mean they were good leaders and should have been in charge of things.”

                “You can throw Castro in there too.”

                “Yes, I know.”

                “There are good things though.  We get free college and healthcare.”

                “It isn’t free.  They raise your taxes 60-90%.  You don’t really see it because they steal it from you rather than have you pay it.”

                “There are no taxes in America?”

                Based on the words, Fanis thought this was a sarcastic comment but his tone was serious.  He wasn’t sure if he should respond or acquiesce to the joke.  Finally, Fanis explained, “There are but much lower rates.  It’s only like 25-30%.”

                “Yea, that’s much lower than here.  You pay it or it’s taken?”

                “You pay it.  The funny part is Bernie can pay it because he’s a millionaire.”

                “The leaders in communist governments are normally rich.”

                “At the expense of the regular civilians.  That’s not the case in America.  Rich people, for the most part, worked their way up.”

                “Just be careful.  They always come off as charming and nice right until they get power then they become oppressive and kill people that disagree with them.”

                “They are calling Bernie a nice guy.  I know that every tyrant in human history was considered nice.  It may not have been a scam.  They may have had all the intentions to do good but the people that make the plan; and somehow it’s always a five year plan, don’t have prices to gauge what people want.  You can’t interview them because people don’t really know what they want so you are operating on bad information.  Then, you create this whole infrastructure for the idea and nobody likes it.  They can’t get what they want because you already built it so you have to force it upon them.  This goes for working.  If you don’t make more money for working harder than why work at all?”

                “People have jobs in Cuba”

                “Yes, for the government.  You’re not working for you; you’re working for the central planner.  Socialists think they’re so special as they invade places claiming to be so important.  One plumber is worth ten revolutionaries.”

                “ The revolutionaries are worthless.”

                “It’s actually negative value as they destroy everything they touch”

                The security guard looked at Fanis incredulously.  He couldn’t figure out how he spoke so harshly of communists and get away with it.  He just muttered, “Yes.”

                After that, the security guard clammed up and didn’t want to talk about socialism anymore.  Kera came out of the meeting and Fanis left with her.  She was in a good mood and Fanis thought it was because she made a big sale but couldn’t know for sure.  They went to a restaurant and had Ropa VIeja, which is a beef dish because they were told that Cubans don’t know how to prepare seafood as the communists decided they shouldn’t eat seafood on an island nation.   Fish was sold on the black market as a result and some say that the black market fisherman make more money in Cuba than college graduates.  Kera articulates, “It’s so nice to have free healthcare given all the fights you get into when we’re abroad.”

                “I wouldn’t go to a hospital in Cuba.”

                “I know.  I’m just saying, it’s nice that unlike in America, people here understand that health care is a right.”

                “What does that even mean?”

                “It can’t be denied.”

                “It’s not denied if you got to an emergency room.”

                “You know what I mean.”

                “No I don’t.  In the way you’re using it, your ‘right’ is inferring an imposition on someone else.  That’s not how right work.  Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is saying what the government can’t infringe upon.  Nobody is forced to write speeches for you or drive you to church.  When you make healthcare a right, then you’re forcing doctors and nurses to work for you whether they like to or not.  That is the point I’m trying to make.”

                “You do think anyone should be allowed in emergency rooms right?”

                “Actually, I don’t but no person running for office is saying that so it’s irrelevant.”

                “That’s fucked up.”

                “No, being able to walk into an emergency room and demand a facelift is fucked up.  We already have the rule of mandatory care in an emergency room so extending it can only mean burdening someone for their time and resources when they have no incentive to pay you.”

                “Who are you to say what a real right is?”

                “I defined it for you.  A real right doesn’t force people into servitude.  See, conservatives can have things written down and documented because our story never has to change because facts and data are always on our side.  We are the real free ones and the rest of you are in shackles.’

                After dinner, they walk through the city and inevitably, people follow and talk to them.  A man comes at them full speed and barrels into Fanis driving him to the ground.  Fanis reacts quickly and instinctively rolls with the fall sticking his right foot up against the man’s thigh catapulting him over Fanis’ head and on to his back.   As Fanis gets up so does the assailant.  They circle each other with their hands up and Fanis can see in his eyes that he is angry.  This isn’t a trained fighter like Fanis but someone who is acting out of pure rage directed at him.  As far as he could tell, Fanis had never met this man.  The man throws a punch, which Fanis easily ducks under.  He drives two shot to his kidneys and ducks anticipating a backhand.  Unfortunately, this combination won’t work as Fanis’ opponent dropped to a knee.  Fanis grabbed him by the arm and used his other to chop at the point where his shoulder meets his torso forcing him to lie face down on the ground.  Fanis placed his knee on the same spot and grabbed his would-be attacker by the hair and lifted up.  He asked, “Why are you attacking me?”

                “You got my brother arrested.”

                “How did I do that?”

                “You talked to him.”

                Fanis thought about it and inquired, “Was he a security guard?”

                “Yes”

                Fanis let the man go.  The fight was out of him and instead of angry, he looked sad.  Fanis declared, “I’m sorry about your brother but I didn’t take him.  You have the government to thank for that.  Find a way to leave.”

                “Why would we ever want to leave Cuba?”

                Fanis knew that was a programmed response and walked away with Kera.  They continued their walk being a little more patient with the people that followed them to talk.  The next day, Fanis and Kera couldn’t wait to get on the plane.  As they were flying back, Fanis comments, “That is what America will become under Bernie Sanders.”

                “Oh calm down.  It’ll never get like that.”

                “They already control the media so it’s like Pravda.  Now that Biden is gone, the media will fully support Bernie Sanders and they’re going to have the difficult task of making him appear normal.”

                Kera is scrolling through her phone and retorts, “I don’t know about that.  The New York times is talking about Klobachar and Buttiegieg having better nights than expected since Klobochar won some people at the debate that nobody saw and Buttiegieg was close to Bernie In voting”

                “Leave it to the New York Times to think that candidates that didn’t win are a bigger story than the candidate that won.”

                “You can’t have it both ways.  Either the media is acting like Pravda and backing Bernie Sanders or they undermine him and root for his opponents.”

                “No, the New York Times just consistently misses what the actual story is.  It’s kind of funny if it wasn’t so pathetic.”

                “Well it’s not as bad as MSNBC.”

                “This should be good if you say it’s bad.”

                “They asked a guy who he voted for and it happened to be a Trump supporter.  When they tried to push Bernie, the guy stopped, hesitated and then rattled off how Bernie is destructive because he’s Anti-Growth, Anti-Family, Anti-American and Anti-Life.”

                “That’s my point.  She is conducting exit polls and someone doesn’t say Bernie and she wonders why.  An exit poll, you just ask who they voted for and then move on when they answer.  I don’t know if they tally it or just take an overall impression on which name they heard more but do that.  Don’t try to ask why they didn’t vote for someone else.  That is propaganda.”

                “Well, it backfired.”

                “Yes it did but it’s the principle.”

                “What happened to Elizabeth Warren? I thought she was in the lead and replaced Biden,”

                “She’s not authentic.  In two separate interviews, she gave the exact same rant about McConnell and Trump and how she was ignored at Kavanaugh’s hearing.  It was verbatim but she delivered it to seem like it was an answer to a question and off the cuff but when you give like a minute speech completely verbatim, then it’s something you memorized not a response.”

                “Does she really think nobody would notice?  Why don’t politicians realize they’re always on tape?”

                “Especially socialist ones.  That is the world they want.”

                “At least they didn’t get impeached.”

                Kera was smiling as she knew that was her trigger card to stop the victory in her cousin’s voice. Unfortunately, it only got worse as Fanis fired  back, “Yea, impeachment was a resounding success.”

                “It was Donald Trump that got impeached.”

                Fanis rejoined, “Then acquitted so so what” his voice took the confidence it had before, “I’m not talking about for the Democrats.  I mean for the Republicans.”

                “What?!”

                “Impeachment successfully destroyed Biden’s campaign because all people could talk about was how they wanted Hunter Biden to testify and how the Democrats refused.  CNN had a correspondent in Dover, New Hampshire and after 100 voters he interviewed in exit polls, he couldn’t find one that voted for Biden.  Congratulation Nancy Pelosi, you took out Joe Biden!”

                Kera gave a frustrated sigh as Fanis really turned that against her.  “Whatever, bottom line is, this time the Democrats aren’t going to stay home because they hate Donald Trump and they will come out to destroy him.”

                “If Iowa and New Hampshire are any indication, that’s not true.”

                “Why do you say that?”

                “Voter turnout in the primaries is at 2016 levels not 2008.  It’s not even that large in liberal areas.”

                “This is for both Iowa and New Hampshire?”

                “Yea, everywhere they’ve been so far.”

                “There are 48 other states.  A lot can happen.  You’re reading way too much into this.  Nobody votes in primaries, they come out for the general.  Bernie won New Hampshire in 20016 and look how that turned out.”

                “Donald Trump broke the record for voter turnout in New Hampshire.”

                “He’s already the president.”

                “I know but $118,774 people voted for him.  The previous record was $49,080 for Obama.  He more than doubled it.”

                “I didn’t even know you voted in a primary if your party held the presidency.”

                “Honestly, I didn’t either.”

                “Well, you registered in New York so you’re vote doesn’t matter.”

                “Actually it does because after hearing you liberals grasp at the fact that Trump didn’t win the popular vote, we need to try to win that this time.  Every Republican in blue states needs to come out and vote.  Even if they’re going to lose the state they’re voting in, they’ll help the popular vote.  We can’t give liberals a silver lining.”

                “You really want to be ruthless in your victory.”

                “Oh yes, no prisoners, no retreat, just complete and utter annihilation.  I was frustrated that Democrats were above the law but I actually think things are happening now.  Flynn has withdrawn his plea and the government is asking for more time to confer with his previous lawyers.  The fact that the prosecution and former defense are talking gives credibility to Flynn’s case that he was poorly represented.  Stone’s sentencing is going to be pulled back, McCabe and Strzok are said to be indicted soon and, my personal favorite,  a special prosecutor has indicted Jussie Smollett for his fake hate crime hoax.”

                “I have no sympathy for Jussie.  Obviously faking an attack is stupid; especially in minus 20 degree weather.”

                They land in London and head straight to their flat.  Going to Cuba exhausted them because it was painful to see oppressed people.  Fanis couldn’t help but wonder that if Bernie Sanders wins, then America may become like that.  He may have to be a permanent citizen of England.  Most people don’t think Bernie can win but Fanis remembers that four years ago, nobody gave Donald Trump a chance in the primary and every news outlet and expert said he’d fizzle out.  He got more votes than any Republican in modern history.  After that, his chances to beat Hillary some actually had at approaching zero but they were wrong again,  With a success rate like that, how can you trust the experts on who they think has a chance?  To Fanis, he hoped that Sanders wasn’t on the ballot so he could rest easy. If not, he would be nervous until Election Day on if Sanders pulls it off as he openly endorses socialism and enough people in America think that’s a good thing. 

 

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