Colorado is Embracing Socialism, and You’re Going to Pay for It

What do you think of when someone mentions the word “socialism?”

If you consider yourself a Democrat, you likely view socialism as equality for everyone, along with government provisions of benefits and social services.

If you’re a Republican, you likely view socialism as akin to Marxism and communism, which is collective ownership of property and redistribution of resources.

However, the true definition of socialism is “a political and economic theory of social organization, which advocates that the means of production, distribution and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole.”

With this definition in mind, let’s examine Proposition 118: Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (PFML) and see if Colorado is going socialist....

Prop 118

In November 2020, Colorado voters approved Proposition 118, which means that starting Jan. 1, 2023, Colorado employers and employees must begin contributing to a state-run insurance program...

Common Sense Institute estimates that the new insurance program will cost a large employer up to $94 million per year in 2023. And, by 2025, "the total premiums to be paid by employers could total over $1.34 billion. This would be an effective increase of the corporate income tax of 204%."...

Now, however, employers not only have to allow employees to take up to 12 weeks of leave, but they also must pay for it. That means instead of individuals making sure they have enough money set aside for certain emergencies, the government is mandating that everyone contribute to a large pool, and then it’ll distribute the funds....