Camas resident Anthony P. Teso wrote to the Clark County Today editorial board to caution fellow Christians about the true implications of democratic socialism. Teso, a self‑identified Democrat‑socialist, acknowledges that the movement does not seek to seize homes, vehicles, savings accounts, or churches, but he argues that the underlying economic model still endangers family security and religious liberty.
Socialism and Christian values
Teso points out that many Clark County voters associate socialism with nationalized churches, secret police, and an authoritarian regime. He says this perception is not “paranoia” but “reality,” noting that a government that cannot be removed through elections, sued in court, or criticized from the pulpit does not constitute true democracy.
What democratic socialism proposes
According to Teso, democratic socialism expands citizen consent beyond voting for elected officials. He argues that while Americans elect a president, governor, county commissioners and school‑board members, they have no say in who owns the companies that employ them, set their wages, or determine whether they will have a job a year from now. He suggests that limiting self‑governance to the ballot box is insufficient.
Existing community models
Teso highlights local examples that already embody collective ownership without compromising property rights. Clark Public Utilities, a public utility district, is owned by its customers who select commissioners. Rural electric cooperatives provide power to farms that private investors ignored. Credit unions are owned by member‑depositors, and volunteer fire departments operate on community support. These institutions, he says, function successfully throughout the United States and are not experimental.
Faith‑based concerns
Drawing on the Acts account of the early Jerusalem community, Teso notes that the New Testament describes believers sharing resources to meet each other’s needs, but it does not endorse a system that removes private ownership. He references Pope Leo XIII’s 1891 encyclical Rerum Novarum, which condemned socialism while also affirming that workers have a right to organize and that extreme wealth concentration can amount to a form of enslavement. Teso believes many Clark County Christians would resonate with these teachings.
Economic liberty and family stability
The letter warns that an economy that leaves a working family only one medical diagnosis away from financial disaster violates natural law principles. Teso argues that such a system treats the institutions families build—homes, businesses, savings—as mere commodities, undermining the constitutional right to private property and the biblical principle of stewardship.
What is truly at stake
Teso clarifies that the debate is not about confiscating personal property or churches. Instead, the question is who owns the factories, who captures the value they generate, and who receives representation in economic decision‑making. He urges Christian readers to consider how these issues intersect with their faith, family responsibilities, and constitutional freedoms.
By framing the discussion in both economic and spiritual terms, Teso hopes to spark a broader conversation among Clark County residents about the balance between collective welfare and individual liberty.
Original reporting: Clark County Today (Vancouver WA) — read the source article.
