Why can't we in America talk seriously about Socialism?

[127.0.0.1]

Why is it political death to mention socialism in America? Why do we run around accusing politicians of being socialist as an insult?

Why do people think Pres. Obama is a socialist? He's rejected single-payer health care.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

Why is it political death to mention socialism in America?

Because the Western World fears 1) what is different (from what they perceive, at least) and 2) what they don't understand.

Why do we run around accusing politicians of being socialist as an insult?

Because anything that's different, or misunderstood, deserves to be insulted in our world. It's not right, but it happens.

Why do people think Pres. Obama is a socialist?

Because they think it's an insult, and they want to insult him See answer 1, point #2 "What they don't understand".

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

Hate to alert you to it, but Canada is Socialist.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

And there ain't nothin' wrong with that But actually, Canada is no where near true and complete socialism. In actuality, both the US and Canada are somewhat hybrid systems, a combination of public/"us"/socialism and private/"me"/capitalism. One just leans more than the other in x- or y-direction and varies depending on the issue that's being discussed/dealt with

 

[Dent]

Hate to alert you to it, but Canada is Socialist.

For the most part yes, and I love it!

 

[overit]

Why is it political death to mention socialism in America?

Because the Western World fears 1) what is different (from what they perceive, at least) and 2) what they don't understand.

Why do we run around accusing politicians of being socialist as an insult?

Because anything that's different, or misunderstood, deserves to be insulted in our world. It's not right, but it happens.

Why do people think Pres. Obama is a socialist?

Because they think it's an insult, and they want to insult him See answer 1, point #2 "What they don't understand".

This ^

 

[Thunder Peel]

Obama's not exactly a socialist but he's not a capitalist either, and that's the problem.

 

[Miles]

Our cold war adversary was called the USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). When the typical American hears the word "socialist", it may erroneously bring Soviet Communism to mind.

 

[127.0.0.1]

he's not a capitalist

Yes he is.

Imagine Calling Obama a Socialist! He's Deeply Conservative

Obama is only too eager to praise the glories of the capitalist system that produces grotesque fortunes at the top of America’s “inherited social order” while tens of millions go without adequate food, clothing, shelter, and health insurance.It is nauseating to see Obama’s disturbing statements of fawning respect for the predominantly white capitalist economic elite – the top 1 percent that owns more than a third of U.S. wealth and a probably higher percentage of its politicians, policymakers, and opinion-makers.
Given his dependence on super-rich “election investors” to run a viable presidential campaign under the plutocratic rules of the United States’ self-negating “market democracy”, it’s not surprising that he would wish to avoid offending the nation’s leading corporate power-brokers.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

Obama's not exactly a socialist but he's not a capitalist either, and that's the problem.

Why? Who created politics as being set in black-and-white? You can only be one, or the other.

There's nothing wrong with hybrid systems. Combining things from two systems that work in some ways but might be broken in others (I'm not dissing either one here, just a lot of theoretical this, and "maybe, might be" that) could come to create an improved structure that towers over both of them.

Or it could be a big flop. Who knows?

But there are a lot of broken things in our current systems that could use some fixing, and it won't happen without progressive thinking and change.

 

[Luther073082]

Why is it political death to mention socialism in America?

Because most people don't want to change from a system where people are unequal in their blessings to a system where people are equal in their sufferings.

Why do we run around accusing politicians of being socialist as an insult?

I don't consider it an insult I consider it a fact of the matter. When one supports enough government run programs, and enough laws regulating private industry one must at some point be considered a socialist.

Why do people think Pres. Obama is a socialist? He's rejected single-payer health care.

Because prior to becomming president he supported it.

Again Obama shows his socialism here. Instead of trying to mend the laws on the health care industry to get a better system. (IE Letting health insurers compete accross state lines, enacting a loser pays attorney's fee's system in tort cases) he immediatly rejects those private industry changes and shoots for a "public option" a government run health care option. Despite the fact that the government is already drowning in its own debt and its not getting any better.

Anyone who even has a slight bit of faith in capitalism would try to amend the system and the laws on it first before trying to hand off more and more power to the government.

Capitalists don't have the government buying majority stockholder positions in major companies.

I do not belive that Obama has any faith in the capitalist system and has worked only to increase the role of government on our nation's economic system.

 

[ido]

The definition of socialism:

Main Entry: so·cial·ism
Pronunciation: \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Function: noun
Date: 1837
1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done

My questions for you -

1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods - Do you want to stand in line for groceries that the government is doling out? Or do you want the freedom to go to the store and buy what you want when you want?

2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state - Do you not desire to own your own home? Do you want the government to have absolute control?

3 : a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done - Do you want to risk implementing a system with communist undertones?

IMO - transition to a socialist government would mean a giant step backwards from the freedoms that this country were founded on. If there were a president who was power hungry (not accusing Obama of this, but not claiming his innocence, either) - a socialist system would not make it that difficult for a coup d'etat to take place and communism to be implemented.

Sound paranoid? I'm OK with that. It's when we're lulled into a false sense of security that we would be most vulnerable. We are an intelligent, advanced society. I would worry about us more if we didn't critically discuss the downside of socialism.

 

[SmileAndAHandshake]

Trust me, I'm no advocate of hopping over to pure socialism myself, I too think it would actually be a step backwards.

But I'm all about hybrid theories and combining the best of both worlds in ways that work

 

[ido]

Agreed that a hybrid system can work - if only they weren't corrupted by the very people running/implementing them.

I just don't understand why they can't overhaul the current welfare system. It has the potential, it just hasn't had the correct implementation, IMO.

 

[GQ Chris]

I'm just not a fan of Mao Tse Tung or Che Guevara. That's why.

 

[GQ Chris]

I believe, not to a total greed individualism mentality, but I believe that individuals have great worth, and I believe in meritocracies.

 

[canehdianhotstuff]

Communist all the way.

 

[GQ Chris]

Get in line for government bread, yay.

 

[Luther073082]

Well there are no pure capitalist nations out there.

But I will point this out. What capitalist/socialist hybrid nation out there is not drowning in its own debt?

To me the national debts of most of the western nations is the giant elephant in the room that no one (On either side of the political aisle) wants to talk about. Partially because they are both responsible for it.

You can't keep charging on the government credit card forever. Some people seem to belive that we can somehow keep doing this forever. Historically there have been a lot of nation states that have died off because they became overloaded with debt.

If there is one place where our hubris as western nations is showing its our national debts and the fact that they keep expanding with few people truely worried about them.

 

[GQ Chris]

Lets punish the Haves because the Have Nots prefer the government to do it all for them.