Socialism in the US

tourmaline

Critical Thinker
tourmaline
Joined
Sep 13, 2009
Messages
349
I dont understand the strong aversion to socialism in the US. I dont have any strong thoughts one way or the other.

Does it have to do with the Soviet Union? Like socialism=communism=Soviet Union? I have never been to Europe, but I get the impression that its nothing like the USSR was.

Whats the deal?
 
What's to like about socialism?

The USSR was certainly socialist.
 
"Commies, pinkos, liberals, leftists, radicals, hippies... That's who supports socialism." It has been demonized to the point that you can't even use the word without generating spittle-emitting rants from some of our more extreme friends on the right.
 
Tricky said:
"Commies, pinkos, liberals, leftists, radicals, hippies... That's who supports socialism." It has been demonized to the point that you can't even use the word without generating spittle-emitting rants from some of our more extreme friends on the right.
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Socialism = government owns the means of production. Everything from the factory that makes bread to the factory that makes cars to the grocery store down the street.

It's been a complete failure wherever it's been tried.
 
WildCat said:
Socialism = government owns the means of production. Everything from the factory that makes bread to the factory that makes cars to the grocery store down the street.

It's been a complete failure wherever it's been tried.
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Except where it hasn't. Most western governments these days (including the US) are a combination of socialism and capitalism. Trying to scare people with "universal health care is Socialism" is a favorite tactic of some conservatives. But actually, it's true. It is socialistic. It's also good for the country, much like several other very successful socialistic programs, like public education.
 
Tricky said:
"Commies, pinkos, liberals, leftists, radicals, hippies... That's who supports socialism." It has been demonized to the point that you can't even use the word without generating spittle-emitting rants from some of our more extreme friends on the right.
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^ This. My Grad advisor is a socialist & several times I've seen him in a discussion/argument with someone on the right who would fire off "You sound like a socialist!" He'd respond "I should, I am a socialist." & the person would either freeze as if he'd seen a ghost or jump back as if Doc pulled a gun.
 
tourmaline said:
I dont understand the strong aversion to socialism in the US. I dont have any strong thoughts one way or the other.

Does it have to do with the Soviet Union? Like socialism=communism=Soviet Union? I have never been to Europe, but I get the impression that its nothing like the USSR was.

Whats the deal?
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The deal is that the tiniest bit of socialism is considered by many in the US right wing to be a slippery slope. Some figure we're already doomed as long as Social Security, Medicare, etc. continue to exist. Of course, that impending doom can't have anything to do with the right's anti-tax obsession or the fact that the only "people" our government can agree to spend billions to bail out are corporations...
 
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WildCat said:
Socialism = government owns the means of production. Everything from the factory that makes bread to the factory that makes cars to the grocery store down the street.

It's been a complete failure wherever it's been tried.
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I can see advantages to having certain aspects of our society socialized. Many of the things the government already does like military and infrastructure.

But I can also see the advantage of competition in the market place.

Do you think that all aspects of society should be privately owned and open for competition?
 
Virus said:
No true Socialism?
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Where were you when I started a thread asking "what is Socialism"? No one leaning right would volunteer a definition. Of course I presented some examples of how the GOP is quick to use socialism to define just about any thing the govt is involved with but will balk and whip out the dictionary when you try and say the military is Socialism.

What do YOU think is socialism?
 
WildCat said:
Socialism = government owns the means of production. Everything from the factory that makes bread to the factory that makes cars to the grocery store down the street.

It's been a complete failure wherever it's been tried.
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Now if we could just get Republicans to stop accusing Democrats of being socialist.

Oh wait, damn, the definition of socialism is fluid depending on what many on the right want it to be for a given situation. We wouldn't want to take away their ammunition, right?

Paul Roderick Gregory said:
Is President Obama Truly A Socialist?

By “socialist,” I do not mean a Lenin, Castro, or Mao, but whether Obama falls within the mainstream of contemporary socialism as represented, for example, by Germany’s Social Democrats, French Socialists, or Spain’s socialist-workers party?

By this criterion, yes, Obama is a socialist.
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Michelle Malkin said:
It’s socialized medicine through the side door. House Republicans sliced about $2 billion from the slush fund last spring and proclaimed the program dead. Hardly.Socialized medicine through side door
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WildCat said:
What's to like about socialism?

The USSR was certainly socialist.
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You're right. Let's get rid of the most blatantly socialistic federal program in the United States: the military. At least, let's tackle that along with all of the other, evil socialistic programs, just for the sake of consistency.

Sound good, WC?
 
Socialism is a centrally managed economy where the state owns the commanding heights, if not all means of production. At least it was until everyone realized it was a colossal failure and a sham and it became an embarrassment to advocate it.
 
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Virus said:
Socialism is a centrally managed economy where the state owns the commanding heights, if not all means of production. At least it was until everyone realized it was a colossal failure and a sham and it became an embarrassment to advocate it.
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THANK YOU! Now, will you agree that all of the criticism of Obama that accuses him of being a socialist is wrong? Will you agree that calling Obmacare socialized medicine is BS?

Can we get some consistency?
 
RandFan said:
Where were you when I started a thread asking "what is Socialism"? No one leaning right would volunteer a definition.
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Stop lying all of the time.

respect said:
Definition of SOCIALISM
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

Dictionary.
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Your question was answered several times in that thread.
 
Tricky said:
Except where it hasn't. Most western governments these days (including the US) are a combination of socialism and capitalism. Trying to scare people with "universal health care is Socialism" is a favorite tactic of some conservatives. But actually, it's true. It is socialistic. It's also good for the country, much like several other very successful socialistic programs, like public education.
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Not necessarily. Distribution of the results of production is not socialism, socialism means that the government owns the means of production.

That so many Republicans don't know what socialism is does not make all government activity become socialism. For example, when Uncle Sam wants a product made it typically does not make it itself, it contracts out to private firms. Very little activity by the American government could accurately be considered socialistic.
 
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