Originally posted by JohnInIndy Socialism: nothing more than the theory that the slave is always more virtuous than his master.
Socialism in general has a record of failure so blatant that only an intellectual could ignore or evade it.
One of the consequences of such notions as "entitlements" is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence.
Socialism is simply Communism for people without the testosterone to man the barricades .
If making things up one can also say that capitalism is the right for business and businessmen to buy anything and anyone they want. What about socialism is the placing of any rule , regualtion or restriction on private enterprise.
You have not had a left of centre president since Carter or maybe even more so Johnson. Both of your parties are pro business and anti socialism but you detest any rules or taxes on businesses that do actually use resourcses of the common.
As far as only an intellectual would recognize any good in social justice that may be true as they might look at the health and safety of the country/community and look at the actual results of social programs. But for those who only listen to talking points or bank accounts and have no feelings towards anyone else to speak of then yes it is a failure.
If you think socialism is a what Obama is about you must also think that Canada, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway and Denmark are extremely socialist and in your view dismal failures. Good econonmies, good standards of living, safer to live in and longer lifespans are not bad results from failures. Not perfect and I am sure that you could find some things wrong in each of those countries but I think the last bank failure here was in the mid 1980s and that was a very small greedy bank that tried to bribe its way to greatness with impossible returns.
The ability to live in a country with good health care that will be there for me in any employment situation I find myself in, to not worry about crime or violence anywhere near the rate of the US, to have an expected life span of several years longer and the benefit of knowling that those less forunatate then myself will have, though a much lower standard of living than I will , assistance in making do that is at a higher level (last time I checked might be different now after the years of Bush) than the US can or will afford.
Socialism is as different from communism as conservativism is from Facism. But you either knew that and like to play your little games of insults or you are stuck in your little world of dogma.
People divide other people into two groups those who are just like them in looks language and thoughts (and bank accounts) and those who they fear, hate or loath.
Dogs also divide people into two groups those who are their friends and friends they have yet to meet.