Popularity of Socialism Spiking in US; 43 Percent Now Saying It Would Be Good for the Country

originally posted by: Freeborn
What is causing 'economic woes' then?

Genuine questions from a genuinely interested person.

Crony capitalism. Which is different from free market capitalism.

The founders did not want monopolies and put into place anti-monopoly laws. Today we have corporate lobbying, copyright and patent manipulation, and big businesses stomping roughshod over small businesses, either driving them out of business or buying them up and burying them to prevent competition. A double standard of law doesn't just allow it, but encourages it to happen. Corporations have limited liability where as sole proprietorships are the most vulnerable type of business to run.

A free market is decentralized, where as crony capitalism and socialism are both centralized planned economies. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some kind of evolutionary transition from crony capitalism into socialism. Which means we're already on the train tracks for a bad time. Socialism does not and can not work. It always collapses, and catastrophically.

a reply to: face23785

This right here happens with just about anything the government gets involved in funding, which is why "more government" should never be the answer.

Very true; remember the stories back in the day of the Air Force paying $1,500.00 for a screw driver?

Popularity of Socialism Spiking in US; 43 Percent Now Saying It Would Be Good for the Country

43% of 'Muricans refuse to grow the hell up.

a reply to: dfnj2015

Anything to address wealth inequality in this country is a good thing:

There's always been a disparity.

It's called skilled and unskilled labor.

You can't make wage universal.

Mostly because it's unfair to those that put in more effort than 43% of 'Murica.

a reply to: Freeborn

I'm not sure if universal education is considered 'socialism' in the US....it's simply considered a right in almost every other country.

I am not sure either, but I'd guess that many would say universal education is considered socialism. I don't know about the UK, but.......lets face it, University education has always operated as sort of a gate keeper designed to help the rich stay rich. Its sort a "class divider" and helps maintain a status quo. I guess in the UK and the US, for that matter, the Plumber's son could manage to acquire a College Degree if he had the smarts. But no matter, because upon graduation and going into the job market, he'd still be the Plumber's son and would not have been able to afford Harvard or Oxford.

Rich irony in that is that one of my friends is a very successful Plumber and his son went to Community College to get a degree in Business Accounting. He turned right around and went back to work with his Dad, a Master Plumber, as a journeyman Plumber, (the son is a Master Plumber today), and together they both earn more than many Lawyers do. I mean, I'm talking hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. You would blush to know what they charge rich Doctors for plumbing work in their Mansions in posh neighborhoods.

originally posted by: TonyS
a reply to: face23785

This right here happens with just about anything the government gets involved in funding, which is why "more government" should never be the answer.

Very true; remember the stories back in the day of the Air Force paying $1,500.00 for a screw driver?

Even that you gotta be careful with. Sometimes that stuff is exaggerated. I took a politics class last semester and in the textbook they talked about some examples of that. One was where an Air Force unit spent $700 on a toaster. They made it sound like it was a regular home kitchen toaster. I looked into the source they cited, and turns out it was an industrial toaster for the mess hall, that's why it was so expensive.

I used to buy supplies for my squadron when I was in the Air Force. Sometimes we do overpay for things but there's usually a reason behind it. Sometimes we might need something overnighted and the only vendor that will do that charges 20% more, or sometimes we'll pay extra for an extended warranty or something like that. Sometimes we get forced to buy more expensive "green" alternatives, or to purchase from women- or minority-owned businesses, even if we can get it cheaper somewhere else.

Of course, there are legit cases of real fraud, waste and abuse too. I'm just providing some context.

The real shady stuff happens with the big contracts.

ETA: Also, the military is one of the few things we kinda have to get the government to do, even though it's costly and inefficient. What's the alternative? Mercenaries? On the other hand, many of the other things the government does could easily be handled in other ways, either at the local level or privately.

originally posted by: neo96
a reply to: dfnj2015

Anything to address wealth inequality in this country is a good thing:

There's always been a disparity.

It's called skilled and unskilled labor.

You can't make wage universal.

Mostly because it's unfair to those that put in more effort than 43% of 'Murica.

But that's not "fair"!

Many of our "issues" in this country is simply a disagreement of people who haven't grown up yet and people who have.

Those 43% are so stupid they don't know that socialism isn't a list of government services.

It certainly isn't debt forgiveness. There is NO FREE STUFF in socialism. That's just the bait.

Welfarism, which is what these idiots actually want, is a product of ROBUST CAPITALISM and NOT socialist ideology.

So, America is the great Satan and socialism was handed down to humanity from the heavens. Why not move to a socialist country then? Why are you still here? Why are we even having this discussion?

Bye! Enjoy your famine!!

a reply to: face23785

I used to buy supplies for my squadron when I was in the Air Force.

Ha, ha......my Dad was USAFE after WWII and had a friend that was "in supply"! He retired to Hawaii a VERY wealthy man. I can only guess you must have made out quite well!

originally posted by: ofleming
a reply to: FamCore

that's scary to hear... socialism never ends well. When will people learn???

They don’t need to learn

The disgusting pieces of human filth who are calling for socialism today, won’t be around to reap the consequences.

They’re willing to leave that awesome lifestyle to their very own children and grandchildren.

Oppression. A liberal’s paradise.

originally posted by: dfnj2015
a reply to: FamCore

Anything to address wealth inequality in this country is a good thing:

How strong can the country be if there are not enough good paying jobs and everyone is in so much in debt??????????

There is always wealth inequality because not everyone is equal. The opportunity to gain wealth and stature in society has never been more equal than it is now. If you cannot make a decent life now in western society then you are a LOSER.

Not everyone is going to be a multi-millionaire, but you most certainly can earn a decent living.

originally posted by: jjkenobi
47% pay no income tax.
43% are in favor of socialism.

Where's the missing 4%

Do you think the fact that the bottom 50% of the population doesn't pay income tax is in any way related to the fact that the bottom 50% of the population owns only 1% of the nation's wealth?

www.axios.com...

originally posted by: 1947boomer

originally posted by: jjkenobi
47% pay no income tax.
43% are in favor of socialism.

Where's the missing 4%

Do you think the fact that the bottom 50% of the population doesn't pay income tax is in any way related to the fact that the bottom 50% of the population owns only 1% of the nation's wealth?

www.axios.com...

No...

First off, wealth has nothing to do with income. Wealth is what you have... income is what you earn in any given year.

You can be a multi-millionaire in terms of wealth and have little to no income. On the flip side, you can have a lot of income and still be broke because of high debts.

Most people don't even know what socialism is. There is no good example of it to point to, so most people just equate it with fascism or communism or some other totalitarian political system.

originally posted by: Blue Shift
Most people don't even know what socialism is. There is no good example of it to point to, so most people just equate it with fascism or communism or some other totalitarian political system.

I think a new plan is needed.

Yeah...well 43% also think eating Tide pods is fun.

I'm willing to bet 43% are willing to believe anything they are told to and with out question.

Polls are not accurate, considering they are catering to the population that agrees with idiotic propositions.

Look at Facebook or Twitter polls, every one of them is composed of a huge majority that's usually in line with a party.

Want accurate polling, use a wide selection of the real Countries demographics.

Until then polls are all just cherry picked bs.

a reply to: FamCore

How many of those women are the ones who bought to idea that they didn't need a man and are now single mothers finding out that a woman can't have it all by herself?

originally posted by: Blue Shift
Most people don't even know what socialism is. There is no good example of it to point to, so most people just equate it with fascism or communism or some other totalitarian political system.

So explain it to us. Every time I ask someone to explain "real" socialism, no one answers. So my only conclusion is that there is no other example than the authoritarian regimes like Venezuela, the USSR, North Korea, China, etc.

a reply to: ketsuko

Every time I ask someone to explain "real" socialism, no one answers. So my only conclusion is that there is no other example than the authoritarian regimes like Venezuela, the USSR, North Korea, China, etc.

This is the same experience I've had time and time again... the rebuttal is always the same: "that isn't/wasn't real socialism", and yet the same individuals will blame capitalism for problems.