Why do you feel socialism is bad?

[DanteAlighieri]

The jail rates in the USA show conclusively that capitalism has not worked and it is time to take a look at the socialist countries which have lower crime and jail rates than the USA…

This is patently false logic.

Capitalism per se does not cause the cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, drug abuse, etc. that lead to higher crime rates – greed does.

Socialism does not eliminate greed – it empowers those in government to be the only ones who are allowed to be greedy.

Rampant capitalism is no better than socialism, but reasonable capitalism is infinitely better. Government hand-out programs do more to perpetuate poverty and racial tension and crime than does the fact that some people are richer than others.

Peace,
Dante

 

[lareinatortura]

I think it is well known that Swedes are hard working and thrifty people. And that Sweden is a great country. However, I heard that there were some complaints about the high taxes in Sweden?

Definitely. Personally, I think that is to be expected.

 

[lareinatortura]

By the way, most people in prison in the United States are there for non-violent crimes, like selling drugs.

Though I really like Canada, I’d have to agree with you on this one. Firstly, no country is perfect. Secondly, it’s those mandatory minimum sentences. >.<*

 

[sedonaman]

This is patently false logic.

Capitalism per se does not cause the cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, drug abuse, etc. that lead to higher crime rates – greed does.

Socialism does not eliminate greed – it empowers those in government to be the only ones who are allowed to be greedy.

Rampant capitalism is no better than socialism, but reasonable capitalism is infinitely better. Government hand-out programs do more to perpetuate poverty and racial tension and crime than does the fact that some people are richer than others.

Peace,
Dante

The more America does to overcome inequality, the more unequal America appears. The reason for this is built into the dynamics of human nature. Very simply, the more equal people become, the more unbearable and unjust seem the remaining inequalities. [Think back 100 years when economic inequalities were much greater. There wasn’t as much dissatisfaction as there is today.]

Thus what started as a demand for basic social justice has mutated into a demand to overturn the whole society, along with its traditions and norms, its standards and laws, its history and heroes, since in all things some are still not equal.

That is another reason that socialism is bad. It takes the 99.44% part that is functioning well and makes it like the 0.56% that is not. Like the guy who preferred the dumb, pretty girl over the smart, ugly one because it is easier to make a dumb, pretty girl smart than it is to make a smart, ugly one pretty, it is easier to tear down the well-functioning part of society than to build up the malfunctioning part. People will be more equal economically , but they will necessarily be less equal politically. “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

 

[Seeker100]

The Church rejects socialism. Thus, it is an important argument.

Socialism deadens individual charity. Thus, it is an important argument.

Socialism restricts freedom and, in the worst cases, oppresses people. Thus, it is an important argument.

Peace,
Dante

The Roman Catholic priests that are truly for God and have not sold out are for socialism. These priests are in all countries and have a heart for bringing justice to the poor.

 

[Seeker100]

This is patently false logic.

Capitalism per se does not cause the cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, drug abuse, etc. that lead to higher crime rates – greed does.

Socialism does not eliminate greed – it empowers those in government to be the only ones who are allowed to be greedy.

Rampant capitalism is no better than socialism, but reasonable capitalism is infinitely better. Government hand-out programs do more to perpetuate poverty and racial tension and crime than does the fact that some people are richer than others.

Peace,
Dante

What you say does not match reality. Canada and the European countries do not have the massive cycle of poverty, ignorance and desperation that so many in Americas have.

Why does United States have so many more social problems than other developed deomocracies? It is because a big segment of their population are left behind and are oppressed by the system instead of helped.

Greed exists everywhere. Socialism which in my defining here is not communism. Socialism in what I am defining here is having government programs to develop and support all of the population so that they call all contribute their potentials to developing their nation and contributing to all mankind.

 

[dmelosi]

What you say does not match reality. Canada and the European countries do not have the massive cycle of poverty, ignorance and desperation that so many in Americas have.

Why does United States have so many more social problems than other developed deomocracies? It is because a big segment of their population are left behind and are oppressed by the system instead of helped.

Greed exists everywhere. Socialism which in my defining here is not communism. Socialism in what I am defining here is having government programs to develop and support all of the population so that they call all contribute their potentials to developing their nation and contributing to all mankind.

Here is an interesting comparison between Canada & the U.S.

unitednorthamerica.org/simdiff.htm

Look at the Health Care Expenditure differences.

Canada spends 10% vs the U.S. spends 15.3% of GDP.

As inefficient as the U.S. is in running government programs, it seems like the only good a national plan would do is bankrupt us. The current plan needs an overhaul before expanding it.

Obama is trying to create more bureaucracies not make them more efficient. You mentioned in an earlier post about the good he is trying to do? What do you think this good is?

 

[josephdavid]

Why does United States have so many more social problems than other developed deomocracies? It is because a big segment of their population are left behind and are oppressed by the system instead of helped.

Did not the Prophet Michah say in Scripture “There will be no peace until all men can eat from their own fig tree.” ?

 

[sidbrown]

Did not the Prophet Michah say in Scripture “There will be no peace until all men can eat from their own fig tree.” ?

What is the passage from Scripture? I thought that this was a misquote from a speech given by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

[sidbrown]

The negatives in the United States are because we have too much government and too many laws.

How does that compare with the socialised medicine that exists in Europe and Canada? The USA is more capitalistic than either place and it has more people in jails because it is so.

 

[sidbrown]

This is patently false logic.

Capitalism per se does not cause the cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, drug abuse, etc. that lead to higher crime rates – greed does.

then why is it that the socialist leaning Canada and the European countries do not have the horrible cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, and drug abuse to the extent that the capitalist United States of America has? One look at the jail rates proves that modified socialism is the way to go.

 

[tjm190]

Canada is a beautiful place to live. Our society is much more stable than yours.

What method of yours measures stability?

We have a very good educational system to train and prepare every young mind. Thus when they grow up they are much more likely to find a place of gainfull emplyment. This creates jobs and opportunity for all, and greatly reduces the temptation to do illegal activity.

Lower GDP per capita and a higher unemployment contradict this argument.

We have universal health care. With this our citizens do not go bankrupt or lose their homes, family farms, business etc when someone of the family gets serious ill or injured. By the society as a whole supporting health care, there is more of a peaceful atmosphere as everyone is looking out of the other guy, through our government social programs.

Both systems have a certain amount of people they can care for at any given time, yes? Does single payer somehow increase this amount? Our system deals with ‘overloads’ by raising prices- yours, by limiting the amount of care you can receive at any given time.

We have shorter jail sentences. We realize that jail as well as deters, also criminalizesl. Too much jail time make it very difficult for ex-cons to leave criminality and have stable jobs and integrate into mainstream society.

You also do not have the issues brought about by illegal immigration and the crime havens created after the inner city fell apart.

We have rules for our banking systems so that what happend in United States will not happen here. Most countries have these rules. It is good that Obama has brought these rules in.

Actually, American banks were deregulated IN RESPONSE to a lack of regulation on European banks- American banks argued, correctly, that they could not compete with the European banks with heavier regulation.

Canada is a very very stable country compared to yours. Obama knows what he is doing. America needs social programs and bank regulations to help all of its people. Obama is fixing the mess. He is helping weak, the ones who for years have been left behind, by the right wing.

Stable by who’s metric?

 

[tjm190]

How does that compare with the socialised medicine that exists in Europe and Canada? The USA is more capitalistic than either place and it has more people in jails because it is so.

Actually, many Europeans nations have higher rates of imprisonment- we just have longer sentencing.

But ya, I’m sure those capitalist pigs are to blame- who needs logic when we can assume the numbers support our conclusion?

 

[tjm190]

then why is it that the socialist leaning Canada and the European countries do not have the horrible cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, and drug abuse to the extent that the capitalist United States of America has? One look at the jail rates proves that modified socialism is the way to go.

• American families used to dominate the inner city. After WWII and the development of the suburb, many chose to rent out their former homes.
• With no strict controls, these homes tended to fall into disrepair, hurting the area’s value- soon, most of our cities had developed slums.
  -Slums breed crime.

Also, gao.gov/new.items/d05337r.pdf (over 1/4 of our prisoners are illegal immigrants)

Also, we have much longer incarceration times, particularly for drug related crimes and theft.

 

[Seeker100]

• American families used to dominate the inner city. After WWII and the development of the suburb, many chose to rent out their former homes.
• With no strict controls, these homes tended to fall into disrepair, hurting the area’s value- soon, most of our cities had developed slums.
  -Slums breed crime.

Also, gao.gov/new.items/d05337r.pdf (over 1/4 of our prisoners are illegal immigrants)

Also, we have much longer incarceration times, particularly for drug related crimes and theft.

Our inner cities are stong and vibrant. So are many other country’s. We have suburbs too after WWII but our inner cities did not decline.

Come to downtown Toronto, see the stores, the shopping malls, the plays, the museums, the hotels, the concerts and sports events. Beautiful beautiful place! ( I used to live there)

 

[sidbrown]

• American families used to dominate the inner city. After WWII and the development of the suburb, many chose to rent out their former homes.
• With no strict controls, these homes tended to fall into disrepair, hurting the area’s value- soon, most of our cities had developed slums.
  -Slums breed crime.

Also, gao.gov/new.items/d05337r.pdf (over 1/4 of our prisoners are illegal immigrants)

Also, we have much longer incarceration times, particularly for drug related crimes and theft.

These are terrible symptoms which appear in capitalist societies, but tend to disappear as socialism makes inroads.

 

[sidbrown]

Our inner cities are stong and vibrant. So are many other country’s. We have suburbs too after WWII but our inner cities did not decline.

Come to downtown Toronto, see the stores, the shopping malls, the plays, the museums, the hotels, the concerts and sports events. Beautiful beautiful place! ( I used to live there)

These are the obvious benefits which accrue as societies become less capitalistic and embark on a program of social welfare.

 

[lordssoldier]

There is PROOF in ancient apocryphal texts that socialism was the marking of the age of the downtrodden monkey spirit. With the rising to the throne of the black knight (Obama for you lame brains), the seed of the ash of the lord, would return the shadow of zion.

While most folks would be downtrodden with this news, I rejoice, for I know that my roots run deep and I sleep deep in the comfort of the folds of big baby jesus pjs, snug as a mutha flucking bug. PEACE

 

[CPA2]

This is patently false logic.

Capitalism per se does not cause the cycle of poverty, ignorance, desperation, broken families, drug abuse, etc. that lead to higher crime rates – greed does.

Socialism does not eliminate greed – it empowers those in government to be the only ones who are allowed to be greedy.

Rampant capitalism is no better than socialism, but reasonable capitalism is infinitely better. Government hand-out programs do more to perpetuate poverty and racial tension and crime than does the fact that some people are richer than others.

Peace,
Dante

You understand the consequences of socialism and the gist of socialism. Good observation!

 

[CPA2]

Bulls and bears make money in the stock market. Pigs get slaughtered.

The last balanced budget that we had was the first two years of the Eisenhower administration. The paradox of thrift is staring us in the face today. The implications are ominous. I think the American spending binge that went along with the stock market bubble fueled the world economy. The consumer is now tapped out. The average credit card bill is over $8,000. This is most probably the first time in history that savings is detrimental to the economy and GDP. Savings usually means more capital and more future wealth. I am afraid that we ate our seed corn!

I think that the government’s interest payments are greater than our defense budget. Interest payments are also growing exponentially. Government is a big boy. When he enters the credit markets, he “crowds out” the small guy. “The crowing-out model indicates that deficits will increase the demand for loanable funds and thereby place upward pressure on the real rate of interest (Gwartney, Stroup and Sobel).”

During the Reagan administration deficits were high and the interest rates did not go to the moon. Why? Foreigners were financing our national debt by buying treasury bonds. Foreigners finance our national debt. Is that good? I do not think so. In the 1960’s Paul Samuelson said that the national debt did not matter because we owed it to ourselves! That is no longer the case. “We owe our soul to the company store.”

“When an economy dips into a recession, the budget deficit will tend to rise as the result of the recessionary conditions. At the same time, the demand for investment funds is weakened, which will place downward pressure on interest rates. Thus, recessionary business conditions tend to generate both larger budget deficits and lower interest rates. Clearly this phenomenon makes it more difficult to determine the independent impact of budget deficits on interest rates (Gwartney, Stroup and Sobel).”

The last time the United States had a budget surplus was the first two years of the Eisenhower administration. Those two years were one of the few times that the Congress and the Executive branch were in Republican hands.

The United States is getting slaughtered…