What's wrong with "Democratic Socialism"?

[ZDroid1]

It seems intuitive that there are things we can't rely on the "free market" to take care of.

The Founding Fathers seemed to have realized this when they, for example, created the USPS. They recognized that there are things that are too important to leave to the dog-eat-dog capitalism of the free market.

Many people point out the inefficiencies, waste and financial hardships facing a service like the USPS. But that's not the point! The success of the USPS is not measured by its revenue or even financial viability, but rather by the service it provides to the citizens.

Nobody measures the success of the Fire Department by how much money they made, but by how many lives they saved, even if they lost money in the process or became a financial burden on the taxpayers.

The health, education and safety of the American citizen are deemed by the so-called "socialist" to be too valuable to be bought and sold on the market of profit-driven competition. When did that become evil?

Capitalism is not a bad thing. We all agree that Capitalism is one of the major reasons for the technological revolution we're all enjoying today, not to mention the opportunity it provides for all of us to make a good living and/or become rich. No one is against Capitalism. It's just not the answer to everything, that's all.

 

[aximtreo]

Who's going to pay the bills is the most often looked side of socialism. Remember, we have the right to pursue; not the right to have it given to you.

 

[ZDroid1]

Who's going to pay the bills is the most often looked side of socialism. Remember, we have the right to pursue; not the right to have it given to you.

Well, if we apply that statement strictly (the right to pursue), then we should disband the police force and the fire dept. People should just protect themselves and take care of themselves, not have everything given to them.

 

[copestag]

you do realize that the overwhelming majority of firefighters are volunteer right?

 

[ZDroid1]

you do realize that the overwhelming majority of firefighters are volunteer right?

And who pays for the equipment and the apparatus?

 

[WAdude]

And who pays for the equipment and the apparatus?

Your taxes do. And I like It how it Is, no need for this democratic socialism.

 

[TheBeardedMann]

USPS was a good concept but FedEx, UPS, etc. have proven to be more effecient and that is from the free market evolving the industry. USPS should fade away and let the market take over. It should be measured by financial success and not by the service. Just like FedEx and UPS. You choose based upon the service that you have recieved and the winner has more financial success. It's pretty simple.

 

[Zenze]

Your taxes do. And I like It how it Is, no need for this democratic socialism.

How it is now is a form of democratic socialism. We do not have a pure capitalist economy, such a thing does not exist. Neither does a pure socialist society. The sooner people realize this the better.

Some things are better handled by capitalism, other things by socialism. Finding the right mix is the goal.

 

[hakr100]

USPS was a good concept but FedEx, UPS, etc. have proven to be more effecient and that is from the free market evolving the industry. USPS should fade away and let the market take over. It should be measured by financial success and not by the service. Just like FedEx and UPS. You choose based upon the service that you have recieved and the winner has more financial success. It's pretty simple.

The USPS delivers gazillions of pieces of first class mail everywhere in the United States for less than 50 cents an envelope.

Measuring the worthiness or qualities of a public service by financial success is an absurdity.

 

[stainlessray]

It seems intuitive that there are things we can't rely on the "free market" to take care of.

The Founding Fathers seemed to have realized this when they, for example, created the USPS. They recognized that there are things that are too important to leave to the dog-eat-dog capitalism of the free market.

Many people point out the inefficiencies, waste and financial hardships facing a service like the USPS. But that's not the point! The success of the USPS is not measured by its revenue or even financial viability, but rather by the service it provides to the citizens.

Nobody measures the success of the Fire Department by how much money they made, but by how many lives they saved, even if they lost money in the process or became a financial burden on the taxpayers.

The health, education and safety of the American citizen are deemed by the so-called "socialist" to be too valuable to be bought and sold on the market of profit-driven competition. When did that become evil?

Capitalism is not a bad thing. We all agree that Capitalism is one of the major reasons for the technological revolution we're all enjoying today, not to mention the opportunity it provides for all of us to make a good living and/or become rich. No one is against Capitalism. It's just not the answer to everything, that's all.

all things being equal, have you looked at the relative success of the postal service???

it failed a long time ago, and i've been tired of paying for it for a VERY long time.

 

[stainlessray]

The USPS delivers gazillions of pieces of first class mail everywhere in the United States for less than 50 cents an envelope.

Measuring the worthiness or qualities of a public service by financial success is an absurdity.

soooooo we should fund it no matter the cost?

 

[stainlessray]

look, all socialists agree on Darwin right? Capitalism, is just the monetary version of natures call. If it is worthy of human consumption, we will buy it. IF NOT, we will not.

is it ok with ALL you people who are smarter than we are, that we just choose ourselves? or should we just take a long walk off a short pier?

 

[aximtreo]

Well, if we apply that statement strictly (the right to pursue), then we should disband the police force and the fire dept. People should just protect themselves and take care of themselves, not have everything given to them.

This comment doesn't warrant a comment. If this is the way you think, you are part of the reason this society is so screwed up.

 

[hakr100]

look, all socialists agree on Darwin right? Capitalism, is just the monetary version of natures call. If it is worthy of human consumption, we will buy it. IF NOT, we will not.

is it ok with ALL you people who are smarter than we are, that we just choose ourselves? or should we just take a long walk off a short pier?

Capitalism is on its way down the toilet, and will find communism already there. I don't know what will replace it, but I'm in favor of almost anything that will rebuild the middle class in this country, instead of simply making the rich even richer.

 

[WAdude]

Capitalism is on its way down the toilet, and will find communism already there. I don't know what will replace it, but I'm in favor of almost anything that will rebuild the middle class in this country, instead of simply making the rich even richer.

The problem isn't capitalism, its greed. And anyways, have you ever visited a socialist country, or better yet lived in one? It sucks, opportunity only comes if you have good connections, its not as easy moving up economically, and the freedoms provided here, you will never see in a socialist country, I know this because I have experienced it myself. You think this is corruption, you have no idea.

 

[stainlessray]

Capitalism is on its way down the toilet, and will find communism already there. I don't know what will replace it, but I'm in favor of almost anything that will rebuild the middle class in this country, instead of simply making the rich even richer.

please do tell us alL who are not wise enough to understand, HOW WILL COMMUNISM IMPROVE THIS COUNTRY?????? AND JUST FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE, please tell me how communism will improve the middle class, because this is what i am waiting for...

 

[stainlessray]

Capitalism is on its way down the toilet, and will find communism already there. I don't know what will replace it, but I'm in favor of almost anything that will rebuild the middle class in this country, instead of simply making the rich even richer.

are you saying that communism is sitting in the toilet waiting for capitalism? i am just whondering....

 

[WAdude]

are you saying that communism is sitting in the toilet waiting for capitalism? i am just whondering....

If thread were a book, it'd be called "Taking the $hit on Capitalism."

 

[stainlessray]

If thread were a book, it'd be called "Taking the $hit on Capitalism."

it would be called, "the shit that is communism, waiting to address capitalism so we can be right 50 years after the truth"

still waiting for the answers to questions posed to the supreme beings....

 

[hakr100]

are you saying that communism is sitting in the toilet waiting for capitalism? i am just whondering....

That's what I posted.

 

[hakr100]

please do tell us alL who are not wise enough to understand, HOW WILL COMMUNISM IMPROVE THIS COUNTRY?????? AND JUST FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE, please tell me how communism will improve the middle class, because this is what i am waiting for...

Communism failed and is in the toilet, and that's where capitalism should be if we cannot rebuild a strong middle class.

 

[Zenze]

The problem isn't capitalism, its greed. And anyways, have you ever visited a socialist country, or better yet lived in one? It sucks, opportunity only comes if you have good connections, its not as easy moving up economically, and the freedoms provided here, you will never see in a socialist country, I know this because I have experienced it myself. You think this is corruption, you have no idea.

I agree, the problem is unrestricted greed. However greed is a essential element in capitalism. The idea is that if everyone looks out for themselves then they will be more motivated as their well being depends on it and as such that drives innovation. Capitalism wouldn't work without greed.

However pure capitalism would never work. Those at the top would have absolute power and the vast majority of the wealth if there were no restrictions.

As I see it pure capitalism and pure socialism lead to the same place, a few at the top who control everything, which is why only hybrids succeed.

 

[BobPaul]

Well, one thing that repulses those that believe in rights is that your plan would require democracy. And that is a very bad thing.

 

[WAdude]

Communism failed and is in the toilet, and that's where capitalism should be if we cannot rebuild a strong middle class.

To rebuild the middle class you start out by rebuilding the upper class. And $250,000 is not the upper class. The definition our current president gave the middle class to me is bogus, I have friends who make $280,000 and own a small business, unfortunately they dont even end up with half that from having to pay employees, taxes and other stuff. For a strong middle class you must lower taxes on businesses, that way they have more leftover money to expand and employ middle class workers.

 

[Zenze]

To rebuild the middle class you start out by rebuilding the upper class. And $250,000 is not the upper class. The definition our current president gave the middle class to me is bogus, I have friends who make $280,000 and own a small business, unfortunately they dont even end up with half that from having to pay employees, taxes and other stuff. For a strong middle class you must lower taxes on businesses, that way they have more leftover money to expand and employ middle class workers.

If $250,000 is before he pays his employees then he doesnt make $250,000.

And if he does make $250,000 the average american only earns $50,000 so considering he earns five times that amount I would consider it upper class.

Also about the idea of building the economy from the upper class down... it seems silly to think that somehow aiding the upper class helps the middle class more than it helps the upper class itself...