Why is 'Socialism' such a dirty word in the USA?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Humans are social animals, not loners. At least naturally. We are our brother's keeper and the family unit itself - that most cherished icon of the Right Wing, is a model of socialism. We could start demanding that each family member fend for themselves, use their own refrigerators and stop cohabiting in a bed.

I agree with you but we like to choose which social groups to cohabitate with. Many don't like social groups forced on them. Of course we choose our friends but not our family.

We choose to live in this country, but as long as we live here as citizens, we are essentially agreeing to abide by whatever structures are there. You may not agree with paying taxes for public schools, but the fact that you are taxed is not forced upon you because you could choose to move to a country that doesn't tax you for schools. Libertarians are always concerned about force but the reality is - nobody is forcing you to pay for Social Security or Medicare. They are just part of the social contract you have as a citizen.

[Peikko 1,575]

Power corrupts the government but apparently not large corporations or the rich.

This is your weakness. You cant worry about the large corps and rich in a capitalistic society. You are free to distance yourself from them. You dont have to do business with them. If they are corrupt move on to one that isn't.

You cant flee the goverment. When they become corrupt you are in trouble.

I still havn't figured out why the left in this country is so worried about big evil corps and the rich?

They aren't. You've been sold a lemon if you believe that.

Where have you been? Maybe you posted in the wrong thread?

Not at all, exactly the right thread. People couch political discourse in deceptive terms - the left being afraid of 'evil corps' and rich people is just one of the many. Enjoy sucking on your lemon dude

I should correctly say, the American Left, which to most people outside of the US is rather centrist in nature.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Humans are social animals, not loners. At least naturally. We are our brother's keeper and the family unit itself - that most cherished icon of the Right Wing, is a model of socialism. We could start demanding that each family member fend for themselves, use their own refrigerators and stop cohabiting in a bed.

Not a bad thing to demand from your brother.

CBG, they want to do it on their own terms not with someone pointing a gun at them.

You want to be able to choose what government expenses you get taxed for? What planet are you from?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Put it this way - Who would want to be stranded on a desert island with a group of people who are only after themselves and not interested in working towards common goals.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Put it this way - Who would want to be stranded on a desert island with a group of people who are only after themselves and not interested in working towards common goals.

In my group, if you don't work on the boat, we will eat you!

Edited August 12, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

me me me me me me me!

[Peikko 1,575]

I have my eight discs chosen - Eroica!

[HAL 9000 96]

Put it this way - Who would want to be stranded on a desert island with a group of people who are only after themselves and not interested in working towards common goals.

Kill the pig! Cut his throat! Kill the pig! Bash him in!

[one...two...tree 2,762]

In a healthy family, an individual can thrive while also belonging to the family. In a free society, the same is true. It's the extremists who try to convey any coexistence between public and private will always be in disharmony.

Edit: Extremists (both Far Right ideologues and Far Left (communists))

Edited August 12, 2009 by Col. 'Bat' Guano

[Heracles 417]

Australia's approach with a lot of things is why waste time reinventing the wheel. Constantly learn and adapt. It's also the key to survival, while doing the opposite being the downfall of every country and company. It is also how and why China has caught up so rapidly. They learn from others.

We even have our own cell standards here and TV standards. Which for us has equated to crappy cell phones. Plus an inferior digital TV service.

Edited August 12, 2009 by haza

[_Simpson_ 250]

Exactly, and constant complaining by the usual suspects would hardly qualify as constructive.

Dude, I can easily keep this to myself. It's you guys who are losing. I ###### here, you live here. If you don't care to listen because it's the American thing to do, well it's your loss not mine. And boy have you guys lost. Ouch. Certainly not people living in these other more developed countries.

However, I can be American too and not give a flying #### about you either but I will not sit in silence to see the poor exploited. The irony is that this sort of free speech is exactly what your constitution is all about. You know, the constitution you guys bang your chest about 24/7. It's certainly not about allowing gay individuals to parade in the streets, that's for sure. Sounds like you guys need an English and contextual lesson too.

Really and is this sort of posting you would call constructive criticism? Alot of good people here in the USA and if you could just get past all of your stereotypes you might see what a great country this is, perfect no but nevertheless a great country.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

The thing is - there are statistics out there that show that people live longer in other countries; and the US has one of the lowest average life expectancies in the developed world (higher than average infant mortality as well). Really hard to see how this cannot be connected in some way to the healthcare system.

[luckytxn 2,264]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

Very good question. Personally I don't find it offensive and am very amused that The Dems who are now blindly following that ideology hate being called what they are. I say they need to embrace it and revel in it. I personally have never associated Socialism with communism but they do when I call them that term. Very strange and also very telling.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Whether or not we pay taxes for public schools, the poor who cannot afford to goto public schools can enroll in private school free of charge with the "No Child Left Behind Act"

With that Act, it also uses tax payers monies.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

Very good question. Personally I don't find it offensive and am very amused that The Dems who are now blindly following that ideology hate being called what they are. I say they need to embrace it and revel in it. I personally have never associated Socialism with communism but they do when I call them that term. Very strange and also very telling.

And this is why affectionately call you our resident Rainman. I'm just curious since you never answered me before whether you have a college degree - for someone who claims to know so much about Socialism, tell us what college courses have you taken on the subject?