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Socialism in America

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by FR7 Baptist, Feb 21, 2012.

  1. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    Why is it the U.S. doesn't have a major party which advocates democratic socialism or social democracy like Canada, the UK, and Australia do? It seems to me that our two major parties simply want to tweak the current system as opposed to making major changes.

    Maybe a better plan would be to try to bring social democracy to one state. I don't think it would work too well in my home state of Florida because the voters aren't left-wing enough. Perhaps Vermont would be a better bet because they elected the only socialist U.S. Senator, Bernie Sanders.

    What do y'all think? What would it take to bring socialism to America?
     
  2. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    A war.......
     
  3. Walguy

    Walguy Member

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    Don't look now, but it's already here, and there IS a major party behind it: the Democrats. And if Obama is re-elected, it's here forever.
     
  4. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    That wouldn't be good. I want a peaceful, orderly transition. I don't even want to amend the Constitution in doing so.
     
  5. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Rightly or wrongly the word "socialism" is viewed very negatively by most Americans. Any party using the word in their name would not stand any chance of being elected.

    Conservatives here scream about socialism as it buys them votes among some people. Frankly, the vast majority of Americans really know nothing about what socialism is really all about. It is good politics to claim others are socialistic just as it is good politics to paint Capitalists as evil in some other countries.
     
  6. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Americans are not going to put up with all out socialism and there are to many impediments in the constitution to have this country transition to it without amendments.
     
  7. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Or maybe that is just what it is.
     
  8. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    CTB, do you consider yourself a socialist?
     
  9. mont974x4

    mont974x4 New Member

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    We do have people pushing for it.
    We also have many standing for freedom and want our nation to survive because we understand what history teaches. There has yet to be a nation that really survives the horrors of socialism.
     
  10. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    No I am not a socialist. But I am not in favor of unbridled Capitalism either. I know my history and do not want us to return to the days of the Robber Barons either.
     
  11. gb93433

    gb93433 Active Member
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    Have you ever looked up what the average citizen pays in taxes and other fees? Sales tax, property tax, state income tax, federal income tax, social security, and many other taxes. Just look at your pay stub. Is that not socialism? If not how much further would we have to go to be there? Medicare? Welfare?
     
  12. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Here is a reason not to embrace socialism:

    http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/Socialism.html
     
  13. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    No, it's not socialism because it doesn't entail worker ownership of the means of production.
     
  14. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Socialism is government ownership of the means of production.
     
  15. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    Not true. For most things, I favor private, worker-owned cooperatives.
     
  16. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    Yea it is true you need to go study socialism a bit more.
     
  17. FR7 Baptist

    FR7 Baptist Active Member

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    You need to go study the variations of socialist thought. We're not stuck in the USSR anymore. Adopting socialism through a gradual, evolutionary process would be great for the United States.
     
  18. mandym

    mandym New Member

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    If the government does not control production then its not socialism. What you are talking about is a form of Capitalism not Socialism.
     
  19. matt wade

    matt wade Well-Known Member

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    Maybe you need to do a little elementary study on the topic?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
     
  20. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    So you were against Obama Motors.....
     
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