Communism Is Not Dead!

So, how would a free-market fire department work better than a government one?

How would a free-market military work better than a government one?

 

Ken, I have blazed that trail. I was a staunch Libertarian, voted twice for Harry Browne, yet came to the realization that while I still hold to many libertarian concepts, I cannot subscribe to the every man for himself mentality of social concerns. I now believe there are legitimate functions we can do as a society more efficiently as a collective, rather than as free market organizations and individuals. Yes, there is a place for such, but we don't have our own fire departments, police departments, construct our own roads, etc.

I also believe that the wealthy made their wealth not only by themselves, but but by being a part of a society that affords opportunities. They owe something back to that society. Warren Buffett didn't build the roads he drives to work on; Bill Gates didn't mine the iron ore and refine it and then build his car. Charlie Ergen didn't extract rocket fuel to launch his satellites. They all benefited by obtaining personal wealth because of the society that enabled it. Therefore, there is a social responsibility to tax more heavily those who have the ability to pay.

Therefore my libertarian philosopy still holds on personal liberty, victimless crimes, and government staying out of where it is overreaching. However, the Constitution itself gives government the role of providing for the common welfare of the people. Healthcare is such a case. There is no reason why a person in this society who has lesser means should suffer and die over lack of medical attention, when a person of means would not have such concerns.

This "I've got mine, tough for you" attitude is neither Christian nor civilized.

 

SS is an abysmal failure that is about to hang an entire generation out to dry. SS does not afford comfortable retirement. If they were so comfy, why the Medicare boondoggle that just got through congress in recent years due to Seniors having to choose between food and meds?

And it remains to be seen if Obama can be elected. Witness the "Hussein" references on here by those who wish to smear him, the photos that are drudged...I mean, dredged up :laugh:

And if Obama does get elected, how is his victory owed to socialism? Or AA?

I am not impugning the motives of socialism per se. I just believe the blowback (to use your former boy's favorite term) has not been positive.

Good night all!

 

Social Security is not a great living, but it is responsible for most of our elderly living at a dignified level. If we had decent healthcare coverage, the choice of food or meds might not be an issue. We can do better.

 

Thanks for this post, MP. If you have more to add please feel free to PM me.

 

I don't know of anyone on SS who is living dignified because of SS. If they are, it's because they have a pension or some other retirement income. I'm not saying SS is a bad idea, but I am saying it's an abysmal failure - an unintended consequence of those who meant well.

 

I'd love to delve into this more as a small "l" liberterian. But I'm too sleepy right now. Worthy subject to be sure.

 

Senator Obama has been doing a great job in responding to the "swiftboating" attempts by the radical right and by Senator Clinton's campaign. In fact, he appears to benefit from such nonsense as most people reject such unfair character assassination attempts.

He is not going to sit back and take it like Senator Kerry did in 2004.

 

Social Security is a tremendous supplement to a pension and savings. I witnessed this in my parents' retirement years.

 

Firemen are paid by the government.

Soldiers are paid by the government.

I never said anything about the equipment they use or other such things that come from the market. I only mean that the government runs these things. The free market does not run the military. Period.

 

That is true. It is a supplement. From day one, it was never meant to be all someone lives on in retirement. There are many collecting now that did not give a second thought to retirement either through a company pension or personal savings.

Not only did some not save for retirement, they have now been collecting SS for 30+ years at an amount many many multiples of what they paid into it.

As far as our generation goes, (baby boomers), I am planning even at this late date to live totally without SS, because as a poster said before, we are going to be hung out to dry. Another failure of recent administrations is to deal with the problem. There were plenty of warning signs.

 

There is a solution to that. Start responding to posts and stop ignoring posters. When you do post, know what you are talking about.

 

Bush tried to deal with SS by allowing us to place a portion of our SS in a private savings account. I could take the 15% of my income that the government steals from me, purchase a good disability plan, and invest the rest and do much much better than Uncle could ever do even if Uncle weren't borrowing from it like Uncle has been doing long before Bush ever became President. Anyway, many folks howled at the very idea of being even partially responsible for their own retirement. They'd rather the government waste it. I'm at twenty five to thirty years away from retirement. By then, both the Republicans and Democrats will have wasted every penny that's been stolen from me to fund everything else but what it was intended for. By then there want be any money left after supporting illegal aliens' education, health care, etc, paying for all kinds of other socialistic programs, and many other pork projects of both Republican and Democratic politicians.

 

:BangHead:

I am not totally disagreeing with you. But the great majority would either do nothing or loose all of the 15% and then howl that the gov. should not have let them have that "freedom" and thus the gov. should cover their losses for them ... would be much more expensive if that happened because politicians would cave in and bail them out.

 

I basically agree. Obviously, you would be the ideal candidate for SS in the stock market because of your long horizon. For people in their mid to upper 50s, it could be a disaster. However, even CDs or Treasury bills give a much better rate of return than SS, approaching 5%.

You mentioned the Republicans and Democrats when you retire. My hope is that by then, the American people will have long ago had enough, gotten rid of both parties, and replaced then with two that want to serve the American people.

 

Explain China. [Not arguing, just curious.]

 

But was Stefan not talking about who pays the firemen, the soldiers, and presumably the navy and airforce, rather than who makes the decisions or who has influence? I don't really know much about how these things are done in America, but here in the UK, these people, and the ambulance service, coastguard service, teachers, social workers and police force, are paid for out of the "public purse." In other words, we pay our taxes (local and national), and the money thus raised is used to pay these "public sector workers". That is so whether we have a labour (socialist) government in power, as at present, or a conservative (non-socialist) one.