Posted on 08/07/2016 8:47:40 AM PDT by rey
Simply put, capitalism strives for the ceiling, and socialism provides a secure floor. Narrowly-defined socialism all but eliminates obscene wealth, while cherished notions of capitalism disingenuously suggest that anyone can become rich through hard work and drive. Proponents of capitalism regard taxation as confiscation, yet they’re willing to pay through the nose for things that are guaranteed to citizens of socialist countries who enjoy tangible benefits from their higher tax rates. Socialism and poverty
EDITOR: Columnist Thomas Friedman isn’t wrong to urge Hillary Clinton “to inject some capitalism into her economic plan.” But in making his case, he offers a decidedly skewed description of socialism as “the greatest system ever invented for making people equally poor” (“Clinton needs to get down to business — as in a plan,” Thursday).
Friedman might get an argument or two from citizens of socialist Europe who consider themselves anything but poor and who routinely rank among the happiest people in the world. I’m guessing that Friedman equates poor with a system that considers shelter, transportation, higher education, job training and health care to be basic needs.
My wife and I have traveled extensively through western and eastern Europe, and we’ve rarely encountered people who lament their lifestyles. Neither system is perfect, but socialism isn’t synonymous with being poor.
MARK WARDLAW
Santa Rosa
I’m wondering if Mr. Ward has visited the socialist paradise of Venezuela recently. Somehow, I doubt it.
“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance and the gospel of envy. Its inherent ‘virtue’ is the equal sharing of misery.”Mr. Wardlaw has never experienced socialism unsupported by the USA’s generosity to other nations.
— Winston Churchill
You got there first Bob.
The ‘secure floor’ of socialism in Venezuela, as elsewhere, is a sucking tar pit.
Socialism is slavery, simple as that.
Just how much of my productivity can my fellow citizens (via the power of the government) demand? What percentage of my livelihood is deemed enough to pay for those vague promises from politicians for my education, healthcare, etc.????
Under socialism, my government can demand whatever percentage of my livelihood to pay for whatever amount of benefits they choose to give me; and they have the power to demand more from me than they do others, and give me less in benefits than they do others - all at their whim.
THAT friends, is SLAVERY, regardless of how you try to pass it off with less threatening terms.
stick his big Chapter 11 thumbs into our great American pie and bankrupt our country.....Ummm...Fool. It already IS.
Yeah, if Venezuela wasn’t so devoid of natural resources like oil, I’m sure socialism would be working well there. /s
Been to the PIIGS lately? (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain)
Taxation IS confiscation! What else can you call it when someone puts a gun in your face and takes what belongs to you?
And therein lies the fallacy in this ridiculous argument. If capitalists are WILLING to "pay through the nose" for things, then IT IS THEIR CHOICE!!! If the government steals their money with the obscene promise that they'll get something back, then IT IS COERCION!!
A blind man can see the difference.
If Socialism is as wonderful as Mr. Ward says it is, why is the “evil and racist” CAPITALIST United States of America being invaded and overrun by “refugees” from the wonderful, Utopian countries south of the border? Sorry Mr. Ward, I was there when “The Wall” came down and saw first hand the reactions of the people in East Germany and Czechoslovakia. You sir, are FOS.
Santa Rosa is a short drive from Mendicino County which is where most of California’s marijuana comes from. Think Mr Ward is a reefer.
I'm willing to pay through the nose for something I know I will get. With socialism, using socialized medicine as just one example, you pay extreme taxes for benefits you'll be denied as unnecessary to you, because someone younger or healthier than you needs the same something you need, but the system can only afford to cover one of you.
Exactly! Hence my tag for seven years now.
BTTT
Socialism can easily be described as the rejection of God, and the elevation of mankind as “creator of the universe.”
Basically the same error as Lucifer.
However, with that axiom, socialism really has nowhere to go, as it has nothing of real value to offer besides this vanity. So it seeks to take over and spoil the mythos that non-socialists endorse, especially the Christian Bible. That is, rewriting it, to cut and paste “mankind” over every occurrence of “God”.
So all too quickly, socialism just becomes the faith of the seven deadly sins. Just to be contrary.
“My wife and I have traveled extensively through western and eastern Europe, and we’ve rarely encountered people who lament their lifestyles.”
I’ve worked in Europe.
When I offered to do some work on my own time one weekend, my boys got agitated - he faced jail time if a subordinate worked weekends.
I find that lamentable.
Socialism is a model of diminishing resources. Capitalism is a model of increasing resources.
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