Don't worry, I did some checking and I found out that your tax dollars are not given to anyone else. I found out that last year your tax dollars were kept separate from everyone else's and yours were specifically used to move an aircraft carrier in the Persian gulf. Now, your money ran out after moving the carrier just 75 feet, but that's ok. Next year, if they get more from you they'll be able to move it a little farther. So don't worry, your money will never end up in the hands of some helpless old person who needs money for food or something as unworthy as that. That's where my money goes and I'm ok with that. So we're all good, right?
Government simply taking money from people who make more money, in order for them to just hand that money to other people who provide no government service is socialism.
Uhuh. And if you take the money from one person and hand it to someone else, not for work that they're doing, but because they just make less...then it's socialism.
And if you take the money from one person and hand it to someone else, not for work that they're doing, but because they just make less...then it's socialism.
Really? This must be some new fangled definition of the word socialism of which I was previously unaware.
I don't suppose you can generate a reference for that nifty definition of yours?
"From each according to his ability, to each according to his need"
Ok, this says give according to need, not according to whether they have more or less. And I'm not sure a quote by a guy qualifies as the definition of socialism.
But maybe you'd like to try again? You might actually find the definition of socialism if you look hard enough.
The quote is Marx in Critique of the Gotha Program, it's actually a Communist thing. But of course, Socialism = Communism AMIRIGHT!
No, I'm not. Socialism is the transition period (according to Marx) between Capitalism and Communism; ie. the part that the USSR, China, Viet Nam, Cuba et. al. never tried (they went from agrarian societies straight to Communism, something Marx would have been appalled at). However, now most industrialised, wealthy countries in the world are Socialist countries, but for some reason, Americans think it's teh devils.
So yeah, the quote has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion around Socialism, unless someone can somehow argue to me that anyone is even considering Communism.
On another note, I was raised a flaaaaming democrat and remain a flaaaaaming democrat and one thing I really don't understand about the hatred of "sharing the wealth" aka government welfare programs (that is the issue, yes?) from republicans is what happens if/when a person who hates paying for these programs NEEDS one of these programs like unemployment checks or disability?
I read an interesting article the other day that was talking about how there is an feeling in Australia today that there are "deserving and undeserving poor". 40% of Australians receive welfare. Apparently, those who have had kids or who are retired "deserve" their welfare, whereas those who are students, unemployed or disabled don't. It was in context to the governments refusal to guarantee investment accounts (they've just put unlimited guarantee on bank accounts). Now there are all these self funded retirees screaming to the government for money because their risky investment strategy crashed. The very same people who think that someone getting student assistance is a bludger.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 06:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 06:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 06:43 am (UTC)But that's no reason to make the situation worse.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 07:38 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 07:39 am (UTC)So it traded one government intervention into our lives for a dozen other ones.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 02:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 03:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 07:54 am (UTC)Taxation isn't socialism you dolt.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 07:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 12:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 11:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 11:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 11:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 11:49 pm (UTC)Really? This must be some new fangled definition of the word socialism of which I was previously unaware.
I don't suppose you can generate a reference for that nifty definition of yours?
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 11:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 12:40 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 12:50 am (UTC)Ok, this says give according to need, not according to whether they have more or less. And I'm not sure a quote by a guy qualifies as the definition of socialism.
But maybe you'd like to try again? You might actually find the definition of socialism if you look hard enough.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 04:14 am (UTC)No, I'm not. Socialism is the transition period (according to Marx) between Capitalism and Communism; ie. the part that the USSR, China, Viet Nam, Cuba et. al. never tried (they went from agrarian societies straight to Communism, something Marx would have been appalled at). However, now most industrialised, wealthy countries in the world are Socialist countries, but for some reason, Americans think it's teh devils.
So yeah, the quote has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion around Socialism, unless someone can somehow argue to me that anyone is even considering Communism.
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 10:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 07:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 12:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 02:55 pm (UTC)On another note, I was raised a flaaaaming democrat and remain a flaaaaaming democrat and one thing I really don't understand about the hatred of "sharing the wealth" aka government welfare programs (that is the issue, yes?) from republicans is what happens if/when a person who hates paying for these programs NEEDS one of these programs like unemployment checks or disability?
no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 06:34 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 12:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 01:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-28 09:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-10-29 03:50 am (UTC)