The Rush To Socialism

According to a recent Gallup poll, 53% of Democrats have a "positive view" of Socialism and America as a whole is only at 36%.  Looking at the whole page, it doesn't appear that they defined the term and if you look at the results of some of the other parts of the same poll, it seems a bit convoluted with most people (to include Democrats) having a highly favorable view of entrepreneurs  and small business.  That would be in direct opposition to how Socialism is generally defined which is the state controls the means of production and distribution.

Despite the apparent contradictions in the responses, I still wonder why so many people would have a positive view of Socialism.  What is it about Socialism that is so appealing?  Can someone explain this to me?  What is the draw?  Is it simply just to get back at those "rich guys"?

Most people in this country do not want government controlling healthcare.  They don't want a single-payer and they don't want the so-called public option which is nothing more than a foot in the door to a single-payer system.  It doesn't seem to matter to the Socialists in Congress and the White House.  They will continue to push for it. 

They explain the lack of support for government run healthcare on several reasons, but the main reason is simply that they view the average citizen to be too stupid to know what's good for them.  They truly believe they are smarter than the electorate in general. They also like to blame Fox News for deceiving us all (or something like that).

Socialism does not work.  It's never been successful anywhere.  The ideologues like to point to such things as Medicare and Social Security as being success and how we've come to depend upon them.  Yes, we've come to depend upon them, but only because they became the only game in town.  The government abhors competition.  When it was suggested that people be given a choice in how they wanted to invest in their retirement, the Socialists went nuts.  The Democrats opened that piggy bank long ago and continue to loot it and today the system is about to go broke. 

This country was not built on Socialism.  Freedom and liberty  built tjhis country, not serfdom to an all powerful federal government.  We need to shine the light on what Socialism really is and that is a giant step toward Communism.  Communism is a system of government that is responsible for killing and jailing more people than National Socialism ever did.  It's an evil that should forever be relegated to the proverbial dustbin  of history.

VW

Comments

[John Hampton]

Hmmm...perhaps it's just a coincidence that this poll matches up fairly well with that Rasmussen poll Rusty was touting which showed that about 54% of the Democrats believe that their party leaders are doing a good job representing their core party values.

[rusty]

Ok, first a definition:

"Socialism refers to the various theories of economic organization advocating common or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with a method of compensation based on the amount of labor expended"

so, at it's heart, you get what you deserve. The harder you work, the more you get. Isn't that supposed to be the American Way?

Ok, before you pop a blood vessel, I'm not advocating socialism, and I don't know any liberals who are either. The gov't currently runs less than .01% of the industry in this country. If we're socialist we're doing a pretty crappy job of it. As for healthcare - we're the only developed country in the world that has an employer run healthcare system. The only one. You want an example of a systeme that has never worked any where...

As for polls and who is being decieved... maybe look at the recent poll that shows more then 50% of Republicans still aren't sure if Obama was born in this country.

The level of mis-information in this country (on all sides of all issues) is truly staggering.

[Violence Worker]

Ok, first a definition: "Socialism refers to the various theories of economic organization advocating common or direct worker ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with a method of compensation based on the amount of labor expended"

Wikipedia - always a trusted source! /sarc

That definition is ludicrous. It stems from the theory that both Socialism and Capitalism can operate in the same environment. The problem is that the resources needed to fuel the Socialist part usually wind up strangulating the Capitalist part. Everybody wants government to provide something for them We are there today. Everybody wants a piece of the action, but their no more action to spare. We have no more money. We've spent trillions on the great society of LBJ and we haven't advanced much at all.

Government cannot create jobs (like Obama is proposing now). Burdensome government sucks the wealth and prosperity out of an economy. No one has ever been taxed into prosperity...It can't be done.

Direct worker ownership is a nice idea and there are a few small firms doing it, but I can hardly see it working on a scale such as a large aircraft manufacturer. If the company intends to grow, that usually means they will be looking for funding and most lenders usually expect the company to be able show they have solid leadership and in many cases, will require you to hire people they recommend. Venture capitalist lenders do it all the time.

Eventually, it will come down that the guys doing the brainwork will expect to be paid for it or they will go elsewhere. Bosses will expect more than the peons.

Capitalism and free markets are what has fueled our economy and our innovations.

VW

[Rusty]

Can you show me a pure capitalist society that has worked? One where there is no interference by government, no attempt to put some controls on the market? The right balance has to be found.