Socialists: Check in here.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

Thank you, Agent Mike.

By Republican views, TYJ is one.

I'll go along with social programs like a police force for and by the public interest rather than Blackwater.

I'll go along with public highways rather than toll roads.

I'll go along with Public Schools so even the poorest might have an education.

I'll go along with the idea that all people are entitled to health care.

I'll go along with the idea that we are a country that should have a conscience and want to help each other.

Guess I'm a fucking commie.

[GAPeace]

1. Just remember that "far left" is mostly used as a term by people

with closed minds who've never been exposed to a view outside of one they see on CNN or FOX. There is a Far Left yes but unless you're demanding to crush capitalism and end all cutting down of trees you aren't a part of it.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

8. That's a curious reply. Could you expound?

Thanks!

[GAPeace]

10. I'm just saying

It seems like you may be offended because someone called you a "socialist"; likely this person doesn't understand or know socialism, or doesn't understand the US history of great dependency on federal direction -- it built our entire economy.

The "socialist" and "far left" label gets thrown around a lot by the Right. It's usually not legitimately used, mostly by people who are just disgusted by being open minded to different views and just want to label you and throw your opinion away.

Don't mind it!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

16. I'm certainly not offended. I am a socialist and pretty far left of even

the left.

[mitchtv]

21. I knew I liked your posts

I might go as far as to say that natural resources belong to the Nation and utilites should be nationalized. Healtcare should not be for profit. At least a single payer national health plan would come in handy. There is room for Capital, well regulated.

[me b zola]

24. I'm loving your posts

The "socialist" and "far left" label gets thrown around a lot by the Right. It's usually not legitimately used, mostly by people who are just disgusted by being open minded to different views and just want to label you and throw your opinion away.


Yes indeedie. The "center" marker has been pushed so far to the right that what was a moderate repubs views on issues 20 years ago is now considered left. Consequently, I hear a lot of the label of "far left" and "socialist"--and don't forget "looney left"--being thrown around by plenty of people even in the Democratic Party.

When I hear those terms used they are usually coming from somebody that wants to throw away the opionion of anyone who is left of center.


Welcome to DU, GAPeace :toast:

[GAPeace]

27. Exactly, thanks n/t

[cool user name]

105. Pretty much anyone just to the left of Tom Delay ...

Is considered a leftist.

It's tragic what passes for thought these days.

[JHH]

2. Or a Canadian

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

30. Oh, those evil Commie Canadians!

They need to start having more gun violence to catch up with the US.

We're #1!

[GliderGuider]

70. One more evil commie Canadian checking in

I don't have time to respond right now, I have to go to my doctor for a checkup...

[sueragingroz]

123. another evil commie

checking in :)

[rucky]

121. Or nearly every other developed country besides US. n/t

[Mika]

3. Checking in.

I'll go along with above ideals.

I'll go along with the realization and actuality that we have to work hard for all above ideals.


:hi:

[mom cat]

29. Actually, most of the "center" does too!

[evlbstrd]

4. Checking in.

You're not a Commie. There never has been a real Communist. Only despotic pretenders. Kinda like Compassionate Conservatives.

[cool user name]

11. So true so true.

Thanks for saying that because it really needed to be said.

Stalin, Mao and their ilk despised Left Communists.

[MrSlayer]

5. I always come up socialist on those political tests.

I don't really describe myself as one but I agree with all of those sentiments.

[racaulk]

6. Me too!

:hi:

[mike_c]

7. LOL-- I've got one foot in GAPeace's "far left...."

I wouldn't crush capitalism, just make it serve the needs of more people, rather than fewer. Regulated and hobbled, capitalism can be a force for good, at least some of the time. I'd be OK with stopping non-sustainable timber cutting, though....

Seriously, I'm probably socialist in the broad sense. I don't usually try to define myself as belonging to one box or another, but I consider my politics VERY leftist.

[evlbstrd]

14. Sounds kinda like most of Western Europe.

Democratic Socialism.

[tocqueville]

91. exactly

the list above is not considered as "socialistic"in Europe. It's pretty normal solutions or standards.

[cool user name]

9. Present and at the ready! n/t

[nosmokes]

12. if that's socialist color me trotskyite

because that just barely begins to scratch the surface of what i believe society owes to the least fortunate.

[cool user name]

106. Trotsky wasn't a communist in practice ...

and his evaluation of the Soviet Union as a "degenerated workers' state" betrayed those Left Communists that saw the USSR as what it was; a State Capitalist enterprise.

He even derided Stalin for not industrializing quick enough (starving millions of peasants).

His ideas were/are anathema to a true peaceful, egalitarian communist structure.

[LiberalVoice]

13. Present nt

[killbotfactory]

15. democratic socialist

Like Bernie Sanders

http://bernie.org/?p=52

Or maybe what MLKjr was talking about before he was assassinated.

You can't talk about solving the economic problem of the Negro without talking about billions of dollars. You can't talk about ending the slums without first saying profit must be taken out of slums. You're really tampering and getting on dangerous ground because you are messing with folk then. You are messing with captains of industry.... Now this means that we are treading in difficult water, because it really means that we are saying that something is wrong... with capitalism.... There must be a better distribution of wealth and maybe America must move toward a democratic socialism. (Frogmore, S.C. November 14, 1966. Speech in front of his staff.)

http://experts.about.com/e/m/ma/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr..htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_socialism#Characteristics

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

20. Dammit! Thanks for the quote!

Enjoyed and chilled.

[Selatius]

31. Martin Luther King, perhaps the most influential democratic socialist in..

American history. He opposed profit, especially profit in war. That's why he died.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

32. I remember the day.

I still cry for Martin, Bobby and John.

On edit:

Has anybody here seen my old friend Abraham?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
You know, I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he's gone.

Anybody here seen my old friend Martin?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
He freed a lot of people,
But it seems the good they die young.
I just looked 'round and he's gone.

Didn't you love the things that they stood for?
Didn't they try to find some good for you and me?
And we'll be free
Some day soon, and it's a-gonna be one day ...

Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up over the hill,
With Abraham, Martin and John.

[MuseRider]

17. Howdy!

Count me in with all of that.

[MarkDevin]

18. Word.

:hi:

[theHandpuppet]

19. The older I get...

... the more and more I'm identifying myself with Socialists.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

22. Okay, I'm pissed.

I write what I think is good shit ( http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1794093 ) and get no action to speak of and this gets action....

(Actually, I'm not pissed. It just shows me that my idea of good and the rest of the world's idea is different quite often)

Love you all!

[Minstrel Boy]

23. Reporting for duty

"We stand today ... before the awful proposition: either the triumph of imperialism and the destruction of all culture, and, as in ancient Rome, depopulation, desolation, degeneration, a vast cemetery; or, the victory of socialism." - Rosa Luxemburg

It's barbarism or socialism. And I'm no barbarian.



PS: listen to the eloquence of revolution: Venezuela Bolivariana

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

25. Now we have to ask: Why do we support the Democratic Party?

Is the answer "Because too many people ascribe to the IGMSFU (I got mine so fuck you) belief system?

Which might lead one to believe that Socialism is a much more Christian sort of Government than what passes as a Democracy/Republic in America today?

[Selatius]

34. There are no other options in our two party system.

You could vote for the Repubs, but you'll just be attacking yourself in the end.

[Duncan Grant]

26. I'm a Socialist. Ask me anything! :^ )

I think the notion of 'promote the general welfare' is a good one. Particularly when one considers issues of justice and the inherent worth of individuals. I also support government funding for the arts, public television and radio (gasp!). Now who's the commie?

[me b zola]

28. Checking in!

:hi:

[Selatius]

33. Libertarian Socialist here

Yeah, I'm not a socialist of the traditional variety, so sue me, but I'm pragmatic enough to agree with and work with state socialists of the democratic variety on several fronts like health care and public education and the fight against corporate greed.

[Mikimouse]

35. Present and accounted for...n/t

[dweller]

36. . . . . .

present.


i truly believe there is enough to go around for every individual on this Earth, whether it be food, land, resources, whatever it takes to lead a happy life contented.

the only problem for some, is that it's an absolutely equal share. And there lies the rub.

dp

[welshTerrier2]

37. capitalism and democracy cannot co-exist

sure, sign me up as a democratic socialist ... for those who haven't read this article about democratic socialists, please read this excellent overview: http://www.dsausa.org/about/where.html

i see no problem supporting democratic socialism (a system of beliefs not a political party) and supporting the Democratic Party at the same time ...

i write frequently on DU about the need to cap wealth ... i argue that we need to tax wealth in addition to taxing income ... i argue that we cannot allow an inter-generational ruling class by enabling massive amounts of wealth to be handed down via estates ... i argue that "liberal" measures like campaign finance reform and lobby reform are very worth trying as a first step, but, when they fail to protect our democracy, and they have always failed and will continue to fail, we need to cap wealth ... the goal is not a perfectly level distribution of wealth but we cannot allow the outrageous gap from top to bottom that we currently have ...

ultimately, capitalism, a system that puts the acquisition of wealth above the COMMON GOOD is an enemy to promoting the best interests of the greater society ... capitalism, by definition, preaches greed over need ... and, of course, as we've seen, capitalism is a system that allows the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer ... as more money, and hence more power, becomes increasingly centralized, all our democratic institutions become corrupted and do the bidding of a smaller and smaller power elite ... ultimately, the system collapses when the poor awaken and realize how badly they've been screwed ... we aren't there yet and perhaps that's too bad ...

it's time to cast off the McCarthy era stereotypes of "socialists" and start teaching people that socialists believe in putting societal interests ahead of greedy, profits before people, money grubbing imperialists ... WE'RE THE GOOD GUYS and it's about time so called "progressives" stopped calling us names and got behind the causes we fight for ...

[liberaltrucker]

44. Thanks for the link. Bookmarked.

nt

[reprobate]

101. WT2, I agree and have a suggestion to improve 'capitalism'

and bring it under control.

As it stands now the capitalist system starts with womeone with an idea and the guts to start a business. Generally he uses his own or borrowed money. Hard work, by him AND his employees can sometimes move the business towards success.

At that point, the point where the business has become profitable and the owners are greedy enough and willing to work hard enough to grow the business further, the standard model has the business becoming a corporation and the corporation offerring a public stock sale.

In my view this is exactly the wrong thing to do. A corporation shields it's management from responsibility for it's actions. That's supposed to be the purfue of stockholders, but with very few exeptions management is just not responsible to stockholders. The stockholder is just along for the ride. When I said the corporation shields management, I mean both financially and morally. How many coporations are caught doing terrible things to the environment or their communities and never pay the price.

My suggestion is a new kind of corporate structure that cannot issue stock except to it's employees. If it wants to raise money it must do it the honest way - sell bonds. It it has a good history and financial record, people will buy the bonds to finance the business. Any profits of the corporation would then go to the employees, including owners, nto to the public who have no stake in the running of the business.

If you look at the stock market honestly, the only time a business makes any money from the market is when they issue stock. From then on it mo more than a casino, and the ones who profit most are management. It's time that those whose blood and sweat make the business run were cut in on the profit of the corporation.

Just my $0.02

[liberaltrucker]

38. Yo! Comrade LT checking in!

:smoke: Cuban, of course.

:hippie:

[Extend a Hand]

39. how about adding

public parks
an guaranteed housing

:) :)

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

42. Why, Sir.... That would be positively commie-like...

It would negate the drive for self betterment.

:sarcasm:

[nealmhughes]

40. Yep.

A Democratic Socialist. Good oldfashioned pro-labor anti-capital share the wealth kind. But I'm a Democrat. And an Episcopalian. And an academic librarian. And I like dogs more than most people.

[EVDebs]

41. EV Debs here, back from the dead. My platform has been voted in

by all the other parties but I ended up in the slammer. I got a million votes for President from my jail cell BTW. Ain't that a pip !

Just checking in to see how those who care about their fellow Americans are doing these days. Guess I'll go back to Terre Haute IN and see how those Republicans there are making a mess of things...

[Minstrel Boy]

43. "Workingmen vote your ticket!"

[niallmac]

45. Socialism. Buzz word. Ooga booga!

I have had no small number of heated arguments with veterans about
my contention that what America needs is a commitment to socialist
institutions if the working stiff is going to get anything at all.

Some vets argue vehemently that I am supporting what they fought against.
Then they hear their name called in the VA lobby
to see their medical provider in one of the most
successful of American socialist medical systems IMHO.

Ain't life a hoot?

[EVDebs]

71. If we have to call if a Progressive movement, so be it. Whatever it takes

Also, remember that lady who thought Social Security wasn't a government program

"Get the government out of my Social Security", or something like that ? I died laughing !

[Fovea]

46. present

Universal Healthcare ... check
Universal Public Education to the Baccalareate level, period... Masters to any student who maintains a 'B' average... check
Nationalizing all energy industries... check.
Top tax bracket at %75... check.

[Odin2005]

47. Socialist checking in!

I get annoyed when DUers yap on about how "it's not capitalism, it's corporatism; REAL capitalism is good." People who beleve that are victims of the Neo-Liberal, Hayekian propaganda created by the corporatists mixing up capitalism with the concept of the market and with liberal democracy. In reality corporatism IS capitalism, the two are inseperable. Capitalism is inhierently immoral anyway because it steals the value of your labor an gives it to the rich bigwigs who own the vast majority of the shares in the company.

[longship]

48. Another socialist checkin' in

Hopefully keeping up the good fight.

[bvar22]

49. Here:

In addition to those listed in the OP,

I like being resonably sure that when I turn on my faucet, water comes out.

I like knowing that when I buy gas, I get a real gallon. (Bureau of Weights & Measures ?)

When I eat at a restaurant, I like being reasonably sure there isn't a rat turd in my soup. :( (Health Dept.)

I like being reasonably sure that my airliner won't crash into another. (FAA)

I like the knowlege that if my ship sinks, I can call someone to rescue me. (Coast Guard)

I like fliping my switch and a light coming on even when I'm in the woods. (Rural Electrification)

I like it that it doesn't flood every time it rains. (Corp of Engineers)

I like commerce being able to use our rivers for transportation. (Corp of Engineers)

I like the pictures from Hubble. (NASA)

I like believing that when I take a pill for an illness, I'll probably be OK. (FDA)

I like knowing that if my girlfriend gets makeup in her eye, she probably won't go blind. (FDA)

I like knowing that even if my bank president runs off with the money, I'll probably still be able to get my savings. (FDIC)

I like knowing that if my neighbor starts dumping toxic waste in HIS yard, I can stop him.

I like knowing that if my house catches on fire, someone will come to put it out.

I like being able to call the Police if I need them.

I like knowing if hurricane or tornado is approahing. (Weather Bureau)

I like weekends off, overtime, vacation, and a 40hr work week. (Socialist Labor Unions)

I like it that McDonalds and Wal-Mart can't exploit children. (Child Labor Laws)

I like knowing that someone is watching out for epidemics. (Center for Disease Control)

I like knowing that Farmers (Large and Small) have access to information that lets them make good decisions concerning crops and land usage. (Bureau of Land Management & Farm Bureau?)

These are just a few.
There are many, many more socialist (gasp) programs that Americans (even Libertarians) take for granted EVERY FUCKING DAY!

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

52. Thank you! You covered it so much better than I did!

And we have to include things like the FDA and the Legal System...

[chill_wind]

73. Whooot! Fantastic post!

[d_b]

50. Arrr

[PowerToThePeople]

51. Checking in... n/t

[Bjornsdotter]

53. My signature line says it all

Cheers! :toast:

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

55. Bjorn.... Who woulda guessed!

LOL

[Bjornsdotter]

58. Lol...I thought it might be obvious n/t

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

60. I should have put a sarcasm tag on the message....

Good to meet you Bjorn!

[Jara sang]

54. Yo! Present.

[manic expression]

56. I'm here n/t

[Blue_Tires]

57. k+r

[Vidar]

59. Checking in. I guess I need and "ism".

[eridani]

61. Sewer socialist here

Like the recently deceased ex-Mayor of Milwaukee. What you are talking about is the public sphere. I suppose I'm not very pure, but not everything belongs in the public sphere. Fire protection and health care should be public goods, but restaurants and bookstores? Start one and see if enough people show up that you can make a living at it. Any private opportunity like that, of course, can only rest on a firm investment in public infrastructure.

I actually don't agree with the idea that the state should own all means of production; I'm more down with the anarchist (formerly "libertarian socialist") notion that everybody should own their own means of production, either as an individual or collectively. Not going to happen anytime soon, though. Too many people would not want the responsibility that comes with owning your job.

[unkachuck]

62. checking in....

....I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely say, from the bottom of my heart, capitalism sucks!

....what the hell people see in this crap-shoot, is totally beyond me....why people die for it, is even more perplexing....

....American capitalism, a system that promises you nothing, demands everything, cheats you at every turn in your life and is loved by multitudes....

[personman]

63. I'm a Libertarian Socialist

Big Oil CEOs are making record profits and obscene salaries from record high gas prices while 1/6th of the nation is without health coverage. A nation with such a disparity of income, and leaders who are widening the gap, has no business calling itself civilized. Besides, these people didn't EARN oil, they didn't MAKE oil, it should belong to the nation, we should nationalize it.

The right has done a thorough job of demonizing anything remotely left. Demonizing words like communist, socialist, leftist, is how you get the relatively politically uninformed middle class to vote against their own best interests. I've heard it said we are a nation of liberals who hate the word liberal. Perhaps we are also a nation of socialists who hate the word socialist.

-personman

[malaise]

64. I'm on that train

Any society that abandons decision making to the market is doomed.

[TransitJohn]

65. Right here!

I explain my politics this way: the only legitimate function of government is to better the lives of the citizenry. Cheers!

[DemoTex]

66. Old fellow on alcohol-fired rant in restaurant last night said ..

"All Democrats are Socialists! They just want to tax, tax, tax .. burp." His S/O rolled her eyes like "Here he goes again."

I was at the next table with Dr. D. I said to her, "Gosh Dear, I didn't know The Bohemian had entertainment on Tuesday nights."

The old fart heard me and looked at the bandstand. "What?! What?! Wheresh th' entertainment?"

"It's already started," sez I. These two Socialists laughed at that old fool until he left.

The damn fool should have known that a bistro called The Bohemian, which is connected to an independent record store, is bound to attract some Socialists.

[LeftHander]

67. Call it as it is....

A certain degree of Socialism is needed in a Democracy to keep capitalism in check. Otherwise the rich create a society by the rich and for the rich. A let all others become poorer and poorer until they have had enough and revolt.

[gulfcoastliberal]

68. Believer of cradle-grave care checking in!

Cut the "defense" budget by 90% and use that money to help our ciizens.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

69. I gave up on the word "socialism"

once Tony Blair clamed that he was one, and Ken Livingstone claimed that he wasn't.

I support all the things you've listed.

I support paying for them by general taxation in a capitalist society.

It is not well-defined whether that makes me a socialist or not. The word is used to mean everything from "communist" to "opposes the abolition of public education".

When someone ask if one is a socialist nowadays, neither "yes" or "no" means anything; the only thing to do is to give a breakdown of one's political positions and let them judge from that.

[Taxloss]

72. Socialist? Why yes.

Of the Fabian variety. Socialism will naturally emerge as democracy is increased at all levels of society.

(On a small niggle, BTW, Communism and Socialism are markedly different things.)

[LWolf]

74. Does "leans that way" count?

I can't honestly call myself a pure socialist; I wouldn't make everything public.

However, I do support public infrastructure, energy, health care, transportation, education, and retirement security. Some form of public housing.

I do oppose the inexorable march to privatization of our public services.

Does that count?

[porphyrian]

75. Socialists still allow for ownership of private property.

Communists do not, and are a subset of socialism. Not that any of this matters to republicans, who'll burn you for not waving your flag on cue.

The more I see the capitalist system abused for greed and power, the more sociopathic corporate interests become, the more I find myself leaning towards socialism. My idealistic conception of a friendly mutually-beneficial capitalism is looking more and more like a pipe dream, and I'm saddened by it.

[roamer65]

76. Hard core Democratic Socialist here

Strictly managed capitalism is the way to go. I think Chavez is on to something with his Bolivarian Revolution. Socialism can be used to moderate or prevent the excess concentration of wealth so indicative of capitalism.

[PleadTheFirst]

77. another Socialist checking in

:thumbsup:

[deaniac21]

78. Anarco-Syndicalist here!

[Anarcho-Socialist]

82. ...

:hi:

[Odin2005]

79. *KICK*

[Warren DeMontague]

80. Somehow I manage to support both a Single Payer Health Care System

AND ending the drug war.

Somehow I manage to support both the right of consenting adults to get off on consenting adult porn, and the idea that we should have a liveable minimum wage.

Somehow I manage to believe that the government doesn't have any business telling adult citizens what they can do with their own bodies, insofar as they aren't harming or interfering with anyone else- yet I also think the government certainly has the right to regulate the toxins corporations put into the collective environment.

Wow. Half the time I'm a "socialist", and half the time I have people on DU waving the word "libertarian" at me like it's a paper plate covered with doggy doo.

Can't win.

[guinivere]

81. Here I am.

I agree with all you said, so I guess I'm a socialist.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

83. An Anarcho-Socialist or Libertarian Socialist, if you will

Frankly I'd love to see the end of the nation state, but that is not going to happen today, tomorrow or next week. It will not be achieved by bloody revolution, violence or invasion by a benevolent foreign power. I am a positivist in the sense that I hope that human philosophy, sustainable technology and educational levels can advance to such an extent that all can see beyond the facets of false-consciousness that seek to divide the majority for the profit of the very few. We (humanity) are not in the position to abolish the state yet, and may not be for sometime.

As long as the state needs to exist until we can progress to a new epoch; it must be free from patriarchy, have a decentralised structure, guarantee our civil liberties, provide our essential services, regulate the market, be secular, be non-sectarian, be equal in a family of nations, and protect us from harm. This ideal of a state is what I work towards, and one which I hope that most would enjoy participating in, until such time as the state becomes irrelevant and such apparatus is not needed.

[cool user name]

89. I'm an anarcho-socialist as well ...

I saw someone talk about Trotsky upthread (admiringly) ... made me want to puke.

True Left Communists and Anarchists despised Trotsky/Lenin and their ideals.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

94. I don't hold Leninism and Trotskyism in high regard either

I believe Karl Marx even warned people about the dangers of a self-appointed ideological élite that would direct the "revolution" on "behalf of the proletariat."

Although I'm not a Marxist in the political sense, but appreciate his contributions to historiography, economics, philosophy and sociology.

It's good to see another anarcho-socialist around here though :hi:

[cool user name]

103. Good to see them throughout this thread.

I have a link called "What was the USSR? Towards a Theory of the Deformation of Value
under State Capitalism" which is long but a great read and though I don't agree with everything in it, it contains a wealth of information and also different perspectives regarding what the USSR was from Tony Cliff to Leon Trotsky to (if I remember correctly) Rosa Luxemburg; Left Communists in Germany to Italian's pro-Stalin Communists and everything in between.

Looking for link now ...

Found it:

What was the USSR?

under State Capitalism]

It's a great read and very informative. Hope you enjoy it!

:toast:

[Anarcho-Socialist]

107. I appreciate it very much!

:toast:

[cool user name]

113. You're most welcome!

:toast:

[Odin2005]

119. Ugh, I hate Lenin and Trotsky.

They did more to damage the international socialist movement more then any other people.

[hfojvt]

125. more than Stalin? More than Pol Pot?

:wtf:

[Odin2005]

128. I ment in Ideological influence, not PR.

Sorry for not making that clear. Butchers like Stalin and Pol Pot obviously distroyed the reputation of socialism, but that was for reasons unrelated to the ideology itself (the other reasons being that dictatorial madmen are dictatorial madmen no mater what ideology they follow).

What I am talking about was that Marxist-Leninist ideology basically came to dominate the international socialist movement, mostly sidelining other forms of socialism such as Fabianism and Libertarian Socialism.

[watrwefitinfor]

84. Still, after all these years. n/t

[Jim Warren]

85. The problem with socialism is like the problem with christianity

A good idea but never been tried.

[slay]

86. It's obvious the current system is not working

and I've always been fascinated by socialism. I'd love if we'd give it a try - instead of supporting a system that favors the richest 2% of the country while ignoring the poor, and pretty much everyone in between as well. So yeah, put me down as pro-socialism. :)

[tocqueville]

87. this is not socialism, this is normal decent democratic standards

all 25 EU countries, New Zealand and Canada have similar standards no matter if the current government is conservative, centrist or social-democratic

Socialism refers to a broad array of doctrines or political movements that envisage a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to social control. <1> As an economic system, socialism is usually associated with state or collective ownership of the means of production. This control, according to socialists, may be either direct, exercised through popular collectives such as workers' councils, or it may be indirect, exercised on behalf of the people by the state.

which is completely different

[Pharaoh]

88. I guess I'm a commie too

if I care more about my fellow human beings than the rich and their big greedy corporations!

[usregimechange]

90. Never use right wing labels on yourself.

[Cascadian]

92. No you're not. You are a clear thinking rational human being.

I will even add it is preferable for companies especially multinational corporations to sign corporate charters to make them stay in line with the laws of the land.

The corporations have far too much power and influence in both political parties today and this is why you have these ridiculous global trade agreements and the working poor get stiffed.

Come to think of it,I guess I am a pinko commie too.


John

[Bretttido]

93. Ya baby, perfectly concise and honest!

[KoKo]

96. Really...you think that this was "perfectly concise and hones?"

:shrug: All the "socialists" that I saw got "Banned" from DU long ago...so I have to says...I am suspect of your post.

Just a "query"

[Bretttido]

97. Ummm... try loosening up that tinfoil hat, can't I compliment the OP?

:tinfoilhat:

[KoKo]

95. I'm not a Socialist (if your mean Doctinraire) but I'm a Populist.but

meaning "FOR THE PEOPLE!"

So where are you going with what you say? Trying to "Out DU'ers" whom you can target? :shrug:

[Joe Chi Minh]

98. You have to laugh at the devastatingly accurate insight

conveyed by Archbishop Oscar Romero's lament: "When I give to the poor, they call me a saint; but when I ask why they are poor, they call me a Communist"!!! (or words to that effect).

[Odin2005]

118. The correct quote is...

"When I give food to the poor they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food they call me a Communist."

[Joe Bacon]

99. Hi, Agent Mike!

I'm another socialist here. I believe in caring for my fellow humans, unlike your Christian masters!

[ClayZ]

100. check

[LostinVA]

102. Democratic Socialist here -- member of the DSA!

[htuttle]

104. But...I thought we were anarcho-syndicalists?

15 year member of a worker cooperative here.

Anarcho-syndicalism is somewhat like socialism, but better. :)

It's certainly a lot harder to corrupt, in any case.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

108. That's really great

You're putting your beliefs into practice. I hope your cooperative continues to succeed! :hi:

[htuttle]

111. This is the Coop's 27th year

We're starting to get the hang of it. :)

[Threedifferentones]

109. Check

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

117. Doublecheck!

[Codeblue]

110. The Founding Fathers were onto something...

Most of the things I've heard people say are "American Ideals" and which were first proposed by the Founding Fathers, seem awfully socialist to me.

[cool user name]

114. Remember ...

The "Pledge of Alliegance" was written by a Christian Socialist.

(and it didn't contain "under G-d")

[Odin2005]

129. Good point. A coment on religious socialists...

I think Marxists have done a great disfavor to socialism by attacking religion because they scared religious people in the hands of the capitalists (we'll save you from the Godless Commies!!!!).

[GreenPartyVoter]

112. count me in. Universal healthcare and cradle to grave public education

[ShaniqaPie]

115. Another socialist here!

"Freedom" shouldn't mean free to snap up everything and then charge for it in the "private" sector. It belongs to everybody. The trees, the oil, the coal, the water, the air, the farms, and the factories. If places like New York can control the rent and provide affordable housing, why can't we have national rent control? Minimum wage, maximum rent. (That last part doesn't sound real positive, but if you do the math, I think it is.)

S.

[progressoid]

116. Damn right!!

[savemefromdumbya]

120. I am a member of a party that is supposed to be socialist

however, it is not what it is supposed to be(Labour UK)

[earth mom]

122. Socialist...for sure! eom

[zippy890]

124. checking in

"Let me say, at the risk of seeming ridiculous, that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.”

Ernesto 'Che' Guevara



Socialist commies are guided by great feelings of love.

count me in.

edited grammar

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

126. After speaking to my Daughter, I can certainly agree.

[JitterbugPerfume]

127. another socialist commie checking in

I actually believe that I am my brothers keeper:hippie: