4 ms·

So bigger government is the solution? All of those are manifestations of a communist/socialist society.

potion 9y ago
sounds about right
freehunter 9y ago
So are roads, public schools, corporate subsidies, social security, medicare/medicaid, unemployment insurance, food stamps, WIC, and federal student loans. Yet here we are, not collapsing under our already-heavy socialist burden. Also not collapsing under heavy socialist burden: most of Western Europe. America has a long and proud socialist tradition. It'd be a shame to stop now.
- corporateslave3 9y ago
  Actually Western Europe is in serious trouble. This argument isnt worth having if we cant agree on that.
  - freehunter 9y ago
    >This argument isnt worth having Well at least we can agree on something.
  - PoachedSausage 9y ago
    Parts of western europe would be under water if it were not for 'socialist' projects such as: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Works https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Works
Zigurd 9y ago
You want a communist resurgence? Because decoupling wages from productivity is how you get a communist resurgence.
Riesling 9y ago
When americans are discussing politics they are always missing the point. At least from the outside perspective. It's like two parties arguing about football. One side is saying, we need to abolish referees, the players should sort problems out themselves. The other party is saying the referees need more power and instruments in order to better control the game. The simple truth is, people need to make sure that the referees work for them and not for the individual players who hand them the most money.
- CryptoPunk 9y ago
  That assumes the referee should be in control of private resources and decisions, instead of simply ensuring all parties are abiding by the rule of not violating each other's property rights and of fulfilling their contractual obligations. That IS a normative position that not everyone accepts.
lukas099 9y ago
1) The current insurance company-based system is held up by government regulation; altering it would likely reduce government intervention in the economy. 2) I don't understand how government reducing their backing of student loans is "bigger government". Could you explain that? 3) I agree that improving infrastructure is bigger government, but it is widely seen as an acceptable role for government, not "a manifestation of a communist/socialist society." On the other hand, "pushing back against overly aggressive zoning laws" is clearly the opposite of bigger government. In addition to all this, your statement that "all of those are manifestations of a communist/socialist society" needs an explanation for why this matters. Why is it necessarily true that a manifestation of a socialist society is a bad thing?

sounds about right

So are roads, public schools, corporate subsidies, social security, medicare/medicaid, unemployment insurance, food stamps, WIC, and federal student loans. Yet here we are, not collapsing under our already-heavy socialist burden. Also not collapsing under heavy socialist burden: most of Western Europe. America has a long and proud socialist tradition. It'd be a shame to stop now.

corporateslave3 9y ago
Actually Western Europe is in serious trouble. This argument isnt worth having if we cant agree on that.
- freehunter 9y ago
  >This argument isnt worth having Well at least we can agree on something.
- PoachedSausage 9y ago
  Parts of western europe would be under water if it were not for 'socialist' projects such as: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Works https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delta_Works

Zigurd 9y ago

You want a communist resurgence? Because decoupling wages from productivity is how you get a communist resurgence.

Riesling 9y ago

When americans are discussing politics they are always missing the point. At least from the outside perspective. It's like two parties arguing about football. One side is saying, we need to abolish referees, the players should sort problems out themselves. The other party is saying the referees need more power and instruments in order to better control the game. The simple truth is, people need to make sure that the referees work for them and not for the individual players who hand them the most money.

CryptoPunk 9y ago
That assumes the referee should be in control of private resources and decisions, instead of simply ensuring all parties are abiding by the rule of not violating each other's property rights and of fulfilling their contractual obligations. That IS a normative position that not everyone accepts.

lukas099 9y ago

1) The current insurance company-based system is held up by government regulation; altering it would likely reduce government intervention in the economy. 2) I don't understand how government reducing their backing of student loans is "bigger government". Could you explain that? 3) I agree that improving infrastructure is bigger government, but it is widely seen as an acceptable role for government, not "a manifestation of a communist/socialist society." On the other hand, "pushing back against overly aggressive zoning laws" is clearly the opposite of bigger government. In addition to all this, your statement that "all of those are manifestations of a communist/socialist society" needs an explanation for why this matters. Why is it necessarily true that a manifestation of a socialist society is a bad thing?