I'm completely shocked at the results of this poll. If it's accurate then we are doomed. It's the end of a good thing, it's why so many people want to come to the US, work hard get ahead and have the American dream. Support for Socialism growing
Well, we have 68% of African Americans born out of wedlock. Some families are now in their 3rd generation of welfare dependence. We have univited 3rd world visitors streaming in here virtually untouched and immediately getting welfare , citizens rights and medical care. The Captains of Wall Street and finance are lining up on bended knee, begging and getting tax payer money to continue their existence. And we have a president who makes no pretense about making all men equal through his confiscatory tax system. Frankly, I'm surprised there are still 53% of us running around out here. And I agree, it is the beginning of the end.
Based upon the quoted excerpt in Terry's post, only 20% actually favor socialism and 27% are not sure. I'm not surprised that there is a segment of the population who is so confused about the causes of this deep recession and the high unemployment that they are questioning our economic system. This same 27% - or most of them - would likely favor capitalism in a more favorable climate. I read the brief article, and it looks like the older and smarter people get, the more they favor capitalism. Hopefully, the under 30 crowd will not be running our country or controlling elections anytime soon. It reminds me of the 60s, when folks under 30 wanted to overthrow our evil government and just make love, not war. Today the vast majority of those baby boomers have adapted well to the American way of life.
I'm just going to throw this out there... do with it what you will.. But every non-economics professor except for the good Dr King here in AL (History professor) I have had in college(which we've established is lengthy and spread across the country) endorsed socialism openly over capitalism. When taken to task over this absurd notion, and eventually cornered by those pesky things called 'facts', they will label you a fanatic... or a neocon..or (insert lame insult for alleged right-wing affiliation here). This has just been my experience.. again, take from it what you will. I have always enjoyed people who provoke thought and debate on a subject, but this is one subject that I return volley with a bazooka blast and most professors become quite unprofessional when this notion gets challenged. Again, I am not saying all are this way... just every single non-economics professor except for one.. (side note, I've had only 1 Econ professor even hint that socialism has its merits... but even that one also would mention that capitalism is clearly better)
I don't count myself in that group ( preferring to believe I am still reluctantly in the 53% ) but I understand why they choose to feel that way. We have been misled, misfed, bamboozled and robbed by just about every greedy SOB out there and our economy is suffering because of it and it will not recover until our system builds an inherent trust from the masses that has completely disappeared lately.
If you are educated then you are a capitalist because you know how the system favors the "prepared" and you have the initiative to prosper. If you are ignorant or lazy then you are socialist because you NEED a handout to make it.
There has to be rules of the game George and they have to be enfor....I mean regulated or only a very few will prosper.
....I think continuing down the road towards a Marxist state is just what we need. After all there are so many examples of its success and then we don't have to worry about people breaking the rules. Sounds good to me.......
In every socialist state there are elites who do better than the masses. It's just a different game, where average joe has no chance other than lowest common denominator, but those who understand the system still figure out ways to be on top getting more than average joe and doing less work.
That's OK as long as they are contributing to the system but not OK when what they are doing is tearing the system down and stealing from the average Joe. I can see from these arguments why we have lost our way.
BT....I'm a little curious as to why you defend almost everyone who profits from anything no matter the shady, defenseless position they may be in but possibly not someone like Madoff....and maybe you even have a soft spot for Bernie as well. What's the deal man? Do you just relish in "there is a sucker born every minute" mentality? :wink:
Your imagination has risen to a new level......those engaged in illegal activities should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I have said that on this forum on multiple occasions. What confuses you? .....as it relates to our nations ills, the farther we get away from personal accountability and individual initiative and the more the government redistributes wealth away from those who have earned towards those who have not achieved, the farther we get away from the ideals of our founding fathers and the society they created.
individual initiative, rugged self dependence, personal accountability and responsibility and very limited central government where the redistribution of private property/personal wealth were the acts of tyrants. Those would be the polar opposite views of the leftist platform that you have argued for and been openly supportive. You would have been in the opposite corners of the founding fathers to be sure.....personal responsibility? What a ridiculous notion.....it is the role of government to take care of everybody. :roll:
Speaking of a wild imagination......geez.... I just have a huge problem with BOA arbitrarily doubling my credit card rate after the fact....for no particular reason other than they have mismanaged other aspects of their business. If you think it is a leftist point of view that I disagree with that kind of predatory action then by God you're right....I am as left as they come.
BOA runs itself into the ground. They go to Congress and beg for money which they get and they will probably be back for more. Meanwhile they send out letters telling their customers that they are reducing their lines of credit while simultaneously doubling their interest rates and jacking their payments way up. This almost guarantees that they will see a spike in defaults which should result in their CEO appearing yet again before Congress on bended knee, begging for even more money. I defy any of you to treat your customers in a similar fashion regardless of what business or industry you are in.
:lol: :lol: :lol: For the record, that issue never entered into my thinking as it related to my perception of your political views. That would hardly be an issue around which I would define your political views. But since you mentioned it, do you think government should control the prices a company charges for its services? Should that not be between the company and its customer? You agreed to give them the right to increase the rate at their discretion in exhchange for them extending you the credit that you needed and now they exercise said right and you complain......you are the responsible party my friend. Now rather than accept responsiblity for the decisions you made, you want the government to intervene....doesn't sound very Jeffersonian to me.....
Krebsie, revisionist history to be sure.....the bankers had the first round of TARP money shoved down their throat - as in to not accept it is not an option. Subsequent to the Merrill transaction - which BofA was "encouraged" to acquire at the friendly urging of the Fed and Treasury - BofA asked for a greater capital investment to account for the anticipated losses from Merrill's toxic asset mix. Without the govenments implicit backing of the Merrill deal, it's unlikely BofA would have done the Merrill deal.....in that event, we'd have AIG and Merrill sucking up vast amounts of public money. One could argue that actually BofA provided cushion to the taxpayers by stepping up to the plate for Merrill.