next time someone tells you the Democrats are Socialist, made them define the term

[NMDemDist2]

if they can't define it, tell them they're an idiot and to do a little research

:banghead:


http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/socialism

[Lasher]

1. Link is limp. n/t

[Davis_X_Machina]

2. It's magical thinking.

You don't have to know what the spell means, you just have to utter it with appropriate wand-waving.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. My answer to them is

"Well, I'd hope so! Socialism is a pragmatic form of government that tries its best to over come the problems of greed and power that so often overwhelm humankind. If you look at the countries who are considered the best in terms of quality of life (life expectancy, etc), you find that they are socialist countries."

[glowing]

5. Some kid the other day said, "I don't think communist is correct, more likely

socialist".. I said, "Obama is not a socialist, I'm a socialist.. he's nothing like me and wish he'd be more like me".. lol

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. That's my tactic.

Socialism, you right-wing dumbasses, is an economic system in which the state owns the means of production and distribution. Please name a Democrat who has indicated a desire for the government to own the railroads, the airlines, the power companies, Starbuck's, General Motors, Piggly Wiggly, Joe's Bait & Tackle, or Microsoft. The government stock in Citi isn't socialism; it's a way of trying to keep a capitalist institution from failing until it can restore its losses. Now, of course, for decades we have had some "socialist" institutions, such as the military, the roads, the schools, the airports, fire and police departments. But the Democrats didn't invent those, and anyhow I'll bet you don't want to have to pay the fire department for preventing your house from burning down.

[MedleyMisty]

6. I just read a post on a mailing list

in which someone said that they reacted very negatively to anything having to do with socialism because socialism ruined their childhood and killed their father.

They didn't explain how. They're Australian. Does that help any? I looked up Australia socialism and apparently they do actually have a socialist party but it doesn't sound violent or like it has much power. I found something about Eureka and Kelly and armed struggle, but it turns out that those incidents were way too long ago to have involved the poster's father.

I finally just replied and asked them to explain.

My 15 year old sister-in-law found it a bit odd that I consider myself a socialist, and she said that she didn't know what it was but that everyone talked about it like it was a bad thing.

[JSK]

7. Democratic Socialists of America

http://www.dsausa.org/dsa.html

[tabatha]

8. Obama's plans sound like anti-socialist to me:

Anti-socialist to big companies.


Insurance companies will dislike having "to bid competitively to continue offering Medicare coverage, but that's how we'll help preserve and protect Medicare and lower health care costs," the president said. "I know that banks and big student lenders won't like the idea that we're ending their huge taxpayer subsidies, but that's how we'll save taxpayers nearly $50 billion and make college more affordable. I know that oil and gas companies won't like us ending nearly $30 billion in tax breaks, but that's how we'll help fund a renewable energy economy."

[elocs]

9. I was at a retired friend's house yesterday and he bleeds Republican (his father hated FDR).

I usually avoid the topic of politics, but mentioned about Jindal's speech since it was panned by both Democrats and Republicans. Well, that set him off (I think he listens a lot to Rush, as in LInbaugh). I told him that Americans in this last election had a clear choice and they chose Obama. His relply, "I hope Americans get what they want! Socialism! Socialism! Obama is going to bring Socialism!" I had to change the subject because I though he was going to blow a blood vessel. Ironically, since he and his wife are both retired they are enjoying the benefits of Social Security and its socialized medicine.