Carbuncle.Skulloneix said:
»...
Do you define Communism and Socialism differently?? I mean, you were past schooling when they great change happened in our schools where we stopped teaching the evils of communism. Must have happened sometime after I graduated.
I'm 75. I did duck and cover. I was politically aware at 7 and remember McCarthyism. I liked Ike. I probably graduated high school (at 15) before you were born.
Socialism =/= communism. For that matter communism =/= communism. I joke about being able to differentiate between seven varieties of communists by year and vineyard, but its kind of true. I used to know the difference between Trotskyisim, Maoism, Lenninism, and several other communist isms whos' names escape me at the moment.
How Are Socialism and Communism Different?
Quote:
I pay a portion of my pay check for my health insurance. My company pays out a lot more than I do for it. They pay it to a company, held privately, not by the government. That company does try to make a profit on this. I don't see how my purchasing insurance is socialism on any spectrum. Unless we start redefining things.
Lets start by pointing out that when people band together, by any means, to achieve a goal, its socialism. Emphasis is on the social bit. Insurance is socially spreading risk.
Quote:
For Taxes, I say pay them, but we shouldn't be burdened by overpaying for stupid ***. Paying taxes for your country for basic protection of your rights, would be more Federalism. At least I would say that. I don't hate taxes. I hate my money going to waste due to politicians spending on ***they need not to, rather than things they should, like roads and dams.
How about public health? Is that something we should spend tax money on or not? If so where do we stop? If not why do we even have a public health service, the CDC, the NIH, and the food and drug administration?
Quote:
I won't tell me fire department I don't desire their services. I don't have fire trucks and hoses to help me extinguish a house fire. I can source that out to them. Police, well since they can't really follow me everywhere, I legally carry firearms on my person, to protect myself and family from those that would harm us. I take personal responsibility in that. I don't expect the police to follow me around and I don't have billions of dollars like Bloomberg to hire my private guard.
But its still spending public money on the public good and therefore socialism.
Quote:
I don't think I replied with any snark, I certainly didn't intend any in my honest replies to you. Also I sincerely hope you don't mind me quoting then replying to your lines. I know some people lose their ***over it. I just hope it helps me address your remarks directly. Lots of points to cover, ya know?
You didn't, I tried not to, and I don't mind.