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See, this is the crux I am stuck in. I argue with you guys over the evils of socialism on here, while arguing with people in real life over the evils of capitalism.
Solumina - everything I am talking about is in terms of federal government, not state or local. I have no issue with anything a local government decides to put on, as that is up to the local government to decide, so long as its voted on by its people. What is good for one may not be good for another, which is why people have such a problem with federal government passing laws that restrict what local governments can and can't do.
"Energy Supply" doesn't necessarily mean providing it to the people, just that it is accessible. Same with roads. "Public Transportation" could actually include roads and their maintenance without including free buses.
4 decades ago, when public schools were supported by local governments, the US ranked highest in education. Ever since the federal government got involved in the 70s the level of education has been in a state of free fall decline while the cost of public education has done nothing but increase exponentially.
Saya, I think you're taking that last paragraph way out of context. I was saying it would be more humane than letting them starve to death, and i was referring to the fact that they have hordes of gold and riches they could use to help feed those starving kids but instead choose to wallow in their gluttony without lifting a finger to help anyone in need.
Another aspect of all of it, in regards to my stance on socialism; growing up in the 80s, american kids were taught to view communism in much the same light as kids today would view the taliban or al-quaeda. it was something to be feared. Movies like Red Dawn were shoved down our throats as though the soviets were going to bust into our schools at any moment and murder or enslave all of us. backed up by constant reminders of wwII and concentration camps, communism = slavery, basically. to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders, those mental images pretty much stick in your subconscious even when you grow up and learn better.
common sense tells you today that it's really not like that, however those are the images that were beat into us by schools and parents alike, pretty much since the 40s if you think about it. most generations of american kids have been taught to work for what you own and if you don't own it you just haven't worked hard enough for it. this is the obstacle you have to get past before many americans are going to start looking at communism in a better light. if the economy collapses and we find ourselves fighting over the last loaf of bread at walmart, which "in theory" could happen any day now, then something like communism may in fact take over. otherwise, the struggle is going to be long. the main negative view against it, as i see it, is being "forced" into working a specific job based on the needs and demands of the government instead of your own desires. that, i think, is the biggest stigma a lot of people here have. that is also exactly the path we're headed with our current government, because as i've been saying all along, Obama is no different than Bush. they all work for the same bankers and big business who are the ones really controlling the show. the only reason it flip-flops between D or R is so they can pit one side of the public against the other side. Divide and conquer is the name of the game.
It might interest some of you that I just saw a news clip the other day about the department of homeland security. They have "determined" now that college-aged students who speak out against the government are more likely to commit terrorist acts than other groups of people, and gave a long list of "signs to watch for," including websites where people post their discontent over what the fed government is up to. I'm trying to find an actual print article on it online to link. Maybe it doesn't mean much, but when I heard it I immediately thought of the NDAA that was signed back in December. Maybe this is their way of dealing with Occupy, should they decide it ever gets out of control.
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