The political right has done a good job of brainwashing reasonable Americans to be afraid of any hints of socialism by equating socialism with Stalin’s communism. Yet democratic socialism is a very different economic system than Russian communism, which we can see working in most of postwar Europe.
FDR’s response to the stock market crash that led to bank and business failures and the Great Depression was pure and simple socialism. Like his predecessor, Teddy Roosevelt, he supported unions. By creating public works programs that improved our infrastructure, he put workers back to work. By lending money to the stronger banks, he restored faith in the banking system. None of these were handouts, but were examples of the ways the government can and should work for its people.
Bob Stillwell’s fear of socialism strikes me as a bit hysterical. Bob, by the way, is a frequent contributor to our local print newspaper, and I applaud him for doing so. I, as a proud Democrat, however, am not afraid to look toward socialism for answers to some of our problems. Wouldn’t putting wealth back into the hands of the public through higher wages, universal health care, and investment in infrastructure, for instance, offer more hope for the future than allowing the rich to get richer and the poor poorer, thus moving us toward having a virtual king or dictator? Is he really in favor of eliminating Social Security and Medicare, for instance? Investing in public infrastructure and higher education would put people to work in decent-paying jobs. And yes, college is designed to teach people to think by giving them access to many different ideas, not to graduate them as robots for either the right or left. And why are our young people becoming radicalized? Could it be that they don’t see a future for them given the ways jobs are drying up and the direction we are going?
Giving people the skills they need to hold a good job is far cheaper than keeping people on welfare. Restructuring our tax system so the wealthiest corporations and individuals pay their fair share of taxes is not socialism. It is just plain fair. And don’t get me started on the illusionary trickle-down theory. Solid economies are built on a trickle-up structure that puts money in the hands of workers and innovators. Does Mr. Stillwell really think that there is something wonderful about oligarchs holding over 99% of the nation’s wealth while their private secretaries and employees pay a higher rate of income tax than the billionaires and trillionaires who hire them? Would it be so awful to ask the wealthy to share some of that wealth by paying their employees more, establishing retirement plans to supplement Social Security, and contributing toward their employees’ health care while shoring up the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid funds? Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are positive examples of socialism, by the way. What would be so bad about asking employers to contribute toward making higher education affordable or even free, thus guaranteeing the skilled workers businesses will need for the future? Or having the big tech companies invest in America since they are making their money by collecting our data? And yes, changes would cost money, but if the government would set aside X number of dollars to match what big business and the wealthiest would contribute, what would be wrong with that? Given what we spend on defense, that would be peanuts.
My husband was an economics major in college. He had an acute business sense. He was not afraid to make money and was a firm advocate of capitalism. Yet he also maintained that the only way capitalism can work is if it is strictly regulated. For instance, he said we need stronger antitrust laws, and the rules applying to big business should not be the same as those for small mom-and-pop businesses. Plus, he would add, tax laws need to be reworded so that savvy lawyers could not find loopholes.
In the aftermath of World War II, businesses were encouraged to enroll their employees in health and retirement plans. These were not a free ride, as the employee paid half and the employer paid half. Not only did these lead to a booming economy, but they are a good example of how socialism can work. But over the years, lobbyists convinced Congress to do away with those regulations, and workers suddenly found their retirement pensions evaporate along with their health insurance.
I know many on the right get hysterical when we talk about universal health insurance, but we are the only industrialized nation in the world that does not offer some form of universal health care. Other nations that are not as rich as we are pay for health care in a variety of ways, including private health insurance companies that have a cap on what a CEO can earn, with any profits plowed back into the system rather than going into investors’ pockets. Here we see health care as a business, not a service, with health insurers lining their pockets and those of their investors. And to what end? We are one of the sickest developed nations in the world, which, by the way, definitely affects the workforce.
I could go on, but I think you get my point. Instead of being afraid to borrow ideas from socialism, we should be open to any and all ideas that undergird the principles upon which our nation was founded: that our government must be based on the underlying principle that its main purpose is to ensure that it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people—not for the 1% at the top. Otherwise, this nation cannot long endure.
Well written. It seems that we are already living in a socialist democracy with our medicare, medicaid, veterans benefits and social security. There’s all are helpful to members of our society. The Democratic Socialist seem to want more, some of which are ridiculous, such as defunding police and emptying prisons.
In regards to their policies on universal healthcare, College tuition, child care and so on is is how are we going to pay for all of it. The idea of Universal Health Care is appealing and seems to be needed in this country as we now have many going without Healthcare due to recent Administration policies. Again, the question that begs to be asked for all of these issues is how are we going to pay for it. I think we can if we can revise our tax structure so that we have a more Equitable form of who pays and how much. We need to narrow this inequality in the income gap that we now have. I think we can do this and do better. Also, the idea that socialism automatically leads to Communism should be questioned. They are distinct entities, one ,communism providing for the elimination of all private property and the state taking over control of all government. Socialism is having some government control over institutions but allowing private property ownership.
This democratic socialism is lot close to pure communism than what most people think. Everywhere communism has been tried people have died by the millions. The hard part about socialism and communism is that they seem to work for a while. By the time that people realize how much it is harming their society, it’s too late because the people in power will not allow themselves to be voted out. Maybe you hate Trump, but in 2 years he will be gone. If the left wing gets fully in charge, they will never allow themselves to be voted out. Think Venezuela.
Ask the people in England and France how well universal health care works. It does not. Companies in those countries offer private insurance in order to attract employees. A friend of mines father was being treated for an eye problem in England and it got progressive worse. It was discovered that the doctor had a fake degree. The father then had private treatment and his problems were cured and his eye sight was saved. A French friend of mine had universal health care and private insurance. To get a visa to America he went to his private insurance, got a quick exam and got his visa. Look at the mess in Canada. I lived and worked in England and France and my friends and I often discussed the failing universal health care systems.
Or… one could do a search on medical incomes by First World countries to see that Universal Health care countries often get better outcomes than the US does – longer life expectancy, etc. Anecdotes can go either way.
No system is perfect, and medical malpractice is found in all systems. It would be nice if we could do some sort of mix to take the best of various systems IMO – a basic universal care so breaking an arm, having a baby, or getting cancer doesn’t use up any family’s savings – then optional for more?
Getting rid of for profit health insurance companies would be the first step to savings. No shareholder or CEO needs to make money off denying care to someone who needs it. There are plenty of other types of companies to invest in or work at.
BALANCE – We need a balance between capitalism and socialism. They need to work together. A believe this is what you are referring to with the Roosevelt’s. Too much socialism will lead to communism. And that is what is scary in the current environment. I was part of the United Steel Workers union and watched as it got too much power and aided in destroying our steel industry. Our founding fathers and other great leaders knew too much government would destroy and gave us the system we have for checks and balances. These new Democratic Socialist are running on racism, changing our government platform and destroying our country by causing a divide with hatred. We all need to listen and vote wisely.
The Roosevelts DO NOT require an apostrophe to signify a plurality. Nothing does. This drives me nuts.
Well said Joyce, we are headed in a very dangerous direction; and have been led to believe lots of untruths, and unsustainable politics that support rampant capitalism that are not favorable or empowering to the middle-lower segments or our population. And, indeed, the democratic party is presently unresponsive to the needs of our population as a whole. Further, the immediacy, and unreliability, of much of the information being spewed out by the easy, quick, connections to all the inner-net rubbish is doing us more harm than good! Most importantly, is this mess what you really want to leave to your children and grandchildren?
I have news for you dear ….the right isn’t doing that ….I am a democratic ….and I can tell and identify what socialism is ….and this is where my party is going to get themselves in trouble …the United States was not based on this socialistic ideas ….and anyone , like yourself, who wrote this ridiculous article , who will support people who feel that Jewish people are dangerous or that the United States deserved what happened on September 11th like the socialist who just won the Democratic Primary in Michigan scares me as a Democrat and I would be glad to switch parties because the current Democratic Party scares me
It seems you’re replying to a different article? I didn’t see Joyce write anything about Jewish people nor 9/11.
Regardless, I’ve been Republican and have kept my voter status, but as long as the current (non) Republicans are in power, I’m voting Blue.
I’m Christian, but don’t want to live in any sort of Theocracy.
We’re, personally, doing just fine financially, but I see way too many struggling while the wealthy get wealthier, often by what used to be illegal activities. Now they just pay for pardons or the justice department turns a blind eye.
I don’t want a country named for or designed by one person. I don’t want to see him on money, public buildings, National Park or International passports. I’m tired of apologizing for him when we travel internationally.
I don’t care what people do in their own bedrooms.
Basically, I want the real America back – and November can’t come soon enough to start to return to it.
If it’s Far Left vs Far Right, well, I’ve seen what Far Right has done and it’s horrible. This Moderate who used to lean/vote red, is voting Blue regardless of who they choose. Many Socialist practices are actually good for average people, even if the wealthy will spend tons of money trying to fool people into thinking they don’t so they can keep getting richer.