Tags for This Article:

Congress (492) 

Populum Tag Cloud
       Control Panel
Fine tune your search to access content
Articles
Diaries Products
Events All
All time
Last 6 mos
Last month
Last week
Last 24 hrs
From:
Month  Day   Year

To:
Month  Day   Year
Alphabet
Popularity
Count ON
Count OFF
This Level
Sub-levels

 

 

 

Tag(s):
Add to My Group
March 13, 2008 at 10:22:15

Genuine Socialism vs. Corporate Propaganda

by Wally (Posted by Wally)

www.opednews.com

 
 
Tell A Friend

(0.0 from 0 ratings) View Ratings | Rate It

Anyone who declares that socialism has never worked anywhere reveals a common ignorance (no pejorative intended) which has been planted and encouraged by the corporate media and all other educational institutions which have an abiding interest in maintaining capitalism as our economic system.

A brief explanation is in order. Democracy is the keystone of a genuine socialist system…

both in our civic affairs as well as in our economic interactions. In addition, the mechanics of a socialist system are without parallel in a system of capitalism.

For example: The basic mechanisms of capitalism are:

1.Private ownership of society’s tools of social production.

2.Comodity production: Goods and services produced primarily for sale in a competitive market with private profits being the primary goal.

3. Use of the system of wages to buy labor power.

4.A political state form of government in which territorial designations are the construct of a Federal System subject to a central authority .

5.Private money capital is necessary to jump start social production .

6.Corporate government , subject to the vagaries of the competitive market, dictates production and distribution.

7.The people who work in the privately owned industries have no voice in determining the conditions under which they work. They are subject completely to the corporate authority which is exercised by the corporate managers.

For those who have been led to believing the erstwhile USSR was a “socialist” system…be aware that ANY ECONOMIST will acknowledge that the Soviet system employed commodity production, wages system and a political state…., the SAME as any system of CAPITALISM. The USSR was NEVER a socialist society…, yet its dictatorial political system has been presented to us as a society of SOCIALISM, which is the big LIE we have been exposed to for years. Socialism has yet to be implemented anywhere. Today’s U.S. industrial technology has all the necessary instruments for its implementation. Our American democratic values support it.

 

The basic mechanics of socialism are:

1.Social ownership of society’s necessary industries and services.

2 Commodity production is replaced with production for social needs and wants, not for profits.

3.The wages system is replaced with a voucher system in which all values produced are fully returned to the producer directly and indirectly…, with no production values being set aside for private profit gains.

4.Work place democracy, in which people in their industrial and service work places, and in their civic arrangements (communities) have a direct voice and vote in all matters that affect their lives.

5. Political government is replaced by an elected Society Coordinating Congress, whose constituents are the people who work in socially necessary industries, and from their communities. The work place and the community form the basic units of the government. All primary policy decisions emanate from the industrial and service work places…, and from the communities.

5. The Industrial and Community Congress is composed of reps elected from their respective local workplaces to coordinate the industrial activities of all the regions involved in the same service or industry.

6. The Industrial and Community Congress unifies the resources of all national production to meet society’s requirements as formulated on the local community levels.

7. Priorities and policies agreed upon by the local communities are Constitutionally mandated to each Rep on each level of industrial and community organization.

8. Instant recall of SCC members who do not perform according to the agreed upon policies and priorities established by the local industrial and community constituents insures community and workplace decisions and decisions are enacted accordingly.

Genuine socialism, as contrasted with consciously distorted and effectively traduces versions which have been peddled to us by the corporate think tanks such as the Hoover Institute and the Heritage Foundation, and other similarly financed corporate mind-setters, represents a new, refreshing , different concept of social inetraction and responsible industrial self government. For the first time in human history, WE will have the power to determine our own societal and individual well being rather thasn have it determined for ourselves by disconnected political representatives and corporate governments.

In a genuine socialist society, We can sensibly address problems and set priorities to clean up the airs and waters, produce clean and healthful foods, manufacture safe, durable housing and transportation, and other important, vital products and services such as health care and retirement facilities without the disconnected profit market standing in our way. A genuine socialist society will enable us to use the technology we , and our working class forefathers have created to minimize the work week to a few days, and the work day to a few hours , and enable us to have flexible career changes.

Sounds incredible? No! The only thing preventing it is our own lack of knowledge and initiative to make it happen. Overcoming the daily corporate and political government misrepresentations of of genuine socialist society is our biggest problem. Today, We have all the industrial and service tools for our immediate use . Despite capitalism’s limitations which have prevented us from using our technology to build a peaceful and prosperous society of democracy and societal well being, We have built a modern industrial network capable of producing an abundance of products and services that can eliminate most of our present social ills in an amazingly short time.

With the deadly, war breeding and poverty producing profit motive removed from for our social production, the ramifications of a modern industrial society such as We have here in America, have enormous potential for peaceful, cooperative interaction with our global neighbors…

Those who are deterred by the possibilities of a genuine society of socialism being implemented because they believe it is too “idealistic,” have straddled themselves with a “do nothing” attitude which is precisely the aim of the corporate propagandists who do all they can to keep us believing that capitalism is the only way available for a society to function. We are not living in a time warp . . Conditions are rapidly changing, domestically, internationally, and NOT for the better. Global market competition has been responsible for our World Wars, and the same competitive profit market antagonisms are building today, as we hear more and more about the “China” threat.

It is due to the optimism of for our humanity that we have always survived the worst moments of our existence on earth , mostly because there has always been a small group of individuals who have introduced new ways to avoid catastrophic systemic disasters… Today, we have the ideas and instruments that can save whatever is we value as a people… At our peril we have been dissuaded from pursuing “ideals” whose realizations are possible and necessary.

Albert Einstien often pointed out that socialism was the only way we will ever resolve our perennial societal problems. He also said: We cannot hope to solve the problems we face today with the same level of thinking that created them. The mind is like a parachute. It works best when it is open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Editor

 

Bookmark this page: (what's this?)

NETSCAPE      DIGG THIS      Add This Page to Mr Wong!           NEWSVINE      DEl.ICIO.US      Looksmart Furl      My Web      Tag!RawSugar      Blink List     (More...)
Comments: Expand   Shrink   Hide  
18 comments

I was born in Los Angeles and raised in Mexico City. I have travelled throughout Latin America, Europe and Arfica. We're all the same.
GuajolotlI was born in Los Angeles and raised in Mexico City. I have travelled throughout Latin America, Europe and Arfica. We're all the same.

SOCIALISM

Heres a few more thoughts. Latin America is somewhat ahead on this issue

 

SOCIALISM OF THE 21ST CENTURY

1.- Socialism is based on science, the economy is planned according to natural laws, the needs of society and the development of human thinking.

2.- Socialism today is critical of the mistakes of the past, such as bureaucratism, authoritarianism and restrictions on democratic participation, and learns from them.

3.- Socialism today embraces the Christian principles espoused by Jesus of Nazareth, with his values of justice, equality and redemption of the poor, to do good and not evil in the world, to strengthen faith, to combat selfishness and indifference in the face of poverty, and against usury and other deadly sins.

4.- Socialism in Latin America gathers the best thinking of Latin American leaders, such as José Martí and Simón Bolívar in the principles of patriotism, Latin American integration, unity, justice and equality, and the bringing about of governments that will give the greatest happiness to the greatest number, the greatest social security, and the greatest political stability

5.- Socialism is consistent with indigenous communitarianism, which is the original inheritance that runs through the veins of our people, the sharing of resources for the common good. It is the oldest American tradition, and it is also of the present and of the future. Nothing is less foreign to our lands and peoples than socialism. Foreign are capitalism and smallpox, which came from without..

6.- Socialism is people’s power, of participatory and protagonic democracy, transformed into social practice under the principle of overcoming poverty by giving power to the people, by means of social investment and of financing collectives and communities.

7.- Socialism is an ethical and moral way of behaving, the strategic line that vindicates human values, leaving aside individualism and consumerist ambitions, and vindicating the attitude and practice of being useful to others. It requires human beings armed with ideas, knowledge and culture, who know the world, who know history and geography, who know of peoples struggles, which are the sum of humanist consciousness, of honor and dignity. Love of country is inseparable from love of the world, because "patria" is humanity itself.

 

by Guajolotl (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 132 comments) on Thursday, March 13, 2008 at 5:37:07 PM
 


It is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.
Jeanette DoneyIt is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.

Socialism is unnatural

The third rock from the sun is an unfair and unequal enity.  In nature, nothing is equal from a snowflake to an ocean.  The reason socialism does not work is because we humans live on a planet where nothing is fair in nature, flora or fauna.  So what makes humans different?  Math?  Science?  In creating frankenfoods and nuclear power or bombs or coming up with a number, like 50 million, as in the total number of humans who can occupy the planet Earth and sustain it to its enfinity (that is until Nibiru or Apophis (both blamed for Global Warming) solar flares).

Who's going to sacrifice their life for the sake of the planet?  The UN Agenda 21 claims billions of humans need to be eliminated...we've passed Peak Oil and why the USA is a war...to try to sustain the illusion that we are still living in the 1950s.  Peak oil, peak water, peak natural reasources, global warming, too many people..BILLIONS too many.  How many socialists will volunteer to die for the sake of the planet RE: UN Agenda 21, Sustaining the Globe? 

All these prisons are not from capitalism, they are from socialism, where the best the government can do to make everyone equal is put them in a cell and kill them.  The US constitution protected our rights to protect ourselves.  The government will NEVER protect us...we need to get back to the US Constitution, to priovate property rights, sovreign rights, or prepare to be collected at our doors by armed troops taking us to the FEMA concentration camps Bush built with the full support of Democrat congress and Senate.

And I want to add this on my perspective about socialism...I see state and national parks as socialism...we the people own the national and state parks.  It costs allot of money, $6.00 to $10 to visit many of OUR parks, and the state leases land to private ranchers, minors, lumber..much more...but they also close..and many parks are very neglected and locals watch them fall apart...they don't hire the locals, and they again, cost allot..camping is $37.00 and you pay another $7.00 to call a service provider...and you are watched the whole time you camp in the name of your own security.

Compare that to private parks..from Disney landto Botanical Gardens, from hunting camps to skate parks, private parks ...hell..look at spas...clothing optional resorts..privately owned...they are loved. maintained, cared for by comparison to state and national parks that have become infested with illegal cannabis growing and more armed federal police from one department or another...livense license...where's your license, permit...is what you get when you enter a state or national park.  I would prefer a private park anyday, and I think our parks should all be private, and loved...to think that because it's private it's restricted is thinking backwards.  Yes a private owner can say, "Get off my beach" and they do...but so does the govenment...it's says "Get off the beach" for miles and miles of beach...and so how does socialism open those beaches? 

by Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments) on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 9:44:32 AM
 


Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.
Richard MynickRichard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.

Ms Doney has no idea what she's talking about. (only to be

expected from a Ron Paul loudmouth, by the way). The ignorance is almost  comical. This is a person who can't spell, can't write grammatical sentences, and couldn't write a cogent one-paragraph definition of socialism if her life depended on it -- presuming to hold forth on the topic, as though she's an authority.

Let's look at just one of poor Ms Doney's laughable "points" -- the one where she asserts that socialism "doesn't work," based on the observation that  Disneyland is kept in a better state of repair than many budget-starved state or national parks. Jeanette prefaces this howler with the statement that she "see(s) state and national parks as socialism."

- Well, you might see the parks as socialism -- but that hardly makes it so. In fact, it's not the slightest bit so.  The government that decides how to allocate funds to state parks, as well as to the military (as well as to government bailouts of big business) -- happens to be a capitalist government. They don't care about education, healthcare, the environment, or anything besides corporate handouts & the military. Therefore, all those socially-beneficial things get neglected, in favor of corporate welfare & the military. Does that suggest to you any deficiency in those types of social spending -- or rather with the capitalist government that makes the spending decisions?

If a socialist government came to power, it would spend more for parks, education, healthcare, & environmental protection (among other things) than for the idiotically bloated military. In that case, the parks would look better than many military bases -- which would be closed down for good -- and maybe even converted into parks!

by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1120 comments) on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 4:40:16 PM
 


It is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.
Jeanette DoneyIt is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.

Are you a better person than me? Is that fair or equal?

I have dyslexia Mr. Mynick.   It's tragic more than comical when it comes to writing.  I am certainly no authority of socialism or capitalism, however; I am not going to allow my dyslexia stop me from being a Ron Paul loud mouth in FEAR (of you) or SHAME of my disability. 

I see things different. 

You see budget starved state.  I don't.  I see government corruption, thus I want less govenment.

You claim this is a capitalist nation, but yet I can't grow hemp for fuel or buy an electric car...where's the competition, the action of capitalism? 

I don't believe it's government's business is to program people in the name of education, kill people in the name of healthcare, tax people in the name of the environment or especially bailout corporations (capitalists let bad business DIE) or a need to go to war. 

I believe the fact that the USA is the largest prison nation in the world proves it is not a capitalist nation.  Where's the freedom...for those protected by the government...and who are they, multinational elites, who are not capitalists, but monarchs and their "chosen" who are taking us now into a NWO. 

by Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments) on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 7:51:01 AM
 


Richard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.
Richard MynickRichard Mynick is a US citizen who, despite the best efforts of the corporate media, noticed something disturbing about how the 2000 election was decided, & felt it augured poorly for democracy.

I made no claim about "being a better person" than you, &

couldn't possibly know anything about your personal disabilities. I simply know your writing from OEN. In response to your writing, I pointed out that the quality of your reasoning is poor, & that you don't really know what you're talking about.

Your response here shows once again that you're very confused about what words like "socialism" and "capitalism" really mean. This is not related to your dyslexia. Many Americans (dyslexic or not) are confused about what those words mean, so you're just part of a wider phenomenon, in that respect.

It's a bit rich for you to come to OEN, plaster your loud opinions around the board, then to defend yourself against criticism by claiming to have dyslexia. If you want to participate on OEN, you must accept the possibility that someone may disagree with your ignorant & poorly-reasoned opinions. You can't suddenly claim an alleged personal disability like "dyslexia" to shield yourself from criticism. If you're not too dyslexic to plaster your opinions around, you're not too dyslexic to be criticized for them.

No doubt, with your severe dyslexia, you won't be able to comprehend the paragraphs that follow. (Maybe you can get a friend to explain them to you.) But for what it's worth, I'm going to focus on one simple line in your response, & show you certain weaknesses in your thinking:

You wrote, You see budget starved state.  I don't.  I see government corruption, thus I want less govenment.
- The first problem there is that you didn't understand what I wrote. I said nothing about a "budget-starved state." I wrote, rather, about a government budget that starves socially-useful spending goals like health, education, parks, & environmental protection. It's not the state itself that's "starved."

- The second problem is the overly simplistic quality of your logic. You write, "I see government corruption, thus I want less govenment." Here, you've ignored the possibility that government might function less corruptly. Though you're not aware of it, this happens to be the whole point of the "socialism vs capitalism" debate. The point is that under capitalism, government inevitably comes to serve the interests of the corporate rich -- which is what you're correctly  calling "corruption." And the idea of socialism is to change this, so that government serves the interests of most of the population, rather than catering exclusively to the rich.

by Richard Mynick (2 articles, 3 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 1120 comments) on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 1:00:18 PM
 


It is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.
Jeanette DoneyIt is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.

Dyslexia aside

My experience with capitalism began in the Grateful Dead parking lot selling grilled cheese sandwiches for a dollar and a smile.  It was good whole wheat bread, and I had rella cheese, and worked just enough pay for my ticket to the show ($35.00), the parking fee ($5.00), enough gas to get to the next show ($10.00), and have enough sandwiches to trade for maybe a tour tee shirt ($5.00), a veggie burrito ($1.00), a beer or two ($1.00 or $2.00).  I didn't charge taxes, there were no taxes, no regulations, no one coming around checking for papers.  So I needed to sell about 60 sandwiches a day (which wasn't hard with 80K dead heads with the munchies) You bought or traded for my grilled cheese at your own risk, and I did the same with what ever others were selling, in products and services.  It was an awesome experience that allwed me and tens of thousands of others to live a FREE life for decades.  "Each man For Himself".  It's very honest I believe.  No co dependency.   

With this in mind, when I met people having a hard time, I would give away sandwiches I could afford to give away, like many others, we supported the scene..the socialists didn't.  What did the socialists have to offer?  As far as I'm concerned they were the ones confiscating water at the gate so you had to buy the water in the arena at the show.  We were able to do this because we didn't have the government telling us how to live (and yes, I do live simply so others can simply live.)  I am not greedy or a capitalist for the love of money, but it is for the love of freedom and competition.

Maybe you think IF the govenrment could they would support socialist programs..but even if they were a socialist government, like Chavez or Castro, I don't believe our programs would be very good no matter how much people were taxed.  Why aren't the illegal immigrants moving to Venezuela and Cuba?  And why would we want what they wish they didn't have?

I know what I've got in capitalism it's freedom...fredom of choice, not government putting slop in my face and telling me to eat it or else.

The government can not serve peoples best interest...that is up to the individual because we are not all created equal and life is not fair.

by Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments) on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 2:06:33 PM
 


I have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work
Michael DeweyI have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work

Its a Combination

Hey, Capitalism helped build this Land, so i won't knock it completly. Though if it was worth defending,as never had made a mistake, Unions would not have had to fight the Robber Barons in the 1880's and Health care would have been fixed years and years ago.

The basic foundation of the govt. is fine. Yet as I read on Bill Moyer's site, "Politics are run by religion and Corporations. Then when they get elected, they fall under the influence of really big money." Socialism, through Unions can help change that.

by Michael Dewey (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 170 comments) on Saturday, March 15, 2008 at 6:44:52 PM
 


It is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.
Jeanette DoneyIt is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.

About those Unions

I joined an Agricultural Fraternity, The Patrons of Husbandry, created in 1868.  The Grange fought the Train barrons, brought in free rural mail, built damns to provide power and water to rural people who were not company owned and operated.  Have you heard of the Grange, Patrons of Husbandry?  This organization allowed women in from the beginning, establishing a woman's RIGHT to vote in the organization by 1870.  By 1911, California Grange established a woman's right to vote in the state, 8 years before the Nation.  There is much more that this PRIVATE FRATERNITY, and others did for communities, and not as unions, but as free men uniting for causes on the local, county, state and national levels. 

It used to be that one would go to these fraternites and organizations to get money and support for issues..but today it's all government grants..everyone is looking for a government grant.  We're screwed because we have no choice, just the government.

by Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments) on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 8:17:35 AM
 


Ret.Teacher
WallyRet.Teacher

Public and Private Parks...

Oh, if capitalism was just a "Walk in the Park..," we wouldn't be having this life or death discusison. Fact is, We, the People, have NO self government ..., which is why people are so turned off to "government" of any kind...  The existing political form of government..., which is the population control arm of capitalism..., has so effectively removed us from any democracy which would enable us to govern outselves in all matters that affect our lives, that too many otherwise sensible people have bee so cynicized and hostile to ANY kind of government..., simply because the word has its "GOVERN" in its body...  Too decry a government of true democracy, such is is genuine socialism...(Not the kind we have been TOLD it is)  is the most glaring evidence that We, the People, have been HAD!!!

 Time to regroup our thinking and get it right! Political government and capitalism is our main social problem. Private parks are hardly the way to a peaceful and prosperour society.

 

 

by Wally (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 13 comments) on Monday, March 17, 2008 at 8:08:53 AM
 


Siamdave is a Canadian expat living in Thailand where he teaches English to doctors in the daytime and tries to save his 'real' country from the body snatchers (=capitalist predators)from his secret fortress On Green Island (http://www.rudemacedon.ca/lgi/ogi-home.html)at night. A tough job, but ....
siamdaveSiamdave is a Canadian expat living in Thailand where he teaches English to doctors in the daytime and tries to save his 'real' country from the body snatchers (=capitalist predators)from his secret fortress On Green Island (http://www.rudemacedon.ca/lgi/ogi-home.html)at night. A tough job, but ....

the box

Good article, we need a lot more like this, exposing the lies of the capitalist propaganda about socialism and so many other things. If you agree with the things here, you might be interested also in They're Building a Box - and You're In It - http://www.rudemacedon.ca/dlp/box/box-intro.html - which tries to explain in some more detail what has been happening to our societies the last 30 years.

by siamdave (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 64 comments) on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 12:02:17 PM
 


I have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work
Michael DeweyI have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work

Worker Ownership

Great article.  There is a better way, and they have been doing it in the Basque Region of Northern Spain since the 50's. 
Its called the Mondragon Cooperative, where the Workers own the Banks.  It is the 8th largest Company in all of Spain right now.  You can read more about it right here: http://www.justpeace.org/mondragon.htm

There is nothing wrong with our State Park system.  Its the best we can do at hhis time.   BenFranklin said this, "A people who will sacrifice Liberty for security shal get nor deserve neither."  (That was for Jeaneatte.)

And I just heard the other day froma well respected news man, that hemp cvan help solve our energy problem.  And they knew that back in the 30's but just had to be sold out to oil interests, like theys eem to be to coal today.  I could find it if you want it. it really doesn't apply to this article. 

by Michael Dewey (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 170 comments) on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 2:49:36 PM
 


I'm a 29 year old male. 
TyI'm a 29 year old male. 

Quote

Quote from Samuel Adams

“If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquillity of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, — go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen!”

 

Capitalism values wealth over liberty. Socialism values liberty over wealth.

 

by Ty (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 703 comments) on Friday, March 14, 2008 at 10:50:51 PM
 


I am a college graduate, a loyal patriot of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, a person whose convictions and pessimism drive my thought invoking others to think, and enjoy some politcal debate. I like truth even if it doesn't set you "free" in this US of A any longer. I am a liberal.
I do a bit of painting mostly in Acrylic. I do a bit of poetry writng mostly inspired by tragic thought. I do a ton of reading, mostly online. I speak straightforwardly and don't plan on changing. It's wor...

to see more of bio, click on member name

shirley reeseI am a college graduate, a loyal patriot of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, a person whose convictions and pessimism drive my thought invoking others to think, and enjoy some politcal debate. I like truth even if it doesn't set you "free" in this US of A any longer. I am a liberal.
I do a bit of painting mostly in Acrylic. I do a bit of poetry writng mostly inspired by tragic thought. I do a ton of reading, mostly online. I speak straightforwardly and don't plan on changing. It's wor...

to see more of bio, click on member name

I agree

With the article; However, I believe when I was in college and studied Social Organizations(301), the Country of Denmark and other Netherlands countries, were close to the Socialist form of Government and Industry. Therefore, I DO believe the world has some "come close to Socialist" countries. I cannot recall the other countries coined Socialism by definition.

In summary, the "Dead Heads" had the ultimate freedom ever experienced in this country. They did live off the land, maybe not the fat of the land. They were the most innovative ppl, and generally "happy" and not necessarily "from drugs" as the MSM displayed, pushed and repeated.

It's time for us to echo those words of Samuel Adams. Hasn't repeating shibboleths worked well for the Fascists we have controlling our country??

 I disagree, this is a capitalist society with Fascism the controlling level of our Government. No Democracy found here. Even voting is compromised. Corporations rule our leaders--everyone of them--Corps rule us with how we "serve" their greed sacrificing our own needs.

We have been duped as a society that Capitalists "serve" the ppl, even the bottom feeders. That is a big LIE. If I wanted to sell grilled cheese sandwiches on a corner or anywhere, I must get a license, show a strategic plan, secure a restroom and proper garbage disposal, and the list of hoops goes on, making it next to impossible for the American so-called dream. By the time I do all those hoops, I cannot afford the cheese. That is what the Fat capitalists desire. They have successfully done so and put themselves as the Almighty Corporate King.

You must serve that "corporate King" to survive. If you don't, you end up like Randy Weaver (Ruby Ridge). He had his land, no electricity, no phone line, no Natural gas, self-reliant, all secured in his own world of production on his land. He may have purchased some of society's products, a few that got him in a bind (guns). There is always somebody selling guns but the Corporate King wants to dominate this field and none other better trample on their retail profits or you end up getting your family blown off the map and you're sitting in prison for the rest of your life.

The nylon business put the hemp business out. The plastic(oil) business is the "corporate King" and none better trample on their plastics with hemp!, or you will be annihilated one way or another.

"Fascism is when corporations yield more power than Government."~~FDR.    We are there.

by shirley reese (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 274 comments) on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 9:46:33 AM
 


It is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.
Jeanette DoneyIt is never the masses that make the difference, it is always the individual which makes the difference. Thank you for letting me be myself today.

Right On Shirley

I would give you a grilled cheese and a smile for entertaining me with that statement!  Thank you!

by Jeanette Doney (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 6 diaries, 304 comments) on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 11:17:27 AM
 


I have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work
Michael DeweyI have worked as Union Electrician in a good part of this land. And the Union Brothers taught me well about how things should work

They Can't Win

It was an American Communist who had run fro prez in the 50's who wrote, "The People own the oil not the corporations."  Its the same for the TV, which in less than 4 years this internet, with HD tvs will change for ever.

Or as Woody sang, "This Land is Our Land, not the oil comps." 

by Michael Dewey (3 articles, 1 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 170 comments) on Sunday, March 16, 2008 at 6:16:18 PM
 


About the author: welshTerrier2 believes all citizens must focus on restoring power to the people. Corporations control our agenda. They promote war. They export our jobs to the lowest bidder. They pollute our air and water. They promote laws to benefit their greedy shareholders at our expense. They control the puppet politicians through their campaign contributions. They control the mainstream media.

The dual disasters of global warming and a bankrupt national Treasury demand rap...

to see more of bio, click on member name

welshTerrier2About the author: welshTerrier2 believes all citizens must focus on restoring power to the people. Corporations control our agenda. They promote war. They export our jobs to the lowest bidder. They pollute our air and water. They promote laws to benefit their greedy shareholders at our expense. They control the puppet politicians through their campaign contributions. They control the mainstream media.

The dual disasters of global warming and a bankrupt national Treasury demand rap...

to see more of bio, click on member name

Capitalism and democracy cannot co-exist

I write frequently on the web about the need to cap wealth. I argue that we need to tax wealth in addition to taxing income. I argue that we cannot allow an inter-generational ruling class by enabling massive amounts of wealth to be handed down via estates. I argue that "liberal" measures like campaign finance reform and lobby reform are very worth trying as a first step, but, when they fail to protect our democracy, and they have always failed and will continue to fail, we need to cap wealth. Too much money inevitably leads to too much power. The goal should not be a perfectly level distribution of wealth but we cannot allow the outrageous gap from top to bottom that we currently have.

Ultimately, capitalism, a system that puts the acquisition of wealth above the COMMON GOOD, is an enemy to promoting the best interests of the greater society. Capitalism, by definition, preaches greed over need and, of course, as we've seen, capitalism is a system that allows the rich to get richer and the poor to get poorer. As more money, and hence more power, becomes increasingly centralized, all our democratic institutions become corrupted and do the bidding of a smaller and smaller power elite. Ultimately, the system collapses when the poor awaken and realize how badly they've been screwed. We aren't there yet and perhaps that's too bad.

It's time to cast off the McCarthy era stereotypes of "socialists" and start teaching people that socialists believe in putting societal interests ahead of greedy, profits-before-people, money grubbing imperialists. WE'RE THE GOOD GUYS and it's about time so called "liberals" stopped criticizing the socialist agenda and got behind the causes we fight for.

by welshTerrier2 (7 articles, 3 quicklinks, 4 diaries, 105 comments) on Wednesday, March 19, 2008 at 12:02:58 PM
 

 

18 comments

 

Tell A Friend

 


Copyright © OpEdNews, 2002-2008

Blog Ads

 

 

 

 

Most Popular Articles
in the Last 2 Days
(by Recommend Emails)

Sarah Palin, A Wolf in Moose Clothing by Anthony Wade

Sarah Palin: Small Mind In A Big Little Town by Judy Swindler

John McCain: Morally, Mentally, and Emotionally Unfit by Jim Fetzer

Protester who interrupted McCain's speech is an Iraq War Veteran by Mary MacElveen

Falujah Veteran is Attacked by McCain Republicans at Speech by Dean Powers

Live OEN Street Medic Report From Occupied St Paul by Michael Cavlan

Librarians Against Sarah Palin Founder a Mystery by Judy Swindler

IS SARAH PALIN SATAN? by Sherman Yellen

Republicans Are Mean by Mary Lyon

So How Many Poor Vietnamese Did McCain's Bombs Kill in 23 Runs? by Jay Janson

Popularity Navigation
Control Panel:

Select Time
6 hrs 12 hrs
1 Day 2 Days
3 Days 1 Week
2 Weeks 1 Month
2 Months 3 Months
6 Months Last Year
Select Content
Articles Diaries
Polls Events
All Op-Eds
News Life/Arts/Science
Select Popularity
Page Views
# of Comments
Recommend Emails
  

Go To Top 50 Most Popular