Stock Market breaking key resistance levels...

[hbelkins]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

[hotdogPi]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

Socialism is not the same thing as communism.

Also, socialism is too far left. Scandinavia (plus Iceland) are far left, but not far enough to be socialism. If Scandinavia switched to actual socialism, things would get worse. (So would moving toward the center; they're near optimal right now.)

[US71]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

Why? You probably have more than most of the rest of us from that trickle-down economy you seem to admire. Learn to share.

[kalvado]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

US is at 38% of government spending to GDP, EU 46%. Almost there.

[adventurernumber1]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

Socialism is not the same thing as communism.

Also, socialism is too far left. Scandinavia (plus Iceland) are far left, but not far enough to be socialism. If Scandinavia switched to actual socialism, things would get worse. (So would moving toward the center; they're near optimal right now.)

I believe this is because the Scandinavian countries fall under the blanket of Democratic Socialism. This is different from both Capitalism and true Socialism.

[abefroman329]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

Socialism is not the same thing as communism.

Also, socialism is too far left. Scandinavia (plus Iceland) are far left, but not far enough to be socialism. If Scandinavia switched to actual socialism, things would get worse. (So would moving toward the center; they're near optimal right now.)

I believe this is because the Scandinavian countries fall under the blanket of Democratic Socialism. This is different from both Capitalism and true Socialism.

It is.

[kphoger]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

Socialism is not the same thing as communism.

Also, socialism is too far left. Scandinavia (plus Iceland) are far left, but not far enough to be socialism. If Scandinavia switched to actual socialism, things would get worse. (So would moving toward the center; they're near optimal right now.)

I believe this is because the Scandinavian countries fall under the blanket of Democratic Socialism. This is different from both Capitalism and true Socialism.

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs.  That doesn't make the government socialist any more than not having them makes a country capitalist.  Scandinavian governments are democratic and capitalist.

[US71]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs.  That doesn't make the government socialist any more than not having them makes a country capitalist.  Scandinavian governments are democratic and capitalist.

I don't want my money going to help people I don't like. </sarcasm>

[kphoger]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs.  That doesn't make the government socialist any more than not having them makes a country capitalist.  Scandinavian governments are democratic and capitalist.

I don't want my money going to help people I don't like. </sarcasm>

I'm not sure if that was a dig at me or not, but I didn't intend my post to be any critique of welfare programs.  You may think they're great or you may think they're terrible, but that's not what makes a government socialist.

[US71]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs.  That doesn't make the government socialist any more than not having them makes a country capitalist.  Scandinavian governments are democratic and capitalist.

I don't want my money going to help people I don't like. </sarcasm>

I'm not sure if that was a dig at me or not, but I didn't intend my post to be any critique of welfare programs.  You may think they're great or you may think they're terrible, but that's not what makes a government socialist.

No, it wasn't, that why I said sarcasm.

[Roadgeekteen]

Capitalism is not about making everyone happy.  Socialism tries and makes very few happy.  Choose one.

Socialism.

OK, then, give me half of what you have.

That's not what Scandinavia does. Those countries are happier. Hmmmm

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Uh...Sesame Street. Bubble gum. Scholaring?

[abefroman329]

Uh...Sesame Street. Bubble gum. Scholaring?

I believe you're confusing the 15-year-old boarder with the 45-year-old boarder who acts 15.

[hbelkins]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs. elects the officials that take income away from them and redistributes that income to others. As opposed to "dictatorial socialism" such as Cuba under Castro.

FIFY.

[Roadgeekteen]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs. elects the officials that take income away from them and redistributes that income to others. As opposed to "dictatorial socialism" such as Cuba under Castro.

FIFY.

They want it, and it works for them. What's the problem?

[MNHighwayMan]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs. elects the officials that take income away from them and redistributes that income to others. As opposed to "dictatorial socialism" such as Cuba under Castro.

FIFY.

They want it, and it works for them. What's the problem?

Being stuck in thinking that originates from the Cold War.

[Roadgeekteen]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs. elects the officials that take income away from them and redistributes that income to others. As opposed to "dictatorial socialism" such as Cuba under Castro.

FIFY.

They want it, and it works for them. What's the problem?

Being stuck in thinking that originates from the Cold War.

What thinking? Free healthcare?

[kphoger]

When you hear the term "democratic socialism", all the person really means is that the country has large welfare programs. elects the officials that take income away from them and redistributes that income to others. As opposed to "dictatorial socialism" such as Cuba under Castro.

FIFY.

They want it, and it works for them. What's the problem?

The terms are getting mixed up again.  All "democratic socialism" really means literally is that the people who own everything–and decide who gets what–were elected democratically (and hopefully the democratic model of government continues during their rule).  For example, Hugo Chávez was elected democratically, as was Salvador Allende.  Their being elected democratically has made them no less Marxist.  The ability of democratic socialism to survive long-term without turning into a dictatorial government remains to be seen.  But that's not what Scandinavian countries have anyway.  Their economies are capitalist, not socialist.

[Some] people in the U.S. associate the Nordic model with some sort of socialism. Therefore I would like to make one thing clear. Denmark is far from a socialist planned economy. Denmark is a market economy.

In the Scandinavian countries, the government does not own the means of production, and there are free-market competition and individual upward mobility.  The Nordic model merely provides an extensive social welfare net to give assistance to those in need.  If you want a name for it, then it should properly be called "social democracy", not "democratic socialism".

What thinking? Free healthcare?

Free healthcare is not mutually exclusive to democracy, capitalism, or individual liberty.  Socialism does not own a monopoly on free healthcare.

[adventurernumber1]

Ah, that must be what it is (the Scandinavian countries having a Social Democracy). Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy are somewhat similar, but not the same.

[kphoger]

Ah, that must be what it is (the Scandinavian countries having a Social Democracy). Democratic Socialism and Social Democracy are somewhat similar, but not the same.

Yes, but everyone (including Bernie[/politics]) keeps touting it as a successful model of socialism–specifically democratic socialism, which it's not.

[NE2]

If it has social in the name, the Fox News idiots will call it socialism.

[kphoger]

If it has social in the name, the Fox News idiots will call it socialism.

No, it's those on the left who keep calling the Nordic model "socialism", not those on the right.

[abefroman329]

If it has social in the name, the Fox News idiots will call it socialism.

No, it's those on the left who keep calling the Nordic model "socialism", not those on the right.

I attended a focus group recently that was basically "how to fix Facebook?"  where one attendee said he doesn't have social media accounts because he hates socialism, so yes, there is at least some misattribution to socialism on the right. That, and their steadfast belief that anything other than a state of "I get to do whatever I want, whenever I want"  is socialism.

[Roadgeekteen]

I'm supporting the nordic model, not socialism.

[US71]