Socialism in America

[Alana]

America has always operated on a blend of Socialism and Capitalism. Those things we all pool our money to create and then allow to be used free of charge at the end user level are socialistic, such as free libraries, public schools, parks, roads, bridges, etc. But at the same time private citizens have always held private property that was not open to the public and businesses that charged money for their services.

In colonial times there were also communistic groups such as religious orders that held all property and resources in common. Some of these exist today.

The balance of the best of Socialism and Capitalism was what made America great, along with cool heads that were able to discern the best and realize it was always an evolving process. At no point was everything ideal. The founding mothers and fathers were very much in touch with Europeans and were able to copy the best and discard the rest. We still need to be in a learning mode today.

Extremism was the enemy then and is the enemy now. The testosterone heads who just want to start a fight no matter what will always be with us. We just don't have to sign up with them.

 

[rationalist]

I guess they are the guys whose ancestors were fighting a war to keep slavery legal.

 

[Mr. Shaman]

Extremism was the enemy then and is the enemy now. The testosterone heads who just want to start a fight no matter what will always be with us.

....Rather, behind us, pushing everyone (else) into the next War!!

It's an American-tradition!!!

"According to Gary Wills’ book “John Wayne’s America,” the man who portrayed the archetypal, battle-hardened Marine, Sgt. Stryker, in 1949’s “The Sands of Iwo Jima,” actually avoided the draft during WWII. Wills contends that the Duke did not reply to letters from the Selective Service system, and applied for deferments."

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[GenSeneca]

Those things we all pool our money to create and then allow to be used free of charge at the end user level are socialistic, such as free libraries, public schools, parks, roads, bridges, etc.

Roads, bridges and other examples of infrastructure benefit everyone, so I have no real problem with these expenditures on the local and state level. However, federal government has no role in such matters.

Libraries, schools and parks only benefit those who utilize them but cost everyone. Again, federal government has no legitimate role in these matters.

Everything you mention would still exist if the federal government didn't help fund them and they would likely be better run by local and state authority than by bureaucrats sitting in Washington.

In colonial times there were also communistic groups such as religious orders that held all property and resources in common. Some of these exist today.

When such things are organized voluntarily, there is no problem. It's when you use the force of government to make such things mandatory that we have tyranny and oppression.

The balance of the best of Socialism and Capitalism was what made America great

No, it was respect for, and protection of, individual rights that made America great. We have abandoned individual rights and embraced collective rights and as we move further away from respecting and protecting individiual rights, we sink further into despotism.

cool heads that were able to discern the best and realize it was always an evolving process.

Evolution vs. Revolution.... Progressives want to "evolve" into the Fascist or Socialist models over time, democraticly of course.

Extremism was the enemy then and is the enemy now.

If calling for government to equally respect and protect the individual rights of all its citizens is Extreme, I shall proudly never be called a "moderate".

The testosterone heads who just want to start a fight no matter what will always be with us. We just don't have to sign up with them.

No, but you are making it mandatory that we sign up with you, using the force of government to violate peoples rights. I don't want to fight, it's people like you that support the violation of rights that have picked the fight, such behavior cannot be tolerated in a civilized society and the violations must end.

If you were to demand that government repect and protect individual rights, then I would have no qualms with you but you don't respect individual rights, instead you call on government to violate the rights of some for the benefit of others.