In U.S., Socialist Presidential Candidates Least Appealing

[Clark Kent]

Good. Socialism has no place in America, or anywhere for that matter.

[Clark Kent]

Good. Socialism has no place in America, or anywhere for that matter.

What makes you say that?

Because socialism takes away economic freedom and makes people dependent on the government, does not work and ruins the economies of nations where it is tried, serves as a prelude to communism, and is overall an evil ideology.

[Clark Kent]

Good. Socialism has no place in America, or anywhere for that matter.

What makes you say that?

Because socialism takes away economic freedom and makes people dependent on the government, does not work and ruins the economies of nations where it is tried, serves as a prelude to communism, and is overall an evil ideology.

I successfully guessed you were 16 based on this comment.

And what difference would that make?

[Clark Kent]

America at large doesn't know what socialism is. They associate it with communism.

Actually, most of them probably inanely think like the poster above me. The average American would change their tune quite rapidly once said (Democratic) Socialist implemented his policies.

I know the difference between liberalism and socialism. I also know the "difference" between socialism and communism. The only difference between the two is that socialism pretends to still support freedom, while communism is at least honest about its totalitarianism. "Democratic socialism" and "social democracy" are oxymorons.

Even if Sanders doesn't intentionally try to eliminate the Constitution, if he becomes president, he will bankrupt the country and send us into a worse depression than 1929-1941, one we may never get out of.

[Clark Kent]

Good. Socialism has no place in America, or anywhere for that matter.

What makes you say that?

Because socialism takes away economic freedom and makes people dependent on the government, does not work and ruins the economies of nations where it is tried, serves as a prelude to communism, and is overall an evil ideology.

I successfully guessed you were 16 based on this comment.

And what difference would that make?

You'll think differently when you turn 18 and realize that the world really loves sh**tting on people who think like you do.

Unless, of course, you've got a silver spoon in hand.

Socialism is evil and I will never change my mind on that.

[Clark Kent]

economic freedom

This is not an actual concept.

Says the commie.

[Clark Kent]

Clark, saying socialism is evil for those reasons is like saying cancer is bad because it makes you feel bad. You have to some deeper arguments.

And yes, economic freedom is a concept. I call it the golden rule-he who has got the gold makes the rules. It's been like that since the dawn of civilization and will remain that way in some manner under communism or capitalism.

Nobody supporting socialism here has given any arguments, either.

But fine.

Historically, socialism has never worked. In addition to the obvious examples of the Eastern Bloc during World War II, socialism has also failed in modern-day Europe, which is suffering far worse than the much more capitalistic United States, and, prior to the early 1990s, India and even "socialist utopia" Sweden, which only recovered from their recession by reforming to a less socialistic model.

Socialism slows down economic growth. It causes unemployment to rise by raising taxes to an unsustainable level. It makes the people dependent on the government by having the government provide everything, funded by taxpayers. Socialism requires the establishment of a nanny state and increased authoritarianism to function. Socialism is ineffective because the government is inherently inefficient at managing industries. Just look at AmTrak, which has never turned a profit.

Finally, socialism is bad because it increases government overreach. My views on welfare can be summed up as "Government has the responsibility to provide what individual citizens cannot do for themselves", but socialism goes far beyond that and attempts to provide all basic necessities for everyone even if they can afford it themselves, resulting in a secure life where all basic needs are met, but people live in perpetual poverty.

[Clark Kent]

You see, I agree with you that Social Security is socialism. That's why I believe that it should be phased out into private plans.

[Clark Kent]

My views on welfare can be summed up as "Government has the responsibility to provide what individual citizens cannot do for themselves".

Let's isolate this bit and pick it apart a bit.

So you believe government has the responsibility to provide what citizens cannot do for themselves. Presumably this means something like a minimum standard of living. So government, through tax revenues, has the responsibility to bring up citizens who fall below that minimum to that minimum (I assume you'd put a caveat on there that they'd have to be willing to work, not just lazy, etc. Not operative for this discussion).

Take, then, the example of a person working a minimum wage job at Walmart. You're saying it's the government's job to provide for that individual the difference between what he makes and what we've decided to define as the minimum standard of living. That difference is to be made up out of tax revenues, distributed over the whole tax base, presumably. But in the meantime, the beneficiary is the employer, who gets to pocket the difference between what they pay the employee and the minimum standard of living. The government basically agrees to subsidize wages so that low-wage employers don't have to worry at all about providing their workers a living wage.

You might argue that in a free market, those workers' wages have been determined by the market and who are we to impose controls on wages? But the implicit backstop of wage support for low wage workers acts as a distortion. Low wage employers know it's there.

The government has a responsibility to make sure that people don't die. Food stamps, subsidized healthcare for the poor, and homeless shelters can be accepted. Single payer health care and "free money" are not. I do support a slight increase in the federal minimum wage, as long as it's accompanied by a tax cut.

[Clark Kent]

I wonder if ClarkKent knows that Golden Age Superman was a New Dealer.

I know that. I also know that Ronald Reagan started as a New Dealer. People change.