Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Bernie Says
Date:	6/11/2019 8:23:55 PM

that people want socialism.  He went on to talk about his health care big idea that would cost TRILLIONS of dollars to implement.  Another democrat, Karmela Harris's "big" idea is to give a big raise to teachers and that money would come from an state education tax. They deserve this because their pay is behind similarly educated professions.  What no one talks about is the quality of the educators and administrators that run schools.  I can't wait to hear more about these "big ideas".  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/11/2019 9:30:57 PM

Isn't it a sad spectacle watching all these Dems compete to see who can give away the most "free" stuff?  A pretty cynical view of the voters and we shall see if it is successful.  For sure given the looniness of the left base of the Democrat party they all need to try to give away as much as possible.  More interesting is to see how Crazy Joe handles the base.  He's already flip flopped on the Hyde Amendment and I suspect that's just the beginning.  It's a clown car filled with 22 clowns and a sorry example of ambition over principle....to the extent any of them have any principles worth admiring.  Power, wealth and public acclaim are a pretty intoxicating mix.  Just ask the Clintons......

Name:	GoneFishin -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/11/2019 10:33:40 PM

The candidate will be left of center. Socialism is not the answer. I just hope supporters of the losing candidates realize the goal is to defeat "The Clown".

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/11/2019 11:41:30 PM

Maybe so, but I'm not as sure as you are that the Democrat party base will go with a centrist.  Frankly, I think in 2016 if the DNC hadn't rigged the primary for Hillary, Bernie would have gotten the nomination.  Considering everything that we've seen since then I am pretty sure that they have gone further left. And if you look at the current clown car of candidates someone like Biden might seem reasonable but it's only because of who he's running against for the nomination.  I'll be surprised if they go with him because I think they see him as Hillary redux.  They really believe that they can beat Trump as socialists.  They are that clueless.

Name:	Buteye -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/12/2019 12:07:17 AM (updated 6/12/2019 12:14:37 AM)

What would it take for you to acknowledge the fact that most of the major categories of our country's government are experiencing measurable highs under President Trump"s leadership, all which have been accomplished with nothing but "obstruction" from Democrats. It is "shameful" to witness the failure of the members of Congress(Democrats) who have failed to carry out the responsibilities given to them by the "electorate" to pass laws that control "illegal" immigration into the United States. It does no good to continue to summarize all the "harm" that is resulting from the failure to "protect" our borders. There is now evidence that people from "various" countries are being flown to our Southern Border and entering the United States. Any "person" who is supportive of "illegal" immigrants entering this country should be given a "one way" ticket Venezuela. The "same" can be said for those who favor "socialism" over "capitalism". What other "countries" allow "illegal" immigrants to enter at "will"?

Name:	GoneFishin -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/12/2019 12:08:18 AM

DUMP TRUMP IN 2020............

Name:	phil -	Reply
Subject:	Buying votes is expensive
Date:	6/12/2019 8:38:57 AM

She was already defeated last election

Name:	Old Diver -	Reply
Subject:	Next Election
Date:	6/12/2019 10:20:09 AM

   It will be interesting to see the Democrats defend socialism, open borders, trying to impeach/jail Trump, bad mouth the booming economy, opposing voter I D, international treaty success and a number of other successes. Just think what Preident Trump could do for America if the left didn't attempt to obstruct in every way possible. 

  Has anyone ever heard of a party violating their oath of office so blatantly?  Time to march on Washington!

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Next Election
Date:	6/12/2019 11:30:46 AM

I read a Washington Post article today that Trump is being beaten terribly in internet polls.  You already know that I think polls are meaningless because it is so subjective.  It would be amazing to see what Trump might accomplish if Congress would get out of the way.  I for one, don't want socialism.  It doesn't work anywhere, so I don't know why anyone would think it would work here.  No one ever talks about the down side of socialist medical care - the long wait for appointments and procedures, the quality of the Drs, and the high tax rates that support such a system.  Is it any wonder that all those highly paid actors and rock stars take up residency in the U.S. as soon as they start earning big money?  

Name:	phil -	Reply
Subject:	Next Election
Date:	6/12/2019 12:46:06 PM

They do it daily now, it will just get more of the same - they ignore the good, what they can not ignore they say Obama was responsible for and something about Hitler and Watergate.

Name:	phil -	Reply
Subject:	Next Election
Date:	6/12/2019 12:47:39 PM

Just imagine how bad it can be as they race further and further left to out left each other up to the primary.  Joe Biden is already promising to cure cancer.

Name:	johndoe -	Reply
Subject:	It's long past time to re-center
Date:	6/12/2019 4:32:14 PM (updated 6/12/2019 5:04:04 PM)

Given that politics and government at Federal and State levels have steadily moved rightward since the mid-1970s, but the vast majority of the population has not, what is now called "centrism" is actually Republican Lite, IOW, crony socialism for the elites but hard-nosed, cruel feudalism (falsely called "capitalism") for working people. True centrism is embodied by the candidates whose policies are both well-articulated and supported by a majority of the American public.

Before you start throwing around the word "socialism" as if it's intrinsically evil, you need to answer the following questions, among others:

1. Is graduated income tax evil?

2. Is Social Security evil?

3. Is Medicare evil?

4. Are public schools evil?

5. Are public firefighting organizations evil?

6. Are public roads evil?

7. Are national parks evil?

All of the above programs - and many, many more - are socialist by definition. In addition, the Federal bailout of huge US banks while forcing individual homeowners to fend for themselves, tax subsidies given to the largest and most profitable corporations in the world, compensatory payments offered to US farmers to compensate for the damage Individual 1's tariffs are causing, and many other programs which provide no benefit whatever to working Americans are also socialist by definition.

Name:	Shortbus -	Reply
Subject:	Next Election
Date:	6/12/2019 7:16:29 PM

Diver, if everyone was just like me, there would be 300 million Harleys parked in DC.

A very few folks would politely be asked to clean out their desks...................

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	It's long past time to re-center
Date:	6/12/2019 7:46:57 PM

Well, if you want to split hairs, then perhaps you would like to go live in Russia for a year and then come back and tell us how wonderful it was. 

I can appreciate the points are you making - but is doesn't mean that a lot of them are good for our country.  We have a big deficet, due to continuing to funding these things without questioning whether we can afford these things.  Most of it is about votes - no one can touch medicare or medicaid because eliminating these programs would be too costly in terms of votes.  See therein lies the problem - there is no incentive to work harder and make more money if it will all be taxed away, for people who never got the education, didn't develop the skills or have no ambition to even try to make a major contribution to society.

And we already know that Bernie has no problem taking gifts that benefit only him, tax free.

Name:	wix -	Reply
Subject:	jd-COPY AND PASTE
Date:	6/12/2019 9:18:16 PM

More of your same old BS.  You forgot more of the dimokraps “socialist BS” programs.....medicaid, food stamps, etc, all da dimokrap freebies are already socialized beyond belief.  Now biggest idiot is gonna cure cancer!  Are liberals really this stupid?

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	I don't think you know what you're talking about
Date:	6/12/2019 10:39:05 PM

Here is the actual dictionary definition of socialism, of which you are apparently totally ignorant:

socialism

• n.
  Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy.
• n.
  The stage in Marxist-Leninist theory intermediate between capitalism and communism, in which the means of production are collectively owned but a completely classless society has not yet been achieved.

I know this may be hard for you to get, but social programs are not socialism.  Everyone except anarchists and a few fringe libertarians beleive that government has a proper role in society.  We also understand the need for taxes to pay for those things that are the proper role of government.  National defense, infrastructure, police and firefighting, etc. all fall within this proper role.  None of these things are socialism.  

As for your list, here are my thoughts:

1. Is graduated income tax evil?  Not socialism because it has nothing to do with collective ownership of the means of production.  Evil only when it is used to punish the productive in order to buy votes.  You know, rob Peter to pay Paul and you can count on the support of Paul.

2. Is Social Security evil?  Likewise not socialism.  And not evil per se, just a ponzi scheme scam that has robbed hundreds of millions of Americans of any hope for a secure retirement.

3. Is Medicare evil?  Likewise not socialism, but it is going bankrupt.  Gov't at its finest.

4. Are public schools evil?  Not socialism either and the proper role of local government, with the emphasis on "local".

5. Are public firefighting organizations evil?  Nope, but they aren't socialism and are the proper role of local government.

6. Are public roads evil?  Nope, not evil or socialism and clearly the proper role of government.  I would also point out that the vast majority of public roads are built by private companies under contract to the local, state of Federal government.  You're welcome.

7. Are national parks evil?  Not in the least and not socialism either.

It's really humiliating to see how ignorant left wing nuts are about these things.  It would be funny if you weren't able to vote.  Educate yourself about what socialism is, how many tens of millions to hundreds of millions died in the 20th century in the pursuit of socialist utopia.....you know, all for the benefit of the masses.....well, except the ones that died in the gulags and the killing fields.  And educate yourself on the so-called socialist utopias in Europe that we hear so much about.  What you will find are capitalist economies where private ownership of the means of production are protected  but come with high taxation and large social program spending.  All on the backs of privately owned means of production.  I suggest you request a refund from your gov't school.....they have failed you miserably.

Name:	wix -	Reply
Subject:	Excellent, wish he’d read it!
Date:	6/12/2019 10:58:28 PM

jd seems to just find stuff that may be remotely related to the subject and just copy and paste.  Really typical of all liberal idiots on this forum.

Name:	johndoe -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/13/2019 1:20:12 AM

You didn't refute a single point, and you left out a major component of the definition:

Policy or practice based on the political and economic theory of socialism.

The words "socialism" and "capitalism" are textbook abstractions used to argue economic theory in classrooms. There never has been, nor can there ever be, an ideologically pure economy or society. The closest example of pure capitalism is the feudalism of the Dark Ages. OTOH, all economies - even "socialist" ones - have markets. All viable societies and economies have elements of both.

Name:	Shortbus -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/13/2019 1:38:43 AM

Venezuela.

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Doubling down on dumb? Tsk, tsk....
Date:	6/13/2019 8:33:46 AM

Honestly, I had thought you would at least not double down.  The essential element of socialism is collective or government ownership of the means of production.  And it has failed everywhere it's been tried with just the latest example in Venezuala.  As for my definition, it came right from the dictionary, although I realize that left wing nuts don't feel constrained by facts, logic or reason.....hence we get men calling themselves a girl and vice versa along with other craziness.

Sorry, but there is not one socialist country in western Europe.  They are capitalist economic systems that protect private property that have large social program spending.  And of course the cost of that spending is high unemployment, high taxes (on income and consumption), etc.  But they voted for it and if that's what they want then so be it.  Whether our indoctrination system....er, um.....our education system has dumbed down enough people to get them to want the same thing in the U.S. remains to be seen, although I'm not optimistic.  de'Toqueville predicted that once people figured out they could use their vote to gain access to the treasury it was all over.  And Democrats are certainly falling all over each other to sell them that lie.  "Free" health care, "free" college, "free", "free", "free"!!!  It's like a miracle gift from the gov't......so please be dumb and vote for me!!!!

If you can't understand all this I cannot help you.  

Name:	Shortbus -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/20/2019 4:00:57 PM

https://www.teapartypatriotsaction.org/hfa-donate/?amount=25,50,100&mid=40207&id=T15PmwFNZKPdwdtSPQ

Name:	Buteye -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/21/2019 12:47:51 AM (updated 6/21/2019 12:51:17 AM)

I suggest that everyone watch this 10 minute video. It features a professional and successful home builder in Venezulea who relates to the history of how Venezulea became a very wealthy and progressive country until its recent downfall as a result of "socialism". This video should be a "mandatory" showing for all members of Congress and even offer them an "expense paid trip" with the only stipulation that they provide a "report" on their "free" vacation.

Name:	phil -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/24/2019 8:38:27 AM

with the only stipulation that they provide a "report" on their "free" vacation 

Considering the low approval numbers of Congress, and many of the Demonrats who want us to follow the socialist example can we send them and the only stipulation be we leave them there?

Name:	Buteye -	Reply
Subject:	You don't think, period.
Date:	6/24/2019 3:22:33 PM

Your recommended solution is much better than I suggested. I don't know why I even thought about giving them an option of returning to the United States.