“21. Steve P.:
Everyone here is a Socialist. All of you. You all pay money to state and federal government so that they can provide the essential services you need to function on a daily basis. If you drive on a road, take public transport, call 911 in an emergency, eat food that has been approved by the FDA, watch public television, collect social security, etc., then you are a Socialist by the very definition that you actively partake in, and benefit from, a system in which the government controls the means of production of a product or service.”
Not entirely accurate Steve. You fail to use the classic definition of socialism. Which is government , pay close attention here Mon Frere, GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP of the means of production of a product or service. Granted thru regulation control can supplant ownership. How ever we are, in many parts, not there yet.
Lets take a look a roads. Government writes a spec for construction and any other concerns(envionmental?) which it may see fit to impose on bidding parties. You or I may then bid to such specs the work. This is no different than any private contract. It is governed by law. Government does not own or control any more than a private party. The winner of the bid owns/controls the means of production. Certainly it is paid for by taxation on fuel. A very user based tax. A fair way we as a whole pay for a product and service. It is not socialism, in fact it is quite Libertarian in this configuration. Every one pays for their use, either in direct fuel taxes or in cost added to goods and services rendered over public roads.. I.E. fuel taxes as a cost of such product and service. Government is simply the clearing house, there are plenty of private run roads too.
Then there is Socialist Insecurity.. er Social Security. No matter your thoughts on how epic fail it is as either a retirement plan, or just as a very expensive insurance plan. It too is funded by those who actually pay in.. I.E. work. Granted it is devolving towards socialism which I think needs one more element to complete the definition of what it is. And that is the “Government Distribution of all production and services”. When you add that you nail socialism down. And that is what this P.O.S. in office now is going for.
“Spread Da Wealth Barrack Spread Da Wealth”.
And that is it for socialism 101.
To recap. It ain’t about government doin’ som’tin’. It be ‘Bout gettin payed by De gov”.. Spread Da ‘ welt bro spread Da’ welt.
