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Which of these socialist programs should be eliminated?

Which of these socialist programs should we eliminate?

  • Public libraries

    Votes: 9 40.9%
  • Public parks

    Votes: 7 31.8%
  • Public education

    Votes: 14 63.6%
  • VA hospitals

    Votes: 8 36.4%
  • Social Security

    Votes: 19 86.4%
  • Medicare

    Votes: 17 77.3%

  • Total voters
    22

Groucho

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For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

If you do not choose all of them, please explain why.
 
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For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

If you do not answer "all" please explain why.
I don't see a poll. :confused:

EDIT: I guess I was early.
 
What no welfare or the money given to groups like Planned Parenthood,Acorn and La Raza?
 
What no welfare or the money given to groups like Planned Parenthood,Acorn and La Raza?

Or how about the money given to Wall Street bankers for executive bonuses or given to defense contractors?
 
For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

If you do not choose all of them, please explain why.

Not sure what your point is. If I created a similar poll asking proponents of national health care to say whether or not they supported things like socialized food, socialized housing, and a socialized economy, I would wager that most of them would say that they did not. Have I uncovered some brilliant failing in their logic? Of course not.
 
Not sure what your point is. If I created a similar poll asking proponents of national health care to say whether or not they supported things like socialized food, socialized housing, and a socialized economy, I would wager that most of them would say that they did not. Have I uncovered some brilliant failing in their logic? Of course not.

You make it sound as though the right-wing does not routinely object to the principle of socialization.
 
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You make it sound as though the right-wing does not routinely object to the principle of socialization.

Again, what does that have to do with my point? I don't know any politicians who are advocating for a 100% socialized system just like I don't know any who are advocating for a 100% capitalist system. The fact that a politician objects to one particular iteration of socialism in one particular sector does not mean that it's hypocritical for them to support it in another.
 
Public libraries. education and parks for the most part of state concerns and do not violate the tenth amendment.

Socialist security, Medicaire and Medicaid clearly are unconstitutional under the tenth amendment and should never been allowed in the first place. VA hospitals while "socialist" in some aspects are a benefit for serving and are clearly legitimate under congressional power to raise and equip a federal army.
 
Again, what does that have to do with my point? I don't know any politicians who are advocating for a 100% socialized system just like I don't know any who are advocating for a 100% capitalist system. The fact that a politician objects to one particular iteration of socialism in one particular sector does not mean that it's hypocritical for them to support it in another.

Regardless of whether or it advocates a %100 capitalist system, the Republican Party hasn't made an argument to justify its passion against socialism if it is willing to accept such a very high degree in so many industries.

The question is supposed to provoke reflection among people who decry socialization or who turn popular indignation against socialization into political capital; if socialization can exist in some sense without being an abomination, then what is it about socialization that is so objectionable? The more exceptions we make the less black-and-white we can consider the issue. If you start saying these programs need to be socialized because they have a utilitarian benefit, then it is difficult to protest against any socialization which has a good chance of a utilitarian benefit.
 
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For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

If you do not choose all of them, please explain why.

Your list of entitlements have one advantage over the typical HC proposed last year...

Our out-of-pocket costs (taxes) are minimul, and we are not threatened with penalties if we opt out of using these programs. Last year's Obamacare was going to cost me far more than the taxes I put out for parks, libraries, Medicare, SS, etc.
 
Yes, there are a few things which the government rather than the private market should do. However, you have to make a really, really good logical case for any thing which you think should be socialized that the private market is already responsible for. So far I have yet to hear such a case for health care; they've all been emotional (i.e. people NEED it!!!)
 
None of the above. All of the listed programs should continue.
 
I'm on the fence with libraries and the VA hospitals.
A lot of people use libraries for free movie rentals and the VA could be more efficient if veterans were given an insurance card instead of them managing the hospitals.

Public education- I can't agree with it, an institution that resembles a prison.
It's to rigid, does some mental conditioning and I think there are much better ways to educate people.

Social Security- It serves no real purpose.
It takes people out of the work force to create the illusion of full employment and it is a disincentive for people to save for retirement.
It has been horribly mismanaged as well.

Medicare- There was no purpose for it's creation, other than to create a large niche voter group to pander to.
 
Not sure what your point is. If I created a similar poll asking proponents of national health care to say whether or not they supported things like socialized food, socialized housing, and a socialized economy, I would wager that most of them would say that they did not. Have I uncovered some brilliant failing in their logic? Of course not.

This poll was meant for those people who object to a national health care policy SOLELY because "it's socialism". I understand that there are other legitimate reasons not to want it, but if your only reason is "socialism" then you have to explain why you agree with other forms of socialism.

That's the hypocrisy this post was meant to address.
 
The VA system isn't socialism.

Socialism is the theft of wealth from those who earned it to provide unearned benefits for third parties.

The veterans earned their medical benefits.
 
This poll was meant for those people who object to a national health care policy SOLELY because "it's socialism".

That's a significant reason.

Socialism is unconstitutional.

I understand that there are other legitimate reasons not to want it, but if your only reason is "socialism" then you have to explain why you agree with other forms of socialism.

What hypocrisy?

I voted on your poll to get rid of all the socialist programs you listed, and kept the one program you listed that wasn't socialist.
 
For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

If you do not choose all of them, please explain why.

Where is the "none of them" option? :confused:
 
Alright, then please explain why you have no problem with these other programs because of socialism but do for health care because of socialism.

I have no problem with any of the programs listed...

I totally support goverment/socialist healthcare.
 
I have no problem with any of the programs listed...

I totally support goverment/socialist healthcare.

...then the poll wasn't for you! :)

In the first post, I said this: For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?
 
...then the poll wasn't for you! :)

In the first post, I said this: For those of you who cannot stand the idea of a national health care program because it's socialism, which of these other socialist programs do you think we should eliminate?

Ahh, just read the poll question and the headline of the thread... Sorry.


Anyways how about the military expenditure then? Thats also socialism in a way, especially the way its set up in the US.. Also defense expenditures are about equal to all social security expenditures.

What should the money be used for if cutting "social security" for example, and is it justified to cut social security spendings without trimming the defense budget considerably?

I mean, on a human side of this, what is more justified? spending on social security or defense(which isnt really defense anymore)..
 
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Ahh, just read the poll question and the headline of the thread... Sorry.


Anyways how about the military expenditure then? Thats also socialism in a way, especially the way its set up in the US..

No, that's national defense.

Socialism is the threat to the nation, not the army.

Also defense expenditures are about equal to all social security expenditures.

But defense expenditures usually constitutional, socialist security is not constitutional.

What should the money be used for if cutting "social security" for example,

Paying down the debt, then cutting taxes.

There's no particular reason why the government should be spending the people's money when the people are perfectly capable of spending it themselves if they want to.

and is it justified to cut social security spendings without trimming the defense budget considerably?

Yes. Socialist Security should be cut by 100%. The Defense Budget should be reviewed annually and only those necessary expenditures should be made. I'd say we should have a committee looking at this, but we already do, we just need to make Congress do their job for a change.

I mean, on a human side of this, what is more justified?

National defense.

There is no justification for socialism.
 
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