10 Traits Found In Socialists

[ScreamingEagle]

The word “socialism” is code for anything that the ruling elites in your country don't like. If it was called “the public good” it wouldn't attract as much opposition. There's nothing esoteric about the idea, it's where the means of production are owned and controlled by society and not by groups of private individuals, that's my working definition, esoteric notions apart from that are for someone else, not me. My country has a tradition of building the public good and we're better for it. I realise that what I'm seeing is an exploration of traditional American values but I think I'm also seeing a gut reaction to the sort of social change that means the traditional values will have to give way to new values that serve your society better. The elites have done well from their ability to appeal to traditional values which have meant they have been able to exploit non-elites but the cracks are starting to appear. All I would ask is that people think about the issues rather than throw labels around – and that goes for all of us.

The word socialism has real meaning to Americans...it's not just a "code" word....and don't think we would be fooled by using the words "public good" either.... most of us Americans prefer freedom to the bondage of socialism...

Coming from a socialist country you probably don't really understand the negative gut reaction that so many Americans are having to socialist events like the government take-over of GM where Obama fires the CEO and has a "pay-czar" review company bonuses, or the recent passing of national healthcare where the government is mandating that you buy some or go to jail...these are things that are quite alarming to us...

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Capitalism is the system where there is little or no force telling you what to do....that is real freedom which Americans have enjoyed and why America is so amazing....

Freedom? Bondage of socialism? More code words. You might want to check your legislatures and see how the freedom thing is going. Some of the stuff I read here about police abusing their powers and sometimes not abusing their powers, just enforcing existing laws, makes me wonder if you realise what's happened to your “freedom”. As for the “bondage of socialism”, it doesn't make any sense. We all have to work for a living, but in a socialist economy you're not working ridiculous hours to ensure that the purchaser of your labour gets their profit margin. Two weeks vacation? And you reckon you're not in bondage to the owners?

So many inaccuracies. I don't live in a socialist country but since you don't understand the term I suppose you would think that. Government take over of GM? Again totally wrong, check the facts.

Traditional values in America came from English society, they were merely identified in the Constitution.

Try looking for facts instead of code words and code phrases that stop you thinking for yourself.

You live in Australia don't you? Or is it Canada? Hate to break it to ya...but in either case you live in a pretty socialist country as both countries have some form of national healthcare....(trait#10-socialists are in denial)

Yes....the US has many socialist aspects and it has been creeping on us for years....but until the recent dealmaking in DC we did not have a whopping 17% of our economy placed under social control...

So you like socialism because you get 4 or 5 weeks of vacation instead of 2? What a ninny....or should i say a nanny-lover...

Here.... if you own your own business you can take off as much time as you want if you can afford it....or if you got the right skills you can work for a company for a year and then take off for a year and then go back to work for another company....instead of paying out 95% of your money to a socialized STATE...that's freedom...

You refuse to admit that socialism is based in force....(as stated in trait #1).....while capitalism is NOT based in force....

When the means of production and distribution are owned by the collective (the State) you have a more centralized government that tells companies what to do...that is coersion...force....that's what's happened to GM.....despite your head-in-the-sand denials....(trait#10 again)

Much like yourself...socialism is condescending....(traits 4,5,6)....because it takes away your freedom to decide what you want to do with your own money.....the State thinks it knows what's best for you...

Our traditional American values come from a belief in freedom and in God as the highest power...not the State....we broke away from a British monarchy....we believe in freedom of the individual.....which means that other than some basic shared services we do not cotton to socialism which is based on collectivism and statism....not individualism...

In fact a case can be made that socialism is immoral....because it forcibly takes from one and gives to another....simply stated that is compulsory servitude...that is evil....and that is why Jesus was not a socialist....as some idiots seem to think so...i guess that's why socialists think religion, especially Christianity, is stupid (trait #5)

 

[ScreamingEagle]

The word “socialism” is code for anything that the ruling elites in your country don't like. If it was called “the public good” it wouldn't attract as much opposition. There's nothing esoteric about the idea, it's where the means of production are owned and controlled by society and not by groups of private individuals, that's my working definition, esoteric notions apart from that are for someone else, not me. My country has a tradition of building the public good and we're better for it. I realise that what I'm seeing is an exploration of traditional American values but I think I'm also seeing a gut reaction to the sort of social change that means the traditional values will have to give way to new values that serve your society better. The elites have done well from their ability to appeal to traditional values which have meant they have been able to exploit non-elites but the cracks are starting to appear. All I would ask is that people think about the issues rather than throw labels around – and that goes for all of us.

The word socialism has real meaning to Americans...it's not just a "code" word....and don't think we would be fooled by using the words "public good" either.... most of us Americans prefer freedom to the bondage of socialism...

Coming from a socialist country you probably don't really understand the negative gut reaction that so many Americans are having to socialist events like the government take-over of GM where Obama fires the CEO and has a "pay-czar" review company bonuses, or the recent passing of national healthcare where the government is mandating that you buy some or go to jail...these are things that are quite alarming to us...

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Capitalism is the system where there is little or no force telling you what to do....that is real freedom which Americans have enjoyed and why America is so amazing....

Yeah, go on being cave-men. Don't forget to beat your chest while yelling your 'values' as well. Dealing with old, sick and weak should be easy according to your philosophy as well ... just let them die in front of your caves. "One step forward, two steps back." Remember that.

Obviously you have no gray matter to begin with....much less upgrade...

Screaming Chickens. Oh boy, screaming chickens.

Next to jar-heads, the biggest cowards there are.

Next to Marin county fruits and nuts...

 

[Diuretic]

If we want to compete in a world market, for ordinary products, we'll have to become a third world country. China can produce and ship half, way around the world, cheaper than we can produce that product. We've gotten where we are because of entrepreneurs and innovation and technology. We have always been just a step ahead of everyone else. Capitolism allows entrepreneurs and innovation and technology to florish because of the great rewards.

Stifle the freedom to grow rich and soon we will be a third world country.

"Country" and corporations don't mix. A corporation doesn't care about the fate of it's "host" country unless its market falls over. This is where governments come to the fore, they can create public policy that strengthens a national economy.

 

[Diuretic]

What makes you...or anyone for that matter....think you know what the Founders meant? Seems to me political extremes are hell bent on claiming to know what the Founders meant or think or feel about goings on now.

Fact is - you were born some two and half centuries (give or take a few decades) after the main event. I don't think anyone has the right to claim they know what the founders meant when it comes to modern events.

That's why history is important. It's not just about events, it's about the context of those events. The Founding Fathers imported English notions rather than European notions and that was a firm foundation for the new nation. So it's useful to look at how those concepts grew in England from the Norman Conquest to the 18th Century and how the Founding Fathers understood and applied them and intended for them to develop to meet the needs of the nation as it grew beyond the few original colonies hugging the eastern coast and near landmass.

Isn't England in Europe?

It is. But it has had a distinct cultural and political development which is what I was getting at.

 

[Diuretic]

The word socialism has real meaning to Americans...it's not just a "code" word....and don't think we would be fooled by using the words "public good" either.... most of us Americans prefer freedom to the bondage of socialism...

Coming from a socialist country you probably don't really understand the negative gut reaction that so many Americans are having to socialist events like the government take-over of GM where Obama fires the CEO and has a "pay-czar" review company bonuses, or the recent passing of national healthcare where the government is mandating that you buy some or go to jail...these are things that are quite alarming to us...

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Capitalism is the system where there is little or no force telling you what to do....that is real freedom which Americans have enjoyed and why America is so amazing....

Freedom? Bondage of socialism? More code words. You might want to check your legislatures and see how the freedom thing is going. Some of the stuff I read here about police abusing their powers and sometimes not abusing their powers, just enforcing existing laws, makes me wonder if you realise what's happened to your “freedom”. As for the “bondage of socialism”, it doesn't make any sense. We all have to work for a living, but in a socialist economy you're not working ridiculous hours to ensure that the purchaser of your labour gets their profit margin. Two weeks vacation? And you reckon you're not in bondage to the owners?

So many inaccuracies. I don't live in a socialist country but since you don't understand the term I suppose you would think that. Government take over of GM? Again totally wrong, check the facts.

Traditional values in America came from English society, they were merely identified in the Constitution.

Try looking for facts instead of code words and code phrases that stop you thinking for yourself.

You live in Australia don't you? Or is it Canada? Hate to break it to ya...but in either case you live in a pretty socialist country as both countries have some form of national healthcare....(trait#10-socialists are in denial)

Yes....the US has many socialist aspects and it has been creeping on us for years....but until the recent dealmaking in DC we did not have a whopping 17% of our economy placed under social control...

So you like socialism because you get 4 or 5 weeks of vacation instead of 2? What a ninny....or should i say a nanny-lover...

Here.... if you own your own business you can take off as much time as you want if you can afford it....or if you got the right skills you can work for a company for a year and then take off for a year and then go back to work for another company....instead of paying out 95% of your money to a socialized STATE...that's freedom...

You refuse to admit that socialism is based in force....(as stated in trait #1).....while capitalism is NOT based in force....

When the means of production and distribution are owned by the collective (the State) you have a more centralized government that tells companies what to do...that is coersion...force....that's what's happened to GM.....despite your head-in-the-sand denials....(trait#10 again)

Much like yourself...socialism is condescending....(traits 4,5,6)....because it takes away your freedom to decide what you want to do with your own money.....the State thinks it knows what's best for you...

Our traditional American values come from a belief in freedom and in God as the highest power...not the State....we broke away from a British monarchy....we believe in freedom of the individual.....which means that other than some basic shared services we do not cotton to socialism which is based on collectivism and statism....not individualism...

In fact a case can be made that socialism is immoral....because it forcibly takes from one and gives to another....simply stated that is compulsory servitude...that is evil....and that is why Jesus was not a socialist....as some idiots seem to think so...i guess that's why socialists think religion, especially Christianity, is stupid (trait #5)

Where to start?

I live in Australia. We are not socialist. We have, like the US, a mixed economy. Here, from the Heritage Foundation - Sound macroeconomic policies and well-implemented structural reforms have allowed the Australian economy to weather the recent global financial and economic crisis better than many other advanced economies. Facilitated by robust supervision and sound regulation, Australia’s banks have coped well with the financial turmoil. Unemployment has been rising since the start of 2009 but remains well below the OECD average. With growth recovering, the government’s temporary stimulus measures are scheduled to phase out in 2010.– I think if we were socialist we wouldn't be number 3.

Vacation. I get six weeks. The standard is four. That's for working people. I wasn't referring to business owners, anyway most of the ones I know don't take much leave, they're either too busy or they don't trust their replacements. But the point is that if the American worker only gets 2 weeks leave a year then they're not enjoying a very good quality of life. I like my work but I work to live, not the other way around.

Socialism isn't “based in force”. It's an economic system that doesn't feature exploitation of the working person as does capitalism. The force to which you refer can be applied regardless of economic system.

What's wrong with more leave? If you put up with 2 weeks and like it then you're a bloody idiot.

GM went bankrupt. That's what happened to GM. It was bailed out by government loans, it wasn't socialised. But then socialising the losses is what capitalists expect of government.

Condescending? You have to be kidding, you wouldn't want me to even begin to be condescending.

Your values are those of 18th Century England. I don't understand why some Americans fail to understand their cultural origins, perhaps the study of English history might help. There, I hope that wasn't too condescending.

Socialism isn't immoral. It doesn't take away from anyone to give to someone else.
Again, you misunderstand what it is, small wonder you favour the misrepresentation in the quoted extract.

 

[Father Time]

I don't like socialism but this list is just stupid.

A socialist is someone who believes that total government control of the economy and/or redistribution of wealth is the best, that's about it.

Nothing in that belief would make them more likely to be racists or hypocrites, or smug or whatever.

So unless you got a poll backing any of this crap up you're just talking out of your ass.

 

[Coyote]

The word socialism has real meaning to Americans...it's not just a "code" word....and don't think we would be fooled by using the words "public good" either.... most of us Americans prefer freedom to the bondage of socialism...

Who is this "most of us"? Many people support our "socialized" school system for example. Many people support some form of welfare, social security, disability and medicare/medicaid. Many people also supported a public option in the healthcare bill.

So...who is most of us?

Coming from a socialist country you probably don't really understand the negative gut reaction that so many Americans are having to socialist events like the government take-over of GM where Obama fires the CEO and has a "pay-czar" review company bonuses, or the recent passing of national healthcare where the government is mandating that you buy some or go to jail...these are things that are quite alarming to us...

They are only alarming because of the rightwingnuts making it something more than it is. The objection to the government "take over" (which isn't even an accurate term) had little to do with "socialism" and more to do with putting good money after bad - using taxpayer money to bail out yet another auto industry.

Obama fired the CEO? Huh?

Buy health care or go to jail? Huh? I have heard nothing about jail terms.

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

"Traditional value" also meant no unions, no minimum wage, no labor laws, women stayed home and raised families, and you owed your soul to the company store. Good times.

Capitalism is the system where there is little or no force telling you what to do....that is real freedom which Americans have enjoyed and why America is so amazing....

Total bullshit. Like socialism, capitalism has it's deep flaws. Try telling the minor, who must toe the line in terms of safety, wages, working hours - because the company owns his house, grocery bill, and pretty much the entire town and is the only job in town that there is "little or no force telling you what to do". What about those wonderful sweatshops? Socialism means the government tells you what to do and capitalism means the market - through it's corpulant corporate enties tells you what to do.

Socialism, at it's extreme is no bed of roses. Capitalism, at it's extreme is just as rotten.

 

[Father Time]

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Ok why are you tying to drag religion into this? There is no link between Christianity and capitalism.

Also you REALLY can't call it our Christian religion when so many people here don't believe.

 

[emilynghiem]

1. The socialist workers (who even opposed Clinton as a corporate sellout) don't want slavery but don't want any bosses ruling over workers at all. They consider capitalism to be enslaving workers, and believe in worker-managed coops and unions. Face it, if the government were truly of, for and by the people both the socialists, Christians, and Constitutionalists would all be satisfied, because the people would run their own government and own their own production and property, not some oligarchal class dictating from top down management. The people would be under one law, by free choice and "consent of the governed," which would be both Constitutional and Christian.

3. The anarchists, socialists, and communists I know blame class not race for dividing people. You can say they are equally classists, by stereotyping capitalists as oppressive instead of seeking and having faith in free enterprise/free market solutions. Many of them may blame Christianity (as one friend of mine who blames the church for teaching the poor to accept injustice and oppression in exchange for heavenly rewards in the next life), but there are also Christian anarchists, Christian socialists, and other Christian leftists (such as Catholic liberation theologists and peace and justice activists) who align with Christianity.

5. As for religion/Christianity, even Hitler and the socialist workers party took breaks in between running their death camps, to stop and sing Christian hymns as a church choir. I saw this footage in the video of Peter Loth's outreach on healing and forgiveness.

6. Socialists (communists and anarchists) I know seek to educate and liberate the public - instead of blaming race and religion, recognizing it is a class war. But they disagree on where to point to blame and to solutions. Every group does this in their own way. They all think their group is educating people, and the others are in denial and oppressing them.

True social justice will liberate humanity both spiritually and politically/economically. So eventually all these groups and goals will have to align and work together in harmony.

Division is the real enemy, not each other. (See also, Dr. MLK quote below on men hating each other because they are separated from each other and do not know each other....)

Agree or disagree...?

2.Socialists believe in slavery. Their concept is not the slavery of an individual owning another individual, but of a state owning the output of the individual. We are now forced to work four months out of the year for the federal government before we see a dime of our own income, and it's getting worse. Our new administrtion has just indebted every family an additional $11,000 without our permission or approval. This is economic slavery. (If you don't believe me, watch what happens if you don't pay your taxes. See No. 1 above.)

3.Socialists are racists. The content of the character doesn't matter; it's all about the color of the skin. Read the e-mail I received in response to last week's column, in which the writer somehow made the extraordinary leap in logic from my premise of government fiscal irresponsibility to William Byrd whipping slaves three centuries ago. Yes, Byrd was a nasty man. But what on earth did that have to do with the topic of my column? This illustrates that socialists will always bring up the subject of race, regardless of the prevailing drift of the conversation.
Most people tend to look at the content of peoples' character rather than the color of their skin. If someone is honest, hardworking and decent, then who cares what he looks like? But if they're angry, abusive and violent … then sorry, the content of their character is demonstrating that they're not people to associate with, regardless of skin color. Conservatives – true conservatives – really don't give a diddly darn about someone's melanin content. As columnist Burt Prelutsky put it, "… most white Americans don't spend a lot of time dwelling on anyone's race. They're much too busy trying to make a living and raise their kids."

5.Socialists think religion, especially Christianity, is stupid and nothing but a prop for the unwashed masses. Why else would they forbid expressions of faith anywhere except (grudgingly) within the walls of a church? Religious people are seen as uneducated, primitive, bitterly-clinging troglodytes.

6.Socialists believe in an ignorant society. How else can we explain their slavish devotion to a public school system that is so dumbed down that students can't read their own diplomas? Socialists know an ignorant society is good. Useful idiots are more amenable to dominance than citizens who have read and understood the documents of the Founding Fathers.
Sibby Online: Socialist traits

[/QUOTE]

"Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they do not know each other; they do not know each other because they cannot communicate; they cannot communicate because they are separated." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

I don't like socialism but this list is just stupid.

A socialist is someone who believes that total government control of the economy and/or redistribution of wealth is the best, that's about it..

Not quite. A socialist can simply be one who finds the socialist stage of development to be the goal. This generally implies a mixed economy, not a nationalized economy.

 

[emilynghiem]

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Ok why are you tying to drag religion into this? There is no link between Christianity and capitalism.

Also you REALLY can't call it our Christian religion when so many people here don't believe.

Some links between Christianity and capitalism
1. belief in free will and freedom to create as given by God
2. faith in the "abundance mentality" where service and charity in the spirit of thanks builds a successful life where needs are met and there is no need for greed or fear

Note: these can also be abused to be unjust or antichristian
1. abusing the belief that being blessed or "favored" by God correlates with riches so that people are judged by appearance instead of spirit of charity and good will towards all
2. abusing the idea of forgiving by the poor and persecuted by oppressors to falsely justify injustice based on faith on spiritual rewards in heaven for wrongs on earth (instead of seeking correction and restitution by civil laws which are equally valid as sacred laws)

P.S. Most people I know believe in some concept of "Justice" and "Truth" which Jesus and God represent. The same concepts in Christianity translate into secular and civil laws too!

 

[DiamondDave]

[No.. if you noticed, nowhere did I say the populace should be forced to provide for the education of others... I support voluntary means of funding a system for educating minors... I did not support forcing parents to use the public school system.... I do support communities choosing how they would wish to fund a schooling system for minors.. and with the communities choosing, if you do not like how it is done in your community, you can freely move to another that more closely mirrors what you wish to do... at a federal level, you do not have the choice to go somewhere else as an American

Every growing socialism is indeed wrong... more powers out of the hands of individuals and into the hands of government is indeed wrong

But note also that things such as community law enforcement, military compensation for work delivered, etc is not being socialist... as many on the far left try to mistakenly argue

A public education system run by the government funded by 'forced' taxes is no different that a public defense system run by the government funded by 'forced' taxes.

If one is socialism, so is the other.

WRONG

Funny thing is that I did not call education socialism... nice attempt, but that don't fly

And the fed dealing with the military is written SPECIFICALLY in the Constitution.... and it is far from being socialist in nature... although the lefties like to try and make it seem like pay earned by military personnel equated to entitlement programs

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Some links between Christianity and capitalism
1. belief in free will and freedom to create as given by God

Where did you get your definition of Capitalism, that it says anything about God?

 

[Meister]

Some links between Christianity and capitalism
1. belief in free will and freedom to create as given by God

Where did you get your definition of Capitalism, that it says anything about God?

Oh brother, here we go again....the hater raising his/her head

 

[Vanquish]

The conservative sheep won't ever wake up to the fact that they are misusing the term socialist.

Several of us have debunked the idea that what's being proposed here in America is some radical socialist agenda...but the cons won't listen.

This thread is so full of fail.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

Some links between Christianity and capitalism
1. belief in free will and freedom to create as given by God

Where did you get your definition of Capitalism, that it says anything about God?

Oh brother, here we go again....the hater raising his/her head

Are you simple?

 

[Coyote]

Traditional values here are closely tied with our Constitution and our Christian religion. Capitalism is the free market system that does well with these...not socialism...we have no desire to let go of our traditional laws and values...

Ok why are you tying to drag religion into this? There is no link between Christianity and capitalism.

Also you REALLY can't call it our Christian religion when so many people here don't believe.

Exactly...and there is no link between Christianity and any particular form of government...at least if you believe "“Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s” ...

 

[Alpha1]

This person obviously doesn't know what socialism really is.

Can't read ? The post is about "socialists" not socialism

About individual traits...not a form of government

Totally lame

Do you really have any idea of what socialism is? We could easily substitute the word "Republican" for "Socialist" and be just as accurate

1. Republicans believe in use of force to gain their personal ends

2. Republicans believe in slavery

3. Republicans are racist

need more??

Obvious proof of # 10.....Socialists are in denial...
Along with # 6 and # 9.....They are ignorant and hypocrites....

 

[Coyote]

Some links between Christianity and capitalism
1. belief in free will and freedom to create as given by God

Weak. Free will? Up to a point. Christianity also advocates obedience to authority, and there is little that Jesus preached that could be called "capitalism" (or any other form of government or economical system). He repeatedly said his was not an earthly kingdom.

He also believed in justice and equality of treatment for all people. That does not fit in well a capitalistic economy where "equality" is determined by money.

2. faith in the "abundance mentality" where service and charity in the spirit of thanks builds a successful life where needs are met and there is no need for greed or fear

Capitalism is amoral - it has no moral compass, and is neither moral nor immoral. It simply is a system which when unregulated recognizes the following:
- the importance of unrestricted individual rights
- the importance of individual property rights
- the right to engage in unrestricted free enterprise and keep the profits of your work

It is a centered around the individual and, at it's extreme embraces survival of the fittest.

How does that fit in with Jesus who spoke for the poor and protected the weak?

Note: these can also be abused to be unjust or antichristian
1. abusing the belief that being blessed or "favored" by God correlates with riches so that people are judged by appearance instead of spirit of charity and good will towards all
2. abusing the idea of forgiving by the poor and persecuted by oppressors to falsely justify injustice based on faith on spiritual rewards in heaven for wrongs on earth (instead of seeking correction and restitution by civil laws which are equally valid as sacred laws)

P.S. Most people I know believe in some concept of "Justice" and "Truth" which Jesus and God represent. The same concepts in Christianity translate into secular and civil laws too!

The reason they do is because they are concepts not unique to Christianity but to any moral philosophy.

 

[Coyote]

This person obviously doesn't know what socialism really is.

Can't read ? The post is about "socialists" not socialism

About individual traits...not a form of government

Totally lame

Do you really have any idea of what socialism is? We could easily substitute the word "Republican" for "Socialist" and be just as accurate

1. Republicans believe in use of force to gain their personal ends

2. Republicans believe in slavery

3. Republicans are racist

need more??

Obvious proof of # 10.....Socialists are in denial...
Along with # 6 and # 9.....They are ignorant and hypocrites....

That can describe many people...including, I suspect, you.

Socialism: a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

Socialist: an advocate or supporter of socialism

I don't see how you can seperate one from the other.