Can we have a sticky that explains the difference between socialism and a democratic socialist, please? So tired of people who don't know the difference derailing threads.

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Sweden. Everything seemed to work there- in fact, things worked much better than here...

Do you really think you can equate an economic system that works well for a small, homogenous country like Sweden to such a massive and diverse country as the US? This is what people seem to miss when they compare little countries in Europe to us. It's apples and oranges.

What evidence do you have that it wouldn't work? Can you point to a single policy that Sanders supports and explain why it might work in a small country, but not the US?

Well to start I wouldn't want the personal debt individuals seem to incur in Scandinavia due to having to pay such high taxes. I believe Sanders would be more for the Scandinavian income tax rates-

"According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the average American spends 9.8 percent of his income on taxes; Swedes spend 12.3 percent, Danes 26.4 percent, Norwegians 10 percent, and Finns 12.9 percent. OECD figures also show the average Dane has a household debt equal to 310 percent of his disposable income; the number is 173 percent for Swedes. In America, the average is 114 percent."

Sanders has said:
"Cutting poverty and inequality is worth a reduction in innovation, and oh by the way, the kinds of things we call ‘innovation’ are often little more than new marketing gimmicks with dubious social value.”

Great. Let's cut down innovation, Bernie. It really doesn't do much good and we don't really need it. Super idea.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Pyramids? That's the angle you're going with? The man's view on the pyramids? Sanders thinks socialism works, and you're fine with that, so you're debating Egyptian Architecture?

Democratic-socialism works well in plenty of 1st world countries. And it's been proven to be way more cost effective than the crappy system in the U.S.
Not sure what your point is, other than displaying your ignorance.

Yeah, it really does until you allow an open border and a welfare state to illegals. You are about to watch the crash of socialism now that they are importing migrants at an alarming rate. Wait for it.

Anonymous wrote:In England someone like this would be put under psychiatric assessment. In America you want to make him President.

DING DING DING. THIS is socialism and single-payer. Say something the government doesn't like? They deem you nuts. Just the society we all want to live under...

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than further proof that he's clearly been suffering from dementia for some time now, why does this matter?

I would think that further proof that he is clearly suffering from dementia would be quite enough for it to matter. But, I am sure that some of his supporters will disagree with your diagnoses. Assuming Carson is not suffering from any cognitive disorders, this sheds light on his supposed intellect and his ability to process information.

Sure. But, really, didn't we already know this about him?

I mean the strangest things this cycle about Ben Carson and Donald Trump is none of the old rules apply.

Ben Carson says something monumentally stupid and people shrug.

Donald Trump says something bombastic and offensive and people shrug.

Their supporters already know these things about them -- it's like their embrace of their identities as an idiot and a bully inoculate them from the fallout from what would otherwise be gaffes if uttered by competing candidates.

Twilight Zone stuff, if you think about it.

I think you are correct to an extent about Trump, but not necessarily about Carson. Carson gets a lot of mileage out of the fact that he was a top neurosurgeon. He is supposed to be amazingly smart. When he has said things, for instance, about Muslims, he has been offensive to many of us, but not to his supporters who think he is correct on the substance. They aren't giving him a "pass", they think he was right and simply brave enough not to be PC. But, when he says things that are clearly and obviously wrong, it suggests that he is not as smart as he has led us to believe.

No one is as smart as we have been led to believe Dr. Carson is, and when he underperforms, as he unquestionably will given how high the expectations now are, its going to do real damage. Compare Trump, who the media has covered as if he is a flat-out moron, while he is unquestionably a sharp guy in reality. People see this and thus it is easier for them to write off legit gaffes because they just assume everything negative about Trump is a media hatchet job.

Dr. Carson is undoubtedly smart. That doesn't mean he is well-educated or a good critical thinker. Medicine is a narrow field that takes a lot of focus to learn and many doctors are well versed in their field and not in anything.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Sweden. Everything seemed to work there- in fact, things worked much better than here...

Do you really think you can equate an economic system that works well for a small, homogenous country like Sweden to such a massive and diverse country as the US? This is what people seem to miss when they compare little countries in Europe to us. It's apples and oranges.

Someone was asserting that it was obvious that socialism doesn't work. I was pointing out that there are very good examples of the type of ideas that Bernie is advocating working. Clearly this is a subject where reasonable people can disagree. Now, when it comes to Carson's pyramid thing, there is no such reasonable ground for disagreement. He has come up with a crackpot theory which makes no sense and goes against all available evidence.
Do you see the difference?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to Sweden. Everything seemed to work there- in fact, things worked much better than here...

Do you really think you can equate an economic system that works well for a small, homogenous country like Sweden to such a massive and diverse country as the US? This is what people seem to miss when they compare little countries in Europe to us. It's apples and oranges.

What evidence do you have that it wouldn't work? Can you point to a single policy that Sanders supports and explain why it might work in a small country, but not the US?

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than further proof that he's clearly been suffering from dementia for some time now, why does this matter?

I would think that further proof that he is clearly suffering from dementia would be quite enough for it to matter. But, I am sure that some of his supporters will disagree with your diagnoses. Assuming Carson is not suffering from any cognitive disorders, this sheds light on his supposed intellect and his ability to process information.

Given your brilliance, why haven't you accomplished even one tenth of what Ben Carson has done? Instead you sit around blogging stupid shit all day to bash anyone that doesn't think or believe exactly as you do.

Are you defending Carson's theories about the pyramids? Do you also believe they were used to store grain? This is not about me, but if I were running for President, I would certainly not expect to get a pass for all the stupid things that I've said. Do you believe that anything stupid that Carson says should be ignored?

Not defending or refuting. I really do t care what Carson, you or anyone thinks of the ancient Egyptians. I'm simply amused that someone e who has accomplished little in comparison would be so zealous to discredit his intellect.

You are seriously surprised that someone would point out something stupid that was said by a presidential candidate? What do you think is supposed to happen during elections? Your suggestion that Carson should not be criticized by anyone who has achieved less than a neurosurgeon is astonishing and extremely un-Democratic. Do you have that rule for everyone or just me? Have you criticized a candidate? If so, what are your achievements that allow you to do such a thing?

Anonymous wrote:I went to Sweden. Everything seemed to work there- in fact, things worked much better than here...

Do you really think you can equate an economic system that works well for a small, homogenous country like Sweden to such a massive and diverse country as the US? This is what people seem to miss when they compare little countries in Europe to us. It's apples and oranges.

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Other than further proof that he's clearly been suffering from dementia for some time now, why does this matter?

I would think that further proof that he is clearly suffering from dementia would be quite enough for it to matter. But, I am sure that some of his supporters will disagree with your diagnoses. Assuming Carson is not suffering from any cognitive disorders, this sheds light on his supposed intellect and his ability to process information.

Given your brilliance, why haven't you accomplished even one tenth of what Ben Carson has done? Instead you sit around blogging stupid shit all day to bash anyone that doesn't think or believe exactly as you do.

Are you defending Carson's theories about the pyramids? Do you also believe they were used to store grain? This is not about me, but if I were running for President, I would certainly not expect to get a pass for all the stupid things that I've said. Do you believe that anything stupid that Carson says should be ignored?

Not defending or refuting. I really do t care what Carson, you or anyone thinks of the ancient Egyptians. I'm simply amused that someone e who has accomplished little in comparison would be so zealous to discredit his intellect.

I went to Sweden. Everything seemed to work there- in fact, things worked much better than here...

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Pyramids? That's the angle you're going with? The man's view on the pyramids? Sanders thinks socialism works, and you're fine with that, so you're debating Egyptian Architecture?

Democratic-socialism works well in plenty of 1st world countries. And it's been proven to be way more cost effective than the crappy system in the U.S.
Not sure what your point is, other than displaying your ignorance.

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Pyramids? That's the angle you're going with? The man's view on the pyramids? Sanders thinks socialism works, and you're fine with that, so you're debating Egyptian Architecture?

Do you want to compare factual evidence that supports Sanders' views with the factual evidence that supports Carson's? I am not sure that you would appreciate the results of such comparison. For a start, the factual support for Carson's statement doesn't exist.

Anonymous wrote:Seriously? Pyramids? That's the angle you're going with? The man's view on the pyramids? Sanders thinks socialism works, and you're fine with that, so you're debating Egyptian Architecture?

I think it is very indicative of his mental processes. There is overwhelming evidence of the purpose of the pyramids. They Egyptians made clear their purpose in their writings. They form of the buildings reveals their purpose. All archaeologists and historians are united in their interpretation. Yet Carson comes up with his own theory, which does not just go against all the historical and archaeological evidence, but is also physically impossible. Don't you understand that someone who thinks this way cannot be put in charge of the greatest country in the world? He is nuts!

Anonymous wrote:I know. I don't get it. He seems like a nice man and I have no doubt a very talented surgeon but I can't figure out why he is getting a pass from the left and right on these crazy statements. Maybe the left are hoping he gets the nomination then they will address all of these crazy stories and once they come out he won't win. He clearly is not being vetted by his own party.

He gets a pass from the left because he is black and they don't want to be seen as racist by attacking him.

He gets a pass from the right because a lot of his supporters are evangelicals who like his professed faith and others admire his record of achievement having risen from impoverished circumstances.