Poll of the Day > Do you think America is brainwashed into thinking SOCIALISM is BAD????

(+) Yeah! (+)

America likes to point out how other countries are failing because of "progressive policies" but they never see how other 1st world countries have adopted tax payer funded healthcare and even some have free colleges and are doing just fine..that's why they're still "1st world".

All they do is tell the american public is how much their taxes will rise if they adopt public healthcare and the quality will deteriorate and people will DIE cause it's government controlled...

If they can trust the government to "defend" them, why wouldn't they trust the government to fund it's own healthcare for its people?

https://i.imgur.com/3LTA2EX.jpg
---

Many Americans are socially conditioned (indoctrinated since birth, educated to be controlled) so they believe many incorrect things.

---

Americans and their politicians be like:

https://i.imgur.com/5RHU6cD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/WM88OsK.png

---

I'm not paying for anyone else's problem. You wanna drink, smoke, overeat, have sex? That's on you to fund. Besides, healthcare is out of control and we'd just be lining pockets until big business is dismantled. Isn't it bad enough we're paying for the lazy to stay home and collect, and for illegals?

---

Do you think America is brainwashed into thinking SOCIALISM is BAD?

No, I think Americans are being brainwashed into thinking SOCIALISM is GOOD. Have you not paid attention to what has been happening in colleges for the past decade?

---

Absolutely. Disagreeing on whether or not a given socialist policy is a good idea is all well and good, but a great many Americans seem to think that implementing anything even remotely resembling a socialist policy is equivalent to turning America into a communist dictatorship, which is just ridiculous lingering Cold War/Red Scare paranoia (made even more ridiculous by the fact that so many of the people espousing it weren't even around during the Cold War).

---

Just say Football is socialist since they pick by a draft instead of capitalistically stacking the best players.

---

Not just brainwashed into thinking any level of socialism is bad.
But also more egregiously into thinking government in general is bad. That the private sector always does things better, cheaper, etc... Which then feeds into "socialism = bad" along with many other Republican talking points.
Of course, Republicans actively work their hardest to make that a self-fulfilling prophesy by intentionally crippling the government's ability to do anything. Trump specifically heading up agencies w/ people who've spent their careers trying to destroy the agency they're appointed to is just the most opaque and blatant manifestation of an agenda they've pushed since Reagan and his "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" being a scary thing to hear speech.

I think people are more willing to fight for the well being of faceless corporations than their fellow country men, which is sad. When one person has a problem, it also becomes society's problem. Unfortunately, Americans are more concerned about how their tax money affects the individual than the community as a whole.

---

100% anything is bad whether thats socialism or capitalism meat or vegetables anything taken to the extreme can be bad for society.

---

There is people even on "liberal" news trying to equate common sense stuff that happens to fall under the label of "socialism" to brutal authoritarian dictators who murdered their own people.

Yes people are brainwashed.

I wanna say yes and no. Some folks I know weren't dealt the best hand in life but still managed to make a good life out of what they had. I'm sure some see it as "If I managed, why can't they?"

---

Nope, socialism is bad because its a step towards communism, now thats not to say that all social programs are bad, but in the best society you don't need them anyways

What has America fucked up is our mix of socialism and immoral corporate practices

A true, nonbastardized capitalist society is the best way to run a country, sadly we let corporations control laws over said corporations thanks to lobbyists

---

Muscles posted...

A true, nonbastardized capitalist society is the best way to run a country, sadly we let corporations control laws over said corporations thanks to lobbyists

No such thing as what you're asking for. Political theories are just that, theories that exist before you consider the corruption of humans.

SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

No, I think Americans are being brainwashed into thinking SOCIALISM is GOOD. Have you not paid attention to what has been happening in colleges for the past decade?

This.

I'm not sure a lot of you understand what Socialism actually is?

---

Muscles posted...

A true, nonbastardized capitalist society is the best way to run a country, sadly we let corporations control laws over said corporations thanks to lobbyists

If it were a true capitalist society they wouldn't need to lobby because everything would be unregulated. It's actually a lot easier to compete against the customer than other companies in a lot of cases and you'd end up with tons of monopolies and borderline extortion for basic goods.

Of course this ignores the fact that automation is eventually going to eat up most jobs and a capitalist society doesn't function well if only 10% of the people can work.

---

"sOcIaLiSm Is BaD!"

Then you must also hate; The Military/Defense, Highways/Roads, Public Libraries, Police, Fire Department, Postal Service, Student Loans, Student Grants, Bridges, Garbage Collection, Public Landfills, Farm Subsidies, The CIA, The FBI, Health Care, Vaccines, The EPA, Social Security (literally has the word social in it), Museums, Public Schools, Small Business Subsidies, Veterans Health Care, Public Parks, Sewer Systems, Medicare, Court Systems, The G.I. Bill, Childrens Lunch Programs, Medicaid, The FDA, 9/11 Responders Health Services, Disability Insurance, State Construction Projects, Unemployment Insurance, City Busses, Metro Busses, Snow Removal, The PBS, The CDC, Public Street Lights, FEMA, Amtrak, NPR, OSHA, National Monuments, National Parks Services, The USDA, Human Services, Customs, Border Protection, National Weather Services, Lawmaking, and much much more.

These are all programs that a funded and ran through the dreaded "socialism" or in other words, "taxpayer funded and taxpayer ran".
Not so scary when you take away the conservative curtain of hypocrisy.

The truth will set you free.

---

Llamachama posted...

"sOcIaLiSm Is BaD!"

Then you must also hate; The Military/Defense, Highways/Roads, Public Libraries, Police, Fire Department, Postal Service, Student Loans, Student Grants, Bridges, Garbage Collection, Public Landfills, Farm Subsidies, The CIA, The FBI, Health Care, Vaccines, The EPA, Social Security (literally has the word social in it), Museums, Public Schools, Small Business Subsidies, Veterans Health Care, Public Parks, Sewer Systems, Medicare, Court Systems, The G.I. Bill, Childrens Lunch Programs, Medicaid, The FDA, 9/11 Responders Health Services, Disability Insurance, State Construction Projects, Unemployment Insurance, City Busses, Metro Busses, Snow Removal, The PBS, The CDC, Public Street Lights, FEMA, Amtrak, NPR, OSHA, National Monuments, National Parks Services, The USDA, Human Services, Customs, Border Protection, National Weather Services, Lawmaking, and much much more.

These are all programs that a funded and ran through the dreaded "socialism" or in other words, "taxpayer funded and taxpayer ran".
Not so scary when you take away the conservative curtain of hypocrisy.

The truth will set you free.

Let's just ignore how they're directly subservient to companies and their interests, a byproduct of capitalistic demand.
---

Uh yes and what people do not know, especially young people is that America ushered in home ownership and the middle class in part due to FDR's New Deal programs which gave us (SS, Minimum Wage, Unemployment Benefits. Workman's Comp etc) and sadly it was all Off-Limits to non-Whites.

Those FDR programs were heavily steeped in socialist ideals. Remember prior to the 20th century, workers in America in the 19th century were treated like crap slightly better than slaves and most of those people were White people.

Most do not know that men like Andrew Carnegie etc mistreated people who worked in his steel mills when people would get hurt and even die as a result of the harsh conditions that Carnegie allowed in his mill and if you were hurt badly and couldn't return to work, there was no workman's comp to tie you over and Carnegie didn't offer any compensation to your family. And kids were often abused as well via child labor.

Now fast forward to the Great Depression in the late 1920s/1930s and American families were hurting big time financially and seeing that FDR decided that if he won the presidency he would do something to create a safety net so that going forward if anything like the GD happened again, people had somewhere to go for help to tie them over until they got back on their feet and that's when the New Deal programs were born and those programs along with Labor Unions began chipping away at the inhumane treatment that American workers had endured and were enduring and as you can imagine those men in power did not like that at all.

The problem with the New Deal safety net is the fact that the racist Southern Democrats who were in Congress in the 1930s at the time the New Deal was proposed didn't mind Gov Programs that helped White people as long as Black people didn't get any and that's what happened.

FDR put in language that excluded Black people from getting any of the New Deal so for Unemployment for example, if you were a domestic worker (cleaning homes etc) of if you were a migrant farm worker, you were not eligible to apply for Unemployment Benefits so Black people held those type of jobs back then so they were excluded from getting in on it.

Fast forward to the 1960s and that's around the time Black people began gaining access to Gov Programs and these programs were far less generous than those from the New Deal which helped poor working-class Whites to attain some modicum of wealth in that they could with the help of FHA loans buy a modest home that over time would accrue in wealth so even if they didn't have much they at least had a home that they could tap into for money if needed.

None of this was offered to Black people because Gov Housing and Food Stamps does not accrue in value and you can't pass it down to your kids etc ort tap into it for cash.

In the 1940s, the G.I. Bill was created to help returning servicemen get reacquainted with civilian life..The G.I. Bill changed lives and America forever because it allowed people who never thought they could attend college to attend college.

The effect of the G.I. Bill was multigenerational it improved the lives not only of returning soldiers, but of their children and grandchildren as well.

If you grew up in a suburb, attended college, own a home, or consider yourself to be Middle Class, theres a good chance youre the beneficiary of the G.I. Bill of Rights.

The G.i. Bill made a new life for the wartime generation and improved the opportunities for their children and grandchildren.

Discharged World War II veterans could obtain unemployment compensation at todays equivalent of $284 a week for 52 weeks. The money removed the need to accept the first job offered them. They now had time to consider a different future.

Before the war, many of the G.I.s had held low-skilled jobs, which they never expected to escape. A blue-collar worker might spend his life performing the same work as his father and grandfather. Now, if he had bigger dreams than this, government benefits would give him time to explore them. And keep in mind these were White people.

(((((((((( Before the war, only one third of Americans had finished high school. And most of those whod completed 12 years of schooling had little idea of further education. College was unthinkable. It was popularly thought to be the preserve of the elite, a place where richer, smarter people advanced their careers.))))))))))

But now the G.I. Bill would pay for up to four years of veterans college tuition, text books, career counseling, and a living allowance. Remember how some people claim they never got anything from the Government and that it was Black people who were leeching on taxpayer money. Hmmm interesting isn't it.

By 1947, half of all college admissions were veterans. Ultimately, 2.2 million veterans used the program to attend college. Another 3.4 million used the money to complete high school or, in some cases, grade school. And remember these were people who, prior to the war, had never given a thought to attending college but now the US Government was willing to pay for a 4 year degree and now it was an option one could choose. Colleges became more familiar to Americans and more accessible. Veterans saw the benefits of a college diploma and expected their children to follow their example.

They provided the technical expertise that revolutionized electronics, computers, aeronautics, media, and business management. They also found employment on major new government projects, like the interstate highway system and the space program.

The millions of veterans who took advantage of a ((((( free college education ))))) helped raise the productivity of the American work force and bring it into the space age.

Now keep in mind none of this was ever offered to Black men who had served in our Armed Forces. Keep that in mind!

The G.I. Bill also made loans to people wanting to start businesses and buy homes in the newly emerging suburbs.

All of this was done at the expense of the US Taxpayer and none of them minded the programs when it was being done for White people but when it was Black people getting help, they were suddenly labeled lazy no good freeloaders.

And it was all done using Socialist ideals by FDR. How is that for irony?

---

BUMPED2002 posted...

How is that for irony?

The irony is that nobody is going to read that.
---

Llamachama posted...

"sOcIaLiSm Is BaD!"

Then you must also hate; The Military/Defense, Highways/Roads, Public Libraries, Police, Fire Department, Postal Service, Student Loans, Student Grants, Bridges, Garbage Collection, Public Landfills, Farm Subsidies, The CIA, The FBI, Health Care, Vaccines, The EPA, Social Security (literally has the word social in it), Museums, Public Schools, Small Business Subsidies, Veterans Health Care, Public Parks, Sewer Systems, Medicare, Court Systems, The G.I. Bill, Childrens Lunch Programs, Medicaid, The FDA, 9/11 Responders Health Services, Disability Insurance, State Construction Projects, Unemployment Insurance, City Busses, Metro Busses, Snow Removal, The PBS, The CDC, Public Street Lights, FEMA, Amtrak, NPR, OSHA, National Monuments, National Parks Services, The USDA, Human Services, Customs, Border Protection, National Weather Services, Lawmaking, and much much more.

These are all programs that a funded and ran through the dreaded "socialism" or in other words, "taxpayer funded and taxpayer ran".
Not so scary when you take away the conservative curtain of hypocrisy.

The truth will set you free.

Bingo thank you but the GOP actually does hate it because they want to privatize everything you listed and rake us over the coals.

---

Kyuubi4269 posted...

The irony is that nobody is going to read that.

That's fine but it's all true.

---

BUMPED2002 posted...

That's fine but it's all true.

Could be, nobody knows.
---

Llamachama posted...

"sOcIaLiSm Is BaD!"

Then you must also hate; The Military/Defense, Highways/Roads, Public Libraries, Police, Fire Department, Postal Service, Student Loans, Student Grants, Bridges, Garbage Collection, Public Landfills, Farm Subsidies, The CIA, The FBI, Health Care, Vaccines, The EPA, Social Security (literally has the word social in it), Museums, Public Schools, Small Business Subsidies, Veterans Health Care, Public Parks, Sewer Systems, Medicare, Court Systems, The G.I. Bill, Childrens Lunch Programs, Medicaid, The FDA, 9/11 Responders Health Services, Disability Insurance, State Construction Projects, Unemployment Insurance, City Busses, Metro Busses, Snow Removal, The PBS, The CDC, Public Street Lights, FEMA, Amtrak, NPR, OSHA, National Monuments, National Parks Services, The USDA, Human Services, Customs, Border Protection, National Weather Services, Lawmaking, and much much more.

These are all programs that a funded and ran through the dreaded "socialism" or in other words, "taxpayer funded and taxpayer ran".
Not so scary when you take away the conservative curtain of hypocrisy.

The truth will set you free.

I actually do hate the majority of things on that list and firmly believe they should be privatized.

Now what?

The idea that making everything privatized and for-profit would improve the world is such a deeply ingrained fallacy that the only solution is a complete collapse of the banking system to learn that a system designed to ensure everyone's well-being, in lieu of profiteering, is the best system.

---

Muscles posted...

socialism is bad because its a step towards communism,

Hey look, brainwashing.

Muscles posted...

now thats not to say that all social programs are bad, but in the best society you don't need them anyways

"The best society" being one in which people just share everything voluntarily anyway? Because that's about the only way you could get rid of social programs, and that's not something you're ever going to get as long as "people" refers to anyone with any degree of self-interest.

Muscles posted...

A true, nonbastardized capitalist society is the best way to run a country, sadly we let corporations control laws over said corporations thanks to lobbyists

If left ungoverned, money concentrates, and power goes along with it. You've got to have money to make money, and the converse of that is that having money means it's a whole lot easier to make more money. If you thought corporate lobbying was bad now, with at least a small handful of laws in place to keep the corporate elite from completely screwing everyone over, you really don't want to see what would happen without those regulations. Goodbye democracy, hello corporate oligarchy.

_AdjI_ posted...

hello corporate oligarchy.

The US is already there.

---

SunWuKung420 posted...

The US is already there.

Not like it would be if there were truly no regulations holding corporations back.

---

they think it's gonna last forever

Dunno about America but it seems to be the case with some people here in the uk, despite having a taxed paid national health service lol. Some people think socialism equaled communism.
Instead we've got a doofus in charge.

---

https://i.imgur.com/vMT6tB4.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/QgyN9nd.jpg

---

What sucks about public schools in the US is that they are funded solely by local property taxes...

That's right, if you have low property taxes... likely 'cuz your family is poor or the neighbourhood sucks; you go to a BAD school!


---

Considering that most Americans will say that it's bad without being able to even define it, yes. Maybe I wouldn't think that way if they could actually properly articulate what constitutes socialism, but no.

---

Try living in Venezuela for a few days then tell us how much you love socialism.

---

SusanGreenEyes posted...

Try living in Venezuela for a few days then tell us how much you love socialism.

A corrupt government is corrupt. No matter what; capitalism, socialism, communism, monarchy, etc., only a select few prosper.

You're still perpetuating that social programs, where people help each other survive, is bad. It's actually the only thing that will save us.

---

SusanGreenEyes posted...

Try living in Venezuela for a few days then tell us how much you love socialism.

More like: Try living in a european welfare state for a few days and tell us how much it scares you.

i hope you can survive omg

---

Venezuela is a bad example; they had the wealth to be socialist and then intentionally destroyed their own wealth and forgot to switch back to capitalism as a result.

It's a 2-way street, brah

---

Thats kind of the real fear. A lot of these governments could work great it theory but in practice I've yet to see a government that can't be corrupted and twisted to screw over just about everybody for the sake of a few. Every system can be broken if you're determined enough.

---

Yes, or at least that capitalism is always right.

---

gguirao posted...

Yes, or at least that capitalism is always right.

They're taught production is right, and capitalism creates the most production. The American dream is about creating maximum production, it's empire-building rather than wealth hoarding.

Strictly speaking, if it was more productive to pay good wages then that would be part of the American dream.
---

Kyuubi4269 posted...

Could be, nobody knows.

Kyuubi4269 posted...

Could be, nobody knows.

Oh it is and if you think it isn't go to your local university and visit the history department. The problem is certain people have been fooled into thinking they achieve what they have all on their own and that isn't true and they refuse to believe that the United States Government created what we refer to today as the Middle Class and it did because prior to the mid 20th century, the Middle Class and home ownership among working-class people simply did not exist not even for White people.

A certain political party for example has tricked people into thinking that Social Security is a handout and an entitlement and it is not because SS taxes are withheld from a person's pay that goes into the SS fund so how is it a handout if you're paying into it and that same party has also tricked people into thinking they have it done it all on their own without any help including government help and that ain't true.

The G.I. Bill was the sole reason poor and working class Whites were able to attend college beginning in the 1940s and 1950s because prior to that time college was thought of something only the wealthy could afford to do and then the G.I. Bill came and suddenly college campuses exploded because now the United States Government was footing the bill.

---

yes

---

Republicans: Socialism BAD!

Also Republicans: Let's spend more than half the discretionary budget on the military.


---

BUMPED2002 posted...

Oh it is and if you think it-

zzz
---

SunWuKung420 posted...

Many Americans are socially conditioned (indoctrinated since birth, educated to be controlled) so they believe many incorrect things.

SunWuKung420 posted...

Many Americans are socially conditioned (indoctrinated since birth, educated to be controlled) so they believe many incorrect things.

Most people are socially conditioned. That's what education and religion are for.

---

captpackrat posted...

Republicans: Socialism BAD!

Also Republicans: Let's spend more than half the discretionary budget on the military.

captpackrat posted...

Republicans: Socialism BAD!

Also Republicans: Let's spend more than half the discretionary budget on the military.

The Republicans want to privatize every amenity that Government provides via tax dollars and they will one day get their wish.

---

SKARDAVNELNATE posted...

No, I think Americans are being brainwashed into thinking SOCIALISM is GOOD. Have you not paid attention to what has been happening in colleges for the past decade?

You can't have attended a public university and actually walked away thinking socialism is bad. That is the epicenter of socialist and marxist indoctrination.

---

_AdjI_ posted...

Goodbye democracy, hello corporate oligarchy.

So then it wouldn't be a true non bastardized capitalist society and not at all what I was talking about, but thanks for trying

---