“I don’t want to use the B-word. If what the airline industry says is true, then Congress really will have little choice to act or face a significant extinction moment for the airline industry.”
—Trump administration official, on March 12, apparently not realizing that bailout of the airline industry, hurt by the coronavirus spread (with apologies to Kris Kristofferson), is just another word for socialism.
“At a time when we need to be moving away from fossil fuels, federal resources should be going to renewables and efficiency, not propping up drilling. This is socialism for the fossil fuel industry.”
—Michael Gerrard, of the Columbia University Law School, on March 12, on Donald Trump’s desire to bail out oil and gas producers from falling oil prices.
“If you do it for some, then how could you not do it for everyone?”
—Heritage Foundation visiting fellow and informal economic adviser to the 2016 Trump campaign, on March 12, in noting a broader bailout would be tantamount to more widespread socialism.
Louisiana Voice 
So, we don’t have a problem with socialism?
No one—repeat, no one—ever said that. What we said (and please read it thoroughly this time so you understand. Move your lips if you have to) was we already have socialism here in the form of many programs—programs you would probably fight to keep: social security, Medicaid, fire and police protection, public health care (ever heard of the CDC? It’s pretty important right now), garbage pickup, flood protection, national weather service, road and bridge construction, etc. These are all social programs and by definition: socialism. Socialism is not communism. Never has been, but some people refuse to learn that simple fact. Now, don’t ever misquote me again.
For those of us who are old enough to remember the “Red Scare” of the Cold War, Socialism and Communism are synonymous. It conjures up images of Big Brother Government ruling over us, telling us what to eat, what to wear, buy and think. Today’s younger generation has no memory of those days. And while Capitalism is the bedrock of our economic system, Socialism is alive and well in the United States. Socialism, as we use the word today, is simply taxpayer funds being used collectively to benefit society as a whole, despite income, contribution, or ability.
Some examples of socialist programs: Social Security, Medicare, Police, Highway/Road, Military/Defense, Public Libraries, Public Education, Postal Service, Fire Department, Public Schools, et. al. So Socialism, which we have been told to fear all of our lives, is responsible for all this and most of us would have it no other way.
The real debate isn’t between Capitalism vs. Socialism, but about the appropriate balance between the two. We simply cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that our country is a combination of both systems. The quarrel is all about whether we have gone too far one way or the other. How far do we go with unconstrained Capitalism versus spending too much on the Public Good.
CJG, excellent explanation. Simple, but true. I never looked at it in that manner.
I agree with some of the points raised, but I believe people view “public good” as something that benefits all such as libraries, mail service etc. The real point of government is to furnish those societal benefits that private enterprise cannot or will not for lack of profit IE. police, fire protection, postal service (not package mail but letter delivery to every home).
This is not to be confused with Socialism as such because these are services, not “means of production”. ObamaCare is a socialistic program as would universal medicare as both would involve government taking over an industry by controlling services, costs, incomes, employment etc.
No one would build all of the roads that we currently have as usage is minimal on many highways and not cost “justified”. Ever drive in West Texas, Montana, Dakotas ? Ditto for schools. Public education is provided for all but we can still choose private education (and pay for it).
So CJ, while you may call police protection socialism, it is not. Neither is public education.Or Postal Service. Or Defense (provided for in Constitution).
Zoe, I also appreciate your comments, but I think you may need to read the last sentence in the first paragraph of his reply. “Socialism, as we use the word today…”.
Cliff, the thrust of CJ’s comment was that we are socialistic today, more than we realize.
Yes, he did say that (as we use the word), but he also clearly commented on the “balance between the two”.. I agree with his statement in principal, but the fact is, to call something socialistic is to state that it is, indeed socialist. Is like saying Denmark is a socialistic country. It is not. Yes, they have some socialist programs, but if we start lumping things like public education, public safety, public transportation into the mix, it simply waters down the truth and the ultimate goal is to minimize socialism, and socialist government. I think socialism is awful Perhaps we should all revisit George Orwell and “Animal Farm”. We as a society, should never minimize socialism (or comminism) because the youth of this country thinks it is just fine.
Now, does capitalism need regulation ? Without a doubt.But more government, or too much government, is never a good thing. Do we really want people like Joe Biden, who cannot recall the state he is in, which office he is running for or who and when he talked to people making decisions for us ?
Taking your last point first, I believe Joe Biden, like Ronald Reagan, has sense enough to not only hire and retain good people, but to listen to them and admit they know more than he does. I do not have that same faith in our current president.
You admit capitalism needs regulation, but you don’t seem to extend that train of thought to control of big pharma and medical care providers – industries that literally hold people’s lives in their hands. We have the capacity in this country to provide the very best in medical care, but the very best care only extends to those who can afford it. Health care financing, in general, is totally irrational whether it is paid for by the government or private insurers. However, most people capable of being objective admit Medicare is more rational than the rest. Like you, no doubt, I am blessed to have excellent doctors and good insurance, but we have to acknowledge the existing disparities that mean others are far from so fortunate, and some literally lose everything they have just to stay alive.
For an excellent example of why government regulation is absolutely essential, I highly recommend the following linked documentary about Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley and the dangerous products some of today’s best know purveyors of food were selling before the FDA was established, largely due to his insistence. He is credited as being the FDA’s father, but the government eventually ran him off and he went to work for Good Housekeeping and originated the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. You will be shocked at what the titans of the food industry were putting out for human consumption and how many people, including babies, died as a result.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/janelevere/2020/01/28/documentary-debuting-on-pbs-tonight-traces-roots-of-fda-and-first-us-consumer-protection-laws/#4c09a682c56e
If the link doesn’t work, Google it or try this one specifically about Dr. Wiley:
https://www.fda.gov/about-fda/fda-leadership-1907-today/harvey-w-wiley
And this is just one example of how people who put profit above all else, including human life, have to be watched. The marketplace cannot, as some Libertarians would assert, take care of this – or, even if it can, how many people have to die beforehand?
Zoe, seems to me your last sentence pretty much describes Trump.
Jess, if you think Trump is on the same dementia train as Biden, I suggest you have not been watching Joe very closely. You will see when they wind up on a debate stage. I already feel embarrassed for Joe. Bernie, who I totally disagree with, is far more in command of his mental facilities than Joe.
Stephen, “You don’t seem to extend that train of thought….”. I have worked in the medical field all of my life. My father is a physician, and you think I am unaware of the issues with big pharma? Stephen, the problem is our Congressmen and Senators of BOTH parties being bribed by these people. They will never be reined in as long as the “swamp” is allowed to exist. The same applies to the defense industry. If you allow people to retire and then lobby (J Bennet Johnson, John Breaux, Trent Lott, Billy Tauzin, R Livingston, etc.) this will never end.
Since I have touched on that, I believe we need a law (in La. as well) that prohibits anyone for serving in ANY capacity to lobby for a minimum of 10 years after retiring from ANY public position. And this also includes defense industry by ex-military.
Back to topic; Trust busting, which T. Roosevelt (The good Roosevelt) became famous for, is probably needed is several areas from companies like Amazon, to computer (Microsoft, Google, Apple), I hate to punish for being good at what you do, but these companies have become to big and controlling. They own the Congress and state legislatures.
And to compare Joe Biden and Ronald Reagan in any way other than white male is a sham.
STEPHEN R WINHAM I can not thank you enough for your comment. I already saw the show, was not suppriised but instead further educated. I having been educated in Economics I often feel I see things differently from that education coupled with my small companies interaction with massive companies inc government (fortune 500 and govertment yes even our small state govertment think naming 5000 of your best friends and of course even the state dwarfs that!) In that experience one sees like in sports the absolute need for the referee,,,,anyone think the last Saint play on the way to the Super Bowl, didn’t need better refereeing?. That is sport, this is your family’s life, safety and happiness, security. Social Security provides the funds, YOU determine where and how it is spent. I watched the same till my 90 yr old mon and then 99 year old dad passed, as they used the 80/20 MEDICARE pprogram aided by the refereed (standards applied and graded) capitalist supplemental insurance. The same for highways, we thourgh our elected officals determine after some would say ” to much deliberation” where bridges and roads are to be built…..by capitalist corporations bidding on the project, then mointored when constructed by our state employees. With the “esprite de corp” exhibited at our beloved LSU, including medical school or charity hospitals or espoused by anyone ever exposed to the ” Semper Fi” even so many decades ago it would be hard to imagine they were ever fit enough to serve, just ask if instead these organizations are too inefficnent to exist and instead should be closed or in the case of Millitary, hired mercenaries. yes be ready to be shocked at these heroes reaction to the elilminatioin of the TRUE socialist (hundreds of thousands, employees, properties facilities, equipment and proceedures) at the mention of dismanteling and closure of the VA and instead sending to the Capitalist medical system. After all where else can a doctor with the grand capacity of “admitting privilage” go to work on a completely unconcious individual and then charge him any anount what ever his desire, in a capitaist hospital (including touting non-profit status) except if it is not effectively regulated. Complaints about LSU et al sure, I have complaints about the Manhattan project, but it developed the atomitc bomb, which saved hundreds of thousands of american lives, LSU helped confirn the existance of Einstein’s theory of gravitional waves, the Space program, govertment directed expenditures, completely socialist by todays use, the seed for increadable improvements in our lives. For this conversation lets assure to include those capilist instutions that also pay no taxes, they call them non profits but that does not contain their salaries. Thank you all for allowing me to express my love for our Capitalist system, for our flagship LSU, and our military and its veterans, our non profit hospitals, or our non profit universities supported by such socialist govertment tax adodance, government loans and grants, . Go Tigers, Semper Fi. Remi Delouche, Son of Tulane and LSU and Loyola and LSU Alumni….
Zoe, I don’t have the knowledge and experience to keep up with you, Stephen, and Remi on this capitalism v socialism dialogue. However,
as to lobbying by former legislators, the state does have a provision in place. It prohibits a legislator from lobbying his prior agency for two years after he leaves office. Notice I said “his prior agency”, that’s the tricky part. Prior agency is the chamber from which you were last elected. Therefore, a former House member can lobby the Senate and a former senator can lobby the House immediately upon leaving office. There is a way to get around the two-year ban, in a way. Become employed by a state agency and you can appear before a legislative committee of your prior agency for “informational purposes” only. Stephen, please correct me if I am wrong on any of this.
You nailed it, Clifford. BTW, it’s good to see you posting again.