You know how much I love the NY Times. I read it every day. It is probably a good indication that I am a liberal.
With liberal ideas.
Which is why it frustrates me when conservatives (many of them my friends and neighbors) complain about our new President and how he is turning America into a Socialist country. It really makes me angry when you (the ubiquitous you) tell me that no one needs a helping hand and everyone who does is just abusing the system.
I think you need to read my piece on the Dutch.
Which brings me to today. Great article in the NY Times suggesting that the "Great Recession" is so much worse than is being reported. If you take into account all the people that are working part time because full time work is unavailable, it brings the unemployment rate up quite a bit. As much as 23.5% in Oregon, 21.5% in Michigan and Rhode Island, and just under 20% in Tennessee and Nevada (oh, where I live!). And to be honest--my husband's hours were reduced to 24 hours a week in December. He has looked for another job, but they just aren't out there. My daughter was laid off from her government job and is collecting unemployment. I am still working (at home, as a writer), but I am not even close to being the breadwinner in the family.
Guess what, we need a helping hand. And I am pissed every time someone suggests that our family problem is our own fault. And that by looking for help, we are abusing the system.
Crazy thing, all you naysayers who look to history to prove your point: The government and the economy seem to do better when the democrats are in office. The deficit isn't as high, if it is existent at all (remember, during the Clinton years we were running with a surplus--which went away very quickly when W. came into office).
That's my vent today. Thanks for listening.
Showing posts with label socialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label socialism. Show all posts
Socialism vs. Conservatism
We have among us a class of mammon worshippers, whose one test of conservatism or radicalism is the attitude one takes with respect to accumulated wealth. Whatever tends to preserve the wealth of the wealthy is called conservatism, and whatever favors anything else, no matter what is called socialism.
~Richard T. Ely
Going Dutch
Excellent article in the NY Times today about the Dutch government and its "socialist" tendencies. I am on the more liberal side of the democratic party (as you may or may not have guessed from reading my blog), and so this article really struck a chord with me.
I have read a bit of Marx, and one thing that really struck me is not so much his ideas of communism, but really--how the capitalist system as it is today is doomed to failure. The idea that capitalism will evolve into something closer to socialism--and work--is something that resonates with me, because I just don't get the idea of capitalism in America. I believe that if you work hard for something you can achieve it, but I have a problem with the idea of not helping others if you are able to.
One of the things I really like about the Dutch system is that it seems like there is a balanced mix of socialism and capitalism. I really don't think that if we have universal health care in America that all people are going to suddenly feel "entitled" to things beyond their means. I actually think our current "capitalist" American society has done that. We have spent the last couple of decades fooling everyone into thinking that we are "entitled" to have nice cars, big houses, easy money. Where has that gotten us? Into a very extreme, economic downturn.
One of the things that Shorto points out in his article is that the Dutch form of "the socialist state" is that it is not really based on Marxism, but rather, St. Francis of Assisi. At this point, there is not a perfect system in the world. But I truly believe that parts of the American system are broken. We need to change, especially if we want to keep our status in the world. And for a country bent on being different from our forefathers' country--we really seem to be afraid of change.
Suck it up, people...it's not going to kill us to try something different.
I have read a bit of Marx, and one thing that really struck me is not so much his ideas of communism, but really--how the capitalist system as it is today is doomed to failure. The idea that capitalism will evolve into something closer to socialism--and work--is something that resonates with me, because I just don't get the idea of capitalism in America. I believe that if you work hard for something you can achieve it, but I have a problem with the idea of not helping others if you are able to.
One of the things I really like about the Dutch system is that it seems like there is a balanced mix of socialism and capitalism. I really don't think that if we have universal health care in America that all people are going to suddenly feel "entitled" to things beyond their means. I actually think our current "capitalist" American society has done that. We have spent the last couple of decades fooling everyone into thinking that we are "entitled" to have nice cars, big houses, easy money. Where has that gotten us? Into a very extreme, economic downturn.
One of the things that Shorto points out in his article is that the Dutch form of "the socialist state" is that it is not really based on Marxism, but rather, St. Francis of Assisi. At this point, there is not a perfect system in the world. But I truly believe that parts of the American system are broken. We need to change, especially if we want to keep our status in the world. And for a country bent on being different from our forefathers' country--we really seem to be afraid of change.
Suck it up, people...it's not going to kill us to try something different.
