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People here are arguing from two different definitions of socialism. With different answers for the OP question depending on which definition you use. Definition 1: The book definition, the means of production are socialized, etc.
I don't know of any country that has been successful trying to enact that on a national scale.
Definition 2:Any policy or social program to the left of where America is at the moment. And most to the left of the republican party.
Of course, pretty much all western nations are to the left of the USA. And some western nations are still doing well, so there are plenty of examples for this definition of socialism. Basically any western country doing well.
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Originally Posted by Tom9
If you pay for it it's not a gift from the government. If you don't want it don't pay for it.
You pay for all social policies through taxes. And they are all sustainable as long as people want to pay for them. In a democracy, they are also voluntary, in as far as the people can vote out high-tax politicians if they want.
No. Not necessarily. I wouldn't cut anything. I would raise your taxes, because you are a Dem,
Despite the name, progressive taxation doesn't actually mean you tax progressives more.
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and make you pay for the social programs you want. I would expect a report on all those undereducated people who were unable to find work because of their being undereducated, and are now getting the education they wanted, and who are now ready to get back to work. You can call off the Occupiers and tell them they can now get that education they always wanted.
Want != need. Thirty years ago, people could get jobs with nothing more than a high-school education. Today, you can't get a job without some kind of post-secondary education, unless you have years of experience. Community Colleges are great, because they offer a number of vocational programs, but not everyone can afford them. Cutting the lifeblood payments of millions of impoverished Americans so Sammy Wallstreet can make an extra 2% on his dividends is asinine and destructive to the nation as a whole.
If you can pay for your education, fantastic. If you're struggling to keep a roof over your head because you can only find a 20,000 a year secretary job, we have a moral obligation to help them. And the government has the best non-discriminatory resources possible to do that.
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Also I would cut the corporate tax rate to create jobs so that you all can get back to work.
You'll have to explain to me how supply-side economic policies help a severe demand shortage.
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And I would add a surtax to go towards paying off the debt. I'm tempted to tax you more because you caused more of it.
You mean "you" as in the democrats? I've got news for you. The last time I checked, the last five Republican Presidents in office were residing during the greatest increases in our debt. 75% of it. If you want to try and claim that democrats are responsible for the debt, you'll have to do better.
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Also I would ban unions from the public sector, because it is the tax payer's money and government workers are overpaid already.
Why? I see nothing from you showing your claims that public-sector employees are overpaid, and these employees have everything to gain from better working conditions. Our government has no real mandated entitlements. The most any worker gets, legally, is unpaid leave for grievance and maternity. Unions have fought for everything else. Why should public employees be exempt from any kind of benefit, especially when they work just as hard, and often hard, than you? Or me? Or anyone else out there who is a member of the working class?
On the other hand, I might give everyone a raise. As long as it is your money I'm spending, I don't have a problem with that.[/quote]
If I may add to what Konraden said above. MarkT3, it is clear that you have picked up opinions along the way that you believe are facts, which are not facts. On is your belief that "government workers are overpaid."
Series Id: CMU2010000000000D,CMU2010000000000P Compensation Component: Total compensation Employer/Employee Charac.: All occupations Sector: Private industry
2011 Qtr 3
$28.24
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Series Id: CMU3010000000000D,CMU3010000000000P Compensation Component: Total compensation Employer/Employee Charac.: All occupations Sector: State and local government
You're going to have a hard time convincing people that government workers are more beneficial to the economy than themselves in the private sector to the tune of 44% more beneficial.
You're going to have a hard time convincing people that government workers are more beneficial to the economy than themselves in the private sector to the tune of 44% more beneficial.
The private sector has many more very low paying jobs. The public sector has less jobs and therefore the ones at the top have more weight in determining those numbers.
Total benefits for the private sector comes out to just over $8/he while total benefits for state and local governments comes out to just over $14/hr.
Total wages for the private sector is just under $20/hr while it's $26.57/hr for government workers.
Cost for health insurance in the private sector is $2.15/hr while it's $4.74/hr for government workers.
In every cat agony government workers are paid more than the people they're suppose to be serving. Meanwhile, the people that pay their salaries in taxes are more realistically compensated because of market forces.
In other words government workers are over compensated for their benefit to the economy. It's that simple.
Total benefits for the private sector comes out to just over $8/he while total benefits for state and local governments comes out to just over $14/hr.
Total wages for the private sector is just under $20/hr while it's $26.57/hr for government workers.
Cost for health insurance in the private sector is $2.15/hr while it's $4.74/hr for government workers.
In every cat agony government workers are paid more than the people they're suppose to be serving. Meanwhile, the people that pay their salaries in taxes are more realistically compensated because of market forces.
In other words government workers are over compensated for their benefit to the economy. It's that simple.
Maybe you missed my post that is right above yours so here it is again:
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Originally Posted by thePR
The private sector has many more very low paying jobs. The public sector has less jobs and therefore the ones at the top have more weight in determining those numbers.
Under your assertion there are not "big dogs" in the private sector that skew hourly average wages.
I explained why government workers are paid more and you come up with more nonsense. If anything the "skewing" factor you speak of would be far worse in the private sectors than in government. Even the top dogs in government are closer to the mean than the top dogs in the private sector. Then you have to factor in total benefits and health care cost.
Total benefits for the private sector comes out to just over $8/he while total benefits for state and local governments comes out to just over $14/hr.
Total wages for the private sector is just under $20/hr while it's $26.57/hr for government workers.
Cost for health insurance in the private sector is $2.15/hr while it's $4.74/hr for government workers.
In every cat agony government workers are paid more than the people they're suppose to be serving. Meanwhile, the people that pay their salaries in taxes are more realistically compensated because of market forces.
In other words government workers are over compensated for their benefit to the economy. It's that simple.
You can't just grab every job the private sector has, and every job the public sector has, lump them all together, and then claim private sector is worse off. There are many jobs the public sector performs that cannot and should not be performed by private hands. Likewise, there are a number of private sector jobs that are better off left in private hands.
If you want to make the claim that public workers are better off than private workers, compare apples and apples. Compare the salaries of public school teachers versus private charter scohols. Compare community college professors to that of private schools. State schools to private schools.
PMCs are an interesting new breed of private-sector jobs that really shouldn't be in the hands of the private sector. Compare PMC pay to corresponding pay for the U.S. military.
Compare the wage and benefits of a USPS driver versus that of a UPS, DHL, or FedEx driver.
Let's look at executive wages too. How much does the most powerful men in government make? Senators, Represenatives, the President? The top five hundred highest paid "executives" if you will, of the government?
Now the top five executives of the private sector. What is there wages?
Under your assertion there are not "big dogs" in the private sector that skew hourly average wages.
I explained why government workers are paid more and you come up with more nonsense. If anything the "skewing" factor you speak of would be far worse in the private sectors than in government. Even the top dogs in government are closer to the mean than the top dogs in the private sector. Then you have to factor in total benefits and health care cost.
If there were more higher paying jobs there would not be such a gap between the rich and the poor.
Also, not everyone in the public sector gets health insurance.
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