The South Isn't Just In The South

Sometimes you say some stuff that I completely agree with, but joining up with antiquated morons won't solve anything. I've visited many of their web-sites and their ultimate goal is segregation/and hate. Which has never fixed one thing in society. And like I wrote in an earlier comment to you, that rebel flag will always be seen as hateful, just like the Nazi flag will be the symbol of genocide. It's a stigma that you'll never get away from. Like socialism gets a bad rap because it's LEADERS of the past, never stepped down like they were supposed to and let the PEOPLE run their own show. But socialism is completely evil, I mean why would anyone want too help other's out, when they can just think only of themselves. It's much easier to be a greedy capitalist then have to go through all the trouble of helping your fellow man/women. (Sarcasm). I guess I shouldn't reply to your comments, because I am a socialist. And voted across the board for socialist. Yes Idaho does except write-in's for the Democratic Socialist Party of America. Sure You can say I have thrown my vote away, but at least I didn't choose the lesser of two evils. And I will never Vote for a Confederate ingrate! Their time is done! The only way to fix this country is to gather ALL the people (not just whitey) together and storm the gates. Put the workers first and stomp the corrupt capitalist leaders into a mud-hole!

Excellent piece, and right on.

Too bad Jacknife can't see the forest for the trees. Creeping socialism ( big gov. )is the very petri dish in which this soup we find ourselves in grew. He complains about the condition of our country and yet he wants MORE of what caused it? That's not just weird.........it's backwards.

The Confederate flag represents freedom from oppressive government. Some unsavory characters like to say, "You lost. Get over it." No, we won't get over loss of constitutional government. And if anyone doesn't like the Confederate flag, too bad. Get over that.

In reference to those who think socialism is so wonderful, socialism doesn't work. Never has, never will. I prefer freedom and not letting bureaucrats steal my money to throw down the rat hole. Socialists can keep their Marxist "change." Don't like it? Move to China or Cuba.

By the way, with respect to the author of the article, the Stars and Bars is the Confederate First National flag, which somewhat resembles the Stars and Stripes. The Confederate flag most often seen is the red one with stars inside the blue X. It's usually called the Confederate Battle Flag. Good article, though.

THE SOCIALIST PARTY strives to establish a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control - a non-racist, classless, feminist socialist society... where working people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically-controlled public agencies; where full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work; where workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions; and where the production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few. We believe socialism and democracy are one and indivisible. The working class is in a key and central position to fight back against the ruling capitalist class and its power. The working class is the major force worldwide that can lead the way to a socialist future - to a real radical democracy from below. The Socialist Party fights for progressive changes compatible with a socialist future. We support militant working class struggles and electoral action, independent of the capitalist controlled two-party system, to present socialist alternatives. We strive for democratic revolutions - radical and fundamental changes in the structure and quality of economic, political, and personal relations - to abolish the power now exercised by the few who control great wealth and the government. The Socialist Party is a democratic, multi-tendency organization, with structure and practices visible and accessible to all members.

It certainly is not about sitting around collecting food stamps, social security or what have you. And it was the unions, who I might add, got you and everyone else the 40hr work week and benefits. And the Unions were socialist. So if you still think we're evil then tell your boss that you want to go back to the way it was before the unions come along and helped write the laws for more equality and safety in the work-place. That was here in America, by the way. And Russia and Romania were under communist control, which is a whole other animal. Canada is pretty much socialist in it's health care and public works, but their cool, right? Or do you hate them for that? Most of you are under the influence of propaganda passed out about 20yrs ago by the over stuffed pigs that run this country, which was meant to divide the people so we become easier to control. It created fear, and fear is the best way to keep people from rebelling against their rule. Subtract, divide, sub-divide the people into smaller and smaller groups. Feed them full of lies about each other, then they will never unite against them, ie> the rich corporations and leaders that work with them. But even after all this is said, most of you will still believe the lies you've been told. Educate yourself > cant justwatch, because that's all your doing is watching and believing what the t.v. personalities tell you.

And sorry bazookaman, for bringing my beliefs to your site.

Just wondering....Jacknife....does the U.S. Constitution mean anything to you? Or is it just meaningless drivel?

Did it ever occur to you that no two human beings are alike, so how would you make their lives

equal in all aspects? And if this could be done....how utterly boring would THAT be? Just because YOU aren't happy with yourself...who are YOU to decide for any and all others how they should live?

What does this quote mean to you: "Socialism: nothing more than the theory that the slave is always more virtuous than his master" H.L. Mencken

If you GET IT...you also get an A for effort!

That's funny, "the soup in the petri dish" was mixed by capitalist. I haven't seen or heard of any socialist in the power structure of America. It's been pretty much republicans, democrats running things hand in hand with big business. Socialism was never supposed to be about leaders, it was supposed to be about the people. The people that build nations with the blood in their veins and the sweat on their brow. The leaders can be tossed to the dogs for all I care. They are the ones that corrupt nations, not just America, all nations. They consistently barter deals behind closed doors that crush people's lives in the name of money and power. So if you want to blame socialism for the economic downfall we're in, be my guest. But your still wrong and that's all that anyone needs to know. You are the one who is backwards, for believing all the b.s. that surrounds you like flies to shizzzle.

And Sandee, it's obvious you didn't read anything right above your reply. Socialism doesn't create drones, that's what capitalism does. It's just too subtle for you to see clearly because you are too entrenched in the cash culture to open your eye's. THERE ARE NO MASTERS, JUST SHEEP WITH NO BACKBONE. So if you want to keep running with the flock, by all means do. Because your the type of person that needs someone telling you what to do in order to feel normal. And H.L. Mencken was an elitist scum-bag that wanted to be that Whorish Master.

The Soviet Union was Communist! And the constitution and bill of rights was written specifically to protect the rights of rich land-owners not the poor workers that built this nation. The poor workers raised it on their backs while the rich sat back and got richer. Calling me or any-other socialist lazy is like calling a Farmer lazy. I've been working in one form or the other since I was in Jr. High. So don't call me lazy! I have never collected food stamps, unemployment or social security. Even if I needed it, I wouldn't except it. Socialism is a workers Party, not a sit around on your a!! all day watching t.v. party. And as matter of fact I would never force anyone to believe the way I do. Because most people are to selfish to think about anyone other then themselves and their bank accounts. I believe in personal freedom of choice and so does the Democratic Socialist Party of America. They do not want to strip anyone of their freedoms, they just want a more equal society that works for everyone. But whatever, no one will actually read the full statements that I've professed(because socialism and unions are evil, supposedly?) Nobody actually listens unless Pepsi or Nike has given the stamp of approval. So go blindly into the booths today and vote for an Obama or McCain either way you've been screwed, because their both first rate liars. And only in it for the power and money they receive from their corporate sponsors. So good luck, I'm counting down the coming Apocalypse.

cant justwatch, I have been out of the country and seen the brutalities you speak of. But the fact remains that the people being brutalised in these other countries and ours, are always the poor and poor working class. So get over your military education, they always leave out the FACTS or TRUTH, whichever way you want to think of it.

California is not a place I would dare tread into my man. There's to much squall-er and greed floating about their gutters. And the terminator controls the state. I'm hoping California will slide into the ocean. Wouldn't that be fun?

And the fact is, I've been all over Europe, on my own dime, as well as south America and Canada. The only difference between the two of us, is that I saw things without the barrel of a gun obstructing my view/s. I do love this country, and that's another fact, I just don't like the politicians and corporations that run it. So it goes,.... bring on the criticism.

Sorry Jacknife you are wrong ...the people who crafted the U.S. Constitution may in some cases have been rich land owners but many more were just simple folks ( PEOPLE ) who came here to escape big gov. interferrence in their lives. In other words...the PEOPLE alive at that time risked their fortunes and/or lives to separate from the over bearing British Empire....now morphed into Wash. DC. But they also saw themselves as INDIVIDUALS first.

Government IS the problem and always has been. Whether it be a theistic or an atheistic, socialistic or capitalistic one it always turns out the same. It is eventually run by the PEOPLE, collectively. And the PEOPLE run in herds like cattle to a feed trough. And YOU want to cede even MORE power to the PEOPLE? I want more power ceded to the INDIVIDUAL...not your collective "PEOPLE."

And you really think unions are God? I'd think GM, Ford and Chrysler might have a thing or two to say about that. Oh, that's right it's all about the greedy capitalists. Unions just can't be greedy, though can they? What do unions and government have in common? Why they are made up of PEOPLE. That's a big duh!

I noticed you don't mention a current socialist paradise...but I will: Cuba. The PEOPLE tried and succeeded in ridding their island of rich land owners. Where are they now? No more land owners to give jobs...no workee...no payee.

Your ideology reminds me of the children's fable about the Goose that Laid the Golden Egg. We all know how that ended, don't we?

There are few doers/achievers in society and many more takers/non achievers. Historically without the doers/achievers amongst us...there would be no human progress in the betterment of our lives. The freedom ( as individuals ) to fail and LEARN from our failures is the mother's milk of life. You want to turn everyone into a drone ala the "collective" PEOPLE? That may be great for bees in the hive but we ain't bees last time I checked. And what goes on in a bee hive is exactly the definition of socialism.

And speaking of socialism, I once had an ant farm when I was a kid. I was always fascinated watching their little societies and how seemless the mechanizations were. But what I also noticed...with dread...was how very BRUTAL it all was. You might want to give your ideology a little more thought.

Say what you will about California, Jacknife...it got to its current nadir from the total election of a majority of SOCIALIST ideologs. From there capitalists got in bed with gov. simply for protection from extortion.

California was once a state full of INDIVIDUALS who believed in leaving every one else the hell alone. Now the PEOPLE "collectively" run the show. See what you get? I know, I live here and it's a damned shame.

Quotes on the REALITY of socialism:

"You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot lift the wage-earner by pulling down the wage-payer. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot establish security on borrowed money. You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves." William Boeckter

"But to manipulate men, to propel them toward goals which you -- the social reformers -- see, but they may not, is to deny their human essence, to treat them as objects without wills of their own, and therefore to degrade them." Isaiah Berlin

Yes bazookaman....it's probably a losing battle but somewhere I see a person disaffected with the status quo. Now that shows some ray of understanding...ya think?

Ye gods! That's just Capitalist propaganda, the type they teach in school to spread the fear of real individuals who are prepared to fight against the imperialist dogs.

That's the kind of tripe they put down in the books; None Dare Call It Treason by John A Stormer or None Dare Call It Conspiracy by Gary Allen. Books made in essence to to place fear and ignorance into weak-minded fools. "Holy Smokes, my neighbor is a filthy red! Call the FBI or the CIA." So grab your pitchforks and torches, there's a monster coming! -Arrr,.... I will take your land and your money,... arrrr.-

You people make me laugh.

Jacknife...do you know anything about the history of communism? The very FIRST thing that was confiscated was people's property. And without property rights there can be no liberty. It is liberty to live your life as you see fit that you desire isn't it? Good grief, man!

so if i toss away my belongings and burn down my house, then i'll have no freedoms. thats wild! and odd logic. thank you teacher.

oh it's all over now. the drones have control and you strange people have been my test subjects for my final thesis paper on the outcome of propaganda on the small american mind. You all will be credited for your help. Thank you.

Some have forgotten that this is "One nation, under God." God is not smiling on this nation. There.....write a thesis on that one.

Seperation of Church and State is also something you need to remember. Hey look, I can repeat slogans to!

Again.....Jacknife....you still refuse to see the connection. If you own property ( at this point I seriously doubt that you do ) but if you did....YOU are FREE to throw YOUR belongings away and/or tear YOUR own property down to the ground. As long as what YOU do doesn't harm another or their property. You can join the ranks of the so-called homeless anytime you want just remember...even the homeless are DEPENDENT on the kindness of those who have something to give. And that comes from doing for themselves...as INDIVIDUALS.

If YOU have MORE that YOU NEED...why don't you start walking the walk and lead by example? Give it away to others "less fortunate?" Hmmmm?

Cant just watch....maybe Jacknife should study one of the Seven Deadly Sins....ENVY:

"Like Greed, Envy is characterized by an insatiable desire; they differ, however, for two main reasons. First, Greed is largely associated with material goods, whereas Envy may apply more generally. Second, those who commit the sin of Envy desire something that someone else has which they perceive themselves as lacking. Dante defined this as "love of one's own good perverted to a desire to deprive other men of theirs." In Dante's Purgatory, the punishment for the envious is to have their eyes sewn shut with wire, because they have gained sinful pleasure from seeing others brought low. Thomas Aquinas described Envy as "sorrow for another's good".

Put THAT in your thesis, Jacknife!!!!

I give freely of my stuff as it is. Why? Because none of the things that surround will be coming with me to the grave. All the money I've earned won't buy me a ticket through the pearly gates. That's if there are gates to walk through? At any rate I'd rather help other people when they need it, because charity is where it counts.

And I don't prescribe to the idea of ownership making me who I am. I am something other then the car I drive, the house I own, this computer that I use to stir-up your anger. Take it all away and I'd still be me. I wouldn't shed one tear for the loss, like so many others that would completely collapse into a suicidal depression if their "golden idols", were denied to them. So take freely you greedy oafs.

Communism/socialism was/is about community, helping each other out to achieve the goals of equality without the twisted Ideals of a leader. And it was the self proclaimed leaders that ruined a beautiful thing. But you've never read the communist manifesto so you wouldn't understand nor would you try. Your only understanding came from the propaganda you were taught in grade school and from the capitalist politicians lying mouths. Your a product of the red scare and a product of gluttony and greed!

Kudo's to you and your crazy gang of rednecks.

Jacknife said: "And it was the self proclaimed leaders that ruined a beautiful thing."

WOW!! I think you're on to something there!

One hundred and thirty million and counting....

http://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/COM.ART.HTM

Power to the PEOPLE? Don't make me laugh!

Let's go to the museum!

http://tinyurl.com/zv72v

And the last post cut off the link so I shortened it here

http://tinyurl.com/8lzag

And again it was the leaders that were the cause of all that, not the movements themselves. The end product was supposed to be a nation without corruptable leaders, no leaders. Just the people taking care of each others needs. But with ANY leader or master, king, president, what have you, they will bend the laws as necessary to bring about more control over the people and more Power for themselves and inevitably more money into their pockets as well as the pockets of their pals. So yes, Power to the people! I say do away with your leaders, they cause more problems in society then any common worker could ever do.

And not everyone on welfare or "social" security are loafers, so stop being obvious and ignorant.

And I'm 32, born in April of 1976. And Yes I've kept my youthful passion for ideals, because everywhere I look I see people with everything they could ever want, but they all still seem incredibly depressed, despite following everything they were told to do by teachers, religious leaders, parents and government. They are pretty much all on some-kind of anti-depressant, prescription or otherwise, just so they/you can maintain some kind of false smile. A fake hope that your money and status symbols will keep you happy. Blissfully ignorant. I will never lose my "passion" for reality like so many other people of my age have. Lost their ideals and became obsessed with cash, so much so,that they turned that need into their life. And all they can talk about are what clothes to buy, cars they want, what they will do at work day in and day out, as they blindly march toward death. Not seeing that there was more to life then the all mighty dollar, the all consuming job, that three story house full of useless crap, whose sole purpose is to make things look dreamy. Like a Norman Rockwell picture, where everything on the surface was perfect but the realities were much much worse, down under the waxy smiles that stand like grave stones. Yummy,...

So back to it then? What of the millions of native Americans that were systematically murdered in the name of progress and the westward movement of American democracy? Was that a very Democratic action? Take all their lands, murder, rape, imprison and eventually round them into small corners like cattle. Is that what it means to be free? Displace and kill a people just so we can be capitalists. What of the illegal wars that were funded by the American Government? What of the innocent lives taken because of our selfish needs? Did you bother to find those stats? No of course not, that would be admitting that Capitalism isn't as pretty as it is seems. So it goes, your brain washed. I'm brain washed. Lets hold hands and prance in the glory of our nations lies.

From http://www.confederateamericanpride.com/CNP.html

"We believe in true equality and freedom for all people of all sexes, races, beliefs, religions, and sexual orientations."

I'm not sure you can be a part of this group bazookaman?!?!?

Funny you expressed homophobia in the very same blog entry that you discuss the potential virtues of this political party, which it seems does not aim to spread homophobia.

Good post Jacknife.

I'm glad Obama got elected, and I'm not afraid to say that I think he will be a good president. I don't think this election was about voting for the less of two evils, I think both John McCain and Barack Obama are great Americans who have gone above and beyond what most Americans will achieve in their lifetime, and I think they both need to be commended for that.

I don't think people need to stock up on guns, and assault weaponry (face it guns are NEVER going to be outlawed, but maybe some assault weapons will be - thank goodness), I think Americans need to learn how to be better communicators, and get more involved in their community. Barack Obama was mocked during the Republican National Convention for being a "community organizer", but those skills lead him to win the presidency of the United States, because of so many grass root movements involving voter registration and widely involving constituents through use of the Internet.

I think John McCain probably would have won if he hadn't picked Sarah Palin as his running mate, sorry Bazookaman I know you LOVE her, but I think she spent too much time saying really nasty and irrelevant stuff... Americans wanted to hear what each candidate was going to do... instead of "It's not mean-spirited to say...yadda...yadda" I also think that this election was one of the least nasty in modern history, with the exception of Sarah Palin running her mouth about William Ayres and ACORN and that Khalid guy, to NO big AHH-HAA I caught you moment. As an Idaho native and a female, I wish Sarah Palin (born in Sandpoint, Idaho) would have come across as more intelligent, and I really wish she would have studied up on the issues more, I just think a mom of 5, and lady who has kicked out a bunch of corrupt jerks in Alaska would be more of a fighter for issues that really concern Americans.

Obama was a senator In Illinois for EIGHT years before becoming a U.S. senator Jan 4th, 2005. He won his seat by the largest margin ever 70%. He has been involved with public service in one way or another since he graduated from Columbia law school with a degree in political science in 83. He is now 47 and has spent 25 yrs of those years working for the middle class and attempting to raise the standard of living of the poor.

Bazookaman, I think a lot of people really researched this election more than ever, and I personally didn't vote for him, because he had a "D" behind his name. I work with over a 100 people, and everybody was having an incredibly difficult time deciding who to choose (I do live in Idaho - where it is assumed everybody is going to vote whoever is a Republican, you know with an "R" behind their name).

I think John McCain could have done just of well, with many other candidates, he could have chosen Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, or possibly Carly Fiorina before she went cuckoo.

Palin didn't know how to argue points that are argued every single day in the news, in small town blogs, and in households everywhere in America. I think whoever vetted her, and if they really wanted her to have the number 2 spot... they should have informed her better of the history of everything that was go on, and informed her very in depth of policies that John McCain wanted to enact, so that she could intelligently discuss them with the American public... people would have loved to have an extremely beautiful well informed woman for vice president, instead of somebody making useless pathetic attacks, and looking unintelligent in all those interviews (don't blame the media - she needs to have some accountability, especially if she wants to hold the number 2 spot in our nation - or possibly the number 1 spot in 2012).

Never fear folks! All anyone needs to do is study my state of California to see what's just around the bend for the rest of the country. Dems have been in charge of the law making and purse strings now for decades. See anything you like?

I was born here back in '46 and I can tell you that this has been a one party state for a long time. So everything that is wrong here cannot be blamed on the "other" party. We're bankrupt, broke, no energy or water for the future and inundated with illegal aliens pumping up the population and draining us further.

That same illegal population with their future offspring will further suck the last resources out of this once beautiful state. Something has to give.

Now Obama and the Dems having complete control of America will be California writ large. California is in the fix it is in BECAUSE of it's layers and layers of socialistic programs.

So if you like the fact that Obama was elected you ought to vacate Idaho and come live here. It's right up your alley!!!

Jacknife....Obama was in bed with slumlords and the people he was supposedly championing never had their standards raised. Not even a little bit. He was part of that wonderful Chicago machine which saw his cronies line their pockest with tax payer money...all in the name of HELPING the needy. More capitalist greed? No! Socialist greed!

Why don't you do yourself a favor and at least research Obama and what he did while playing community organizer?

Start here http://tinyurl.com/274gql and

here http://tinyurl.com/6fnqfe

He gave his people hope and then failed them! Nice guy!

Just curious...what pray tell...were the natives ( Indians ) in future America doing BEFORE Europeans arrived? How many tribes were there? Did they live in peace and harmony? Again Jacknife...do some research before you go off half cocked. Sheesh!

I'm still happy I voted for Obama, but I'm a rationale person, and I don't blame one party, or the other for the nations problems... I think Americans are in this financial crisis, because of their own greed, it's not the Republicans fault, it's not the Democrats fault, it's the greed that lies within a lot of Americans, and always wanting more things, bigger houses, bigger cars, etc.

By the way California has had a Republican governor for a while now, and he just announced that he's upping the taxes (I thought Republicans weren't suppose to do that!). Butch Otter hasn't figured out what creative tax increase he's going to give us yet... he thought about taxing the number of miles we drive, which in Idaho would be a lot, because we're a predominantly rural state, and even the people that live in larger cities predominately do not walk to their jobs, or even live near their jobs.

11/6/08

SACRAMENTO -- Reacting to a gaping $11.2 billion hole in the California state budget he signed just six weeks ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today announced a proposal to raise the state sales tax by 1.5 cent.

In addition, he proposed implementing a brand new tax on services, such as those offered by veterinary clinics, auto repair and golfing fees. He also plans to implement a tax on producers that extract oil from California ground, and increase alcohol excise taxes by five cents a drink His tax package would bring $4.7 billion new revenue. Most of the rest of the budget shortfall would come in the form of cuts to education, prisons, public safety, Medi-Cal and social services.

Although the Republican governor spent the spring and summer telling Californians the state suffered from a spending problem that led to a $15 billion budget deficit, the world economic downturn has since pushed the state into having a revenue problem.

"A drastic situation like this," Schwarzenegger told a news conference, "takes drastic measures."

Anticipating the tax proposal, Republican legislative leaders this week said they would oppose any such plan. Schwarzenegger, however, was hopeful lawmakers would understand the unprecedented situation and vote to revise the budget.

Jeez your an angry lady, Sandee! You must be a rich lady by the way you hammer down on sharing and caring. With that said, Obama is not a socialist. If I remember correctly there is a D next to his name. So unless someone has changed the sound of the D to S, then Obama is a Democrat, Yes? Well then, this money that is lining the pockets of his cronies, or lined the pockets(past-tense) that is a hugely capitalist thing to do. la-de-da! A pretty common practice by all accounts when it comes to the rich and snobby. And as for us poor working-class slobs, all I want is for us to receive a fair wage, considering we work harder and longer then some suit wearing misery ever did. So until this happens, I will remain a socialist and proudly talk down to you people of upper-class snobbery. So it goes.

And as for the real people of this country, the Native Americans, the one's that were killed off unjustly. I will yell for them to. As for numbers, your right, I cannot give you the tally. But does that change the fact of the genocide that was done on these lands? No it doesn't! I doubt that anyone could accurately give that number, what with so many unmarked graves hidden among our homes. But dig this, was it right that Hitler killed Jew's during world war II? Is Occupying foreign lands in the name of expansion, a cause of a democratic people? No, it certainly is not! But this won't faze you in the least will it,sandee? Now you'll go off on how we had some kind of divine right to take this land. Then you'll freak out on the horrors of socialism again, which is not the socialism I prescribe to. The party you referrer to is a totalitarian socialism, not my Democratic Socialist party. So do your worst! You'll still be a bore-ish snob that caters to kings, popes, and con-men. And I say that Lovingly.

The Governor in this state does not have the power that the legislature has. It is with them that all laws are made and all spending derives. The governor does a little tinkering around the edges but he can't make it happen unless they want/allow it to. I know. I was here when he first became head of state. He tried to make massive changes for the better and they shot him down. BTW, most of the damage to this state was done over the decades by a socialist democrat controled legislature. It's just that simple. This state, at one time, was the seventh largest financial center ( had it been a country ) in the world. Behold what socialists have done to her. I know. I've watched it unfold all my life. Our governor inherited a mess just like all the other ones after Reagan but the legislature has remained the same. Socialist spenders who never learn. Raising taxes won't stop the blood loss....because they haven't learned to live with in their means.

As for the poor native Americans, historically....how ever savage they WERE to other indians doesn't cause me to judge today's indians on the same level. There fore you Jacknife shouldn't be judging people living today against what their ancestors may have done yesterday. Why pick out one group of people to attack for their savagery and completely ignore the other side? Yes there was terrible things done by BOTH sides. But that was a different era and ALL people were much more backward. That was the whole point.

But we DO have more RECENT examples of much WORSE savagery done to innocents all in the name of SOCIALISM. I gave you documented examples. Where's your tears for them?

Someone who lives in Florida just sent this to me. At this particular time in our history this bit of history needs reading:

I can only hope and pray at this time that the Change that Obama keeps talking about is not the same change my parents and millions of people witnessed take place in Cuba back in 1959 when an eloquent young man made the same promises that Obama made last night. People in Cuba wanted "change" for the better...instead we lost our freedom, our liberties, our homes, our guns, our private property, our businesses, our way of life, our families, and millions lost their life either fighting against it, or in search of freedom. Fifty years later, more Cubans live in exile than on the island.

Of course the media is happy, and lots of people are happy as well with the new president elected, but in my humble opinion "The Eagle is wounded" .

Last night on TV I saw people happy, lots of smiles, people even crying of happiness. It reminded me of when Fidel Castro arrived victorious in Havana and people told him "Fidel esta es tu casa" (Fidel this is your home), only to find out later that they not only lost their home, but also lost their country.

I have always been so thankful to the United States for welcoming us with open arms and giving us the opportunity to be free. My love for this country is immense. When I arrived here I kissed the ground and I became a proud American Citizen as soon as I could. I wonder if the new president has ever kissed U.S soil (of course, if he really is an American citizen). I was proud of this country, even before I arrived in the U.S, and even more after I landed here. That's why I can not understand when Michelle Obama said "In my adult life, I have never been proud of this country". That bothers me greatly.

This is a time of great concern for me, as I don't want my children to experience socialism and communism, the way I had to experience it. Please pray for this great country and for the wonderful and wholesome people of America. Pray that the change that is coming is for the better. Pray that leaders learn from history and that they won't make the same mistakes. Let's pray, we won't change in that way. God Bless the good USA!!!!!

Respectfully,

Raul

In closing some of you may not appreciate what America has been to you until you've lost her. How very sad.

Warning To America...this has been around for some time now but it's worth reading again and again: http://tinyurl.com/6n5kpk

Let's face it, we all came from one place but through time we spread out and became a planet of TRIBES. Every single one of these tribes have at one time or another attempted to FORCE their ways on another. A thousand years from now nothing will have changed, even if we all became completely homogenized. Even if we all looked alike....you will still see groupism. This can only change when everyone begins to see each other as INDIVIDUALS and not as part of a group. Desiring to FORCE your ideals on another, just because YOU think only YOU are right is the cause of all of our problems. Minding one's own business is what we all ought to be striving for. Lead by example, walk the walk and maybe persuede a few here and there but never use the force of government/organized people to get your way. Other wise, be prepared for perpetual war.

The Toll of War

By Howard Zinn, October 2002 Issue

Democracy flies out the window as soon as war comes along. So when officials in Washington talk about democracy, either here or abroad, as they take this country to war, they don't mean it. They don't want democracy; they want to run things themselves. They want to decide whether we go to war. They want to decide the lives and deaths of people in this country, and they certainly want to decide the lives and deaths of people in Iraq and all over the Middle East.

Faced with this attitude, our job is just a simple one: to stop them.

I am not going to go into the Bush arguments, if that's what they are. No, don't make me do that.

Don't make me point out the U.S. violations of international law.

Don't make me point out that even if Saddam Hussein has not gone along with this resolution or that resolution of the U.N. Security Council, the United States is about to violate the fundamental charter of the United Nations, which declares that nations may not initiate wars.

No, don't make me do that.

Don't make me point out how this fear of weapons of mass destruction does not extend to the United States. Bush officials think if they use that phrase "weapons of mass destruction" again and again and again that people will cower, cower, cower. Never mind that this fifth-rate military power is not even the strongest in the region. Israel, with 200 nuclear weapons, has that distinction. Bush is not demanding that Ariel Sharon rid himself of his weapons of mass destruction or face "regime change."

The media are a pitiful lot. They don't give us any history, they don't give us any analysis, they don't tell us anything. They don't raise the most basic questions: Who has the most weapons of mass destruction in the world by far? Who has used weapons of mass destruction more than any other nation? Who has killed more people in this world with weapons of mass destruction than any other nation? The answer is simple: the United States.

Please, I don't want to hear anything more about Saddam Hussein's possibly making a nuclear bomb in two years, in five years, nobody knows. We have 20,000 nuclear weapons.

No, I don't want to talk about that. It's not worth talking about.

I'd like to make a few general points about war. I was a bombardier in the Air Force during World War II. I say this not to indicate that I am an expert on war--although, in fact, I am. People who've served in the military, they have a thousand different view points, so nobody can say, "Oh, I served in the military therefore you have to listen to me." However, in my case. . . . I served in the best of wars. The neatest of wars. The war that killed the most people, but for good purpose. The war that had wonderful motives, at least on the part of some people. But that war ended with Hiroshima and Nagasaki and was interspersed with other atrocities committed by the good guys against the bad guys. I, being one of the good guys, feel very proud that I was on the good side, and that if atrocities were to be committed, they were to be committed by good guys.

One point: War always has unintended consequences. You start a war, you never know how it ends.

Another point: By now we have reached a point in human history when the means of war have become so horrible that they exceed any possible good that come out of using those means.

Since World War II, war has taken its toll increasingly against civilians. In World War I, there was a ten-to-one ratio of military personnel killed versus civilians, whereas in World War II that ratio got closer to one-to-one. And after World War II, most of the people who have gotten killed in wars were civilians.

And by the way, I don't want to really make the distinction-and this is something to think about-between innocent civilians and soldiers who are not innocent. The Iraqi soldiers whom we crushed with bulldozers, toward the end of the Gulf War in 1991, in what way were they not innocent? The U.S. Army just buried them--buried them--hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of them. What of the Iraqi soldiers the United States mowed down in the so-called Turkey Shoot as they were retreating, already defeated? Who were these soldiers on the other side? They weren't Saddam Hussein. They were just poor young men who had been conscripted.

In war you kill the people who are the victims of the tyrant you claim to be fighting against. That's what you do.

And wars are always wars against children. In every war, unforgivable numbers of children die.

This brings me to the last general point I want to make. We ought to really remind our neighbors, remind our friends, remind everybody we can that if we really believe that all people are created equal we cannot go to war.

If we really believe that the children of Iraq have as much a right to live as the children of the United States, then we cannot make war on Iraq.

And if we're going to have globalization, let's have a globalization of human rights. Let's insist that we consider the lives of people in China and Afghanistan and Iraq and Israel and Palestine--that we consider the lives of all these people--equal to one another, and therefore war cannot be tolerated.

-- Howard Zinn is the author of "A People's History of the United States." This article is adapted from a speech Zinn delivered in Madison, Wisconsin, on October 10.

Obama's leaky plumbing

Barack Obama discovers a leak under his sink, so he calls Joe the Plumber to come and fix it.

Joe drives to Obama's house, which is located in a very nice neighborhood and where it's clear that all the residents make more than $250,000 per year.

Joe arrives and takes his tools into the house. Joe is led to the room that contains the leaky pipe under a sink. Joe assesses the problem and tells Obama, who is standing near the door, that it's an easy repair that will take less than 10 minutes.

Obama asks Joe how much it will cost.

Joe immediately says, "$9,500."

$9,500?" Obama asks, stunned. "But you said it's an easy repair!"

"Yes, but what I do is charge a lot more to my clients who make more than $250,000 per year so I can fix the plumbing of everybody who makes less than that for free," explains Joe. "It's always been my philosophy. As a matter of fact, I lobbied government to pass this philosophy as law, and it did pass earlier this year, so now all plumbers have to do business this way. It's known as 'Joe's Fair Plumbing Act of 2008.' Surprised you haven't heard of it, senator."

In spite of that, Obama tells Joe there's no way he's paying that much for a small plumbing repair, so Joe leaves.

Obama spends the next hour flipping through the phone book looking for another plumber, but he finds that all other plumbing businesses listed have gone out of business. Not wanting to pay Joe's price, Obama does nothing.

The leak under Obama's sink goes unrepaired for the next several days.

A week later the leak is so bad that Obama has had to put a bucket under the sink. The bucket fills up quickly and has to be emptied every hour, and there's a risk that the room will flood, so Obama calls Joe and pleads with him to return.

Joe goes back to Obama's house, looks at the leaky pipe, and says "Let's see - this will cost you about $21,000."

"A few days ago you told me it would cost $9,500!" Obama quickly fires back.

Joe explains the reason for the dramatic increase. "Well, because of the 'Joe's Fair Plumbing Act,' a lot of rich people are learning how to fix their own plumbing, so there are fewer of you paying for all the free plumbing I'm doing for the people who make less than $250,000. As a result, the rate I have to charge my wealthy paying customers rises every day.

"Not only that, but for some reason the demand for plumbing work from the group of people who get it for free has skyrocketed, and there's a long waiting list of those who need repairs. This has put a lot of my fellow plumbers out of business, and they're not being replaced - nobody is going into the plumbing business because they know they won't make any money. I'm hurting now too - all thanks to greedy rich people like you who won't pay their fair share."

Obama tries to straighten out the plumber: "Of course you're hurting, Joe! Don't you get it? If all the rich people learn how to fix their own plumbing and you refuse to charge the poorer people for your services, you'll be broke, and then what will you do?"

Joe immediately replies, "Run for president, apparently."

As the history of the twentieth century shows all too well, where every man is a king, the vast majority are paupers. John Dryden again: "For whatsoe'ver their sufferings were before\ That change they covet makes them suffer more."

The Kingfish lives! Read the rest here:

http://tinyurl.com/69bonq

How many times are the PEOPLE going to push this ideology before they learn? Hmm.

It's the large corparations putting small buisness owners out of buisness. Such as wally world, if you live in mtn. home, you'd have noticed that.

Jacknife...it's called competition in case you haven't heard. And the bottom line is everyone has a budget they have to stick to in order to live. WalMart figured out how to build a better mouse trap and God bless 'em.

Sam Walton grew up on a farm, milked cows and sold the milk, delivered newspapers and waited tables. He wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth. But if people like you had their way he would've never been ALLOWED to realize his dream and that was to support his family. His legacy is that many more poor and middle class people have a cheaper place to shop so they too can live better with what they earn. What's your problem?

For one, when I lived there during high school, there was an independent music store where all us kids and others bought albums from. There was a home grown clothing store, along with a shoe store. And several shops geared toward the older crowd. All of which got put out of business when wally world rolled into town. And all these places were put out of business because giant mega-stores offer cheaper prices, with this comes cheaper product. So in turn, the small business has to jack it's prices up to make ends meet, which drives more customers away, thus closing down the mom and pop stores. So if want to close down the small department store's with the better product because you'd rather pay-less for crappy products, assembled in third world countries, that pay their employers in peanuts and don't give them benefits. Then by all means go to your local mega-store. Support the sweat shops that employ children in an effort to make more money for the owners, because they don't have to pay them a fair wage. Support the mega-store that puts your buddies local produce market into debt and bankrupts him. I mean Christ, sure wally world employs some folks in your town, but they are not receiving in pay what they should be. Their pay is crap, their benefits are crap, and I'm sure if you could over hear them talking on break times, if they're allowed to take them, you would hear the grumbles of frustration at the bull they put up with just to make rent. But screw it, as long as your getting your shoe's and bullets cheap, no one else matters. And as for real world experience, can't justwatch who is just watching, I've lived in five different states. Traveled around the southwest and northwest states, when I didn't have a son to take care of. I've seen what these so called "blessed" mega-stores do to once thriving "down-towns". And if your into just straight runs of bars down the middle of your town, cool. That's what you usually end up with. You people have been lucky in the fact that there is a strong Mexican culture there who put in restaurants to fill the voids that wally world created. Because other-wise the only thing to greet visitors would be a bunch of drunks stumbling down main street peeing in corners. So hey, praise wally world! They've brought prosperity and peace to your town. Say No, to your buddy who wants to open his own establishment. It would be foolish for him to run against a retail giant who could careless about helping your town. Profits before people, is the motto of of these mega-stores/corporations. So it is you who lives in a dream world. You've probably never even left the state or Mtn. Home for that matter. You have never experienced life outside the bubble you live in. I'm sure your one of those people that when you go on vacation you stay in the touristy sections of the city or town your visiting. Always too afraid to venture to the poor sections, where things aren't quite as pretty as you've been taught they should be. Until you get the nerve to visit these places you have no right to say that Capitalism is the end all be all of human endeavors. Capitalism has failed! And if you can't see that then it is you that is blinded by your onesided views.

The whole point is that INDIVIDUALS sould be FREE to shop and/or be employed where ever they see the need. No one is holding a gun to anyone's head to work at WalMart for those wages nor are they FORCED to shop in only APPROVED stores....that was done under Mao, Stalin and Castro....

"Socialism is the religion people get when they lose their religion"

Richard John Neuhaus

Or those who believe in NOTHING will believe in anything.

You Jacknife are attempting to push your belief system on the rest of us. How is that any different than a proselitizing evangelical knocking on your door? All the problems of the world derive completely from those who continually insist on BUTTING into every one else's business. Live YOUR life the way YOU see fit and if you don't like your surroundings, find a place that suits you better.

Remember the right to the persuit of life, liberty and happiness? It's that simple and believe me...you'll be a lot happier if you stop trying to CONTROL others!

Hitler once said: "Society's needs come before the individual's needs." This came from one of the most LIBERAL societies of that era. Hmm.

And many more "leaders of the PEOPLE" have said similar stuff. It ALWAYS leads to the same thing...slavery and tyranny. Understanding human nature goes a long way in one's persuit of knowledge and living life in general.

I'm not forcing my beliefs on anyone, I'm just putting out other idea's other then the obvious. And sure no ones holding a gun to anyone's head to work or shop at wally world, but they might as well be. Because, wally world has pretty much taken any-kind of choice from them. And that is even more true in a small town where they've laid down their foundations and put the small local store's out of work. So if that's your definition of choice, then I guess your more like Stalin then you think. Good for you. "If you have no other choices, worship the devil." How's that for a quote?

Oh yeah. Hitler's nazi party used the socialist party as a stepping stone. Once he got into power, the socialist lost all their strength. Making the nazi party the only party. So don't put socialism in bed with hitler and his gang monsters.

Those that don't think for themselves, will believe that their nations leaders are gods. They lack the urge to look at other ideas outside of what they were forced to learn in school, church and homes. Because they have been taught to be ignorant to all other idea's, outside their own sphere of experience. Welcome to America, we can do no wrong. Because our teachers, parents and leaders say so! Yip, yip and all that!

Human nature is greed and destruction.

""Human nature is greed and destruction."" And since this is so.....WHY pray tell...would YOU want/need/desire to give the mob/PEOPLE power over the individual. You know, Jacknife, you keep falling right back into what I've been trying to say all along. Socialism ALWAYS starts out as sounding like a great idea until THE PEOPLE choose a LEADER. They shouldn't be looking for a LEADER out side of themselves. They should be looking for a LEADER INSIDE themselves.

If you lament the rise of the mega stores ( WalMart ) then you probably also miss all those blacksmiths that went out of business with the rise of the automobile. That was progress my friend. It will always work that way.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man."

George Bernard Shaw

Wal-Mart equals progress... This is getting more HILARIOUS by the moment...

Full circle....the auto equals progress. But I digress...if the government wasn't snaking so much of our paychecks we might be able to afford to shop in smaller, local stores. I make sure that most if not all of my money is spent in this little berg...before I run to a Costco or Walmart. By going to the bigbox stores to load up on paper products and such, it leaves me more $$$ to spend the rest here. Common sense and watching one's own budget gets the job done. Everyone of us have a different life and needs...if Walmart can save you some $$$ so that you can live a little bit better life. What's wrong with that? HMMM?

There are not supposed to be leaders, sandee. I've already said that.

And bazzokaman, they still praise their leaders as gods.

blah, blah, blah....

This is becoming boring, progress must wait. Property is theft, eat the rich, give me convenience or give me death, injustice for all, deny the slave and praise kings, the pope is in league with child molesters, democrats hold hands with republicans when no one is looking, the two party system is ridiculous, I think I smell something burning and it might just be your life, gather up your guns and ammo because Armageddon is coming and maybe if your lucky you'll get to shoot a demon. good luck.

I'm not laughing, I'm actually incredibly scared that you guys will go on a shooting spree. A lot of people will be hurt that don't deserve it. But I guess that's the price of revolutions. Why don't you fellas start now, when they're not expecting it? That would really throw them off. -The nerve of those guys, rebelling against the government before Obama has been sworn in. That really chaps my hide.- they'd say. And boy, you guys could just laugh your greasy laughs, while they napalm ya just for kicks.

I have your back bazookaman! The Obama story is better and better with each passing day. Change...better times...looking out for the middle class...lowering taxes for lower and middle class.

We will see. How much worse can it get...I am sure we will find out. Promises-promises.

For one thing, even if you people weren't all pent up and ready for a fight, they'd never in a million years be able to take the guns away. They don't have near enough man/women power for that. They'd have to assemble all the armies on the face of the earth to sweep across this country and take them all. Plus the cost alone to do that would be out of this world. It just wouldn't be feasible. Now, the taking of assault type rifles, that's another story. They might manage that. But who needs an assault rifle to hunt animals anyway, it's not like the deer are trained warriors. But I guess the owning of assault rifles goes along with the philosophy of owning an over-sized truck. It's all compensation. And no one want's to pry that from your "cold, dead hands."

So it goes,....

Just one....show me just one perfectly run socialist country...that isn't in some sort of FINANCIAL trouble. We're talking jobs, free healthcare, housing, food, transportation, utilities...where is it? And once EVERYONE has all that...why bother working? Hmmm?

cant justwatch...I will most defintely observe this day and every other...being an old army brat....it's in the blood!

Before I answer your question, sandee. Answer this, Isn't this country, the world for that matter, in a financial free fall at the moment? Humm, and all that was caused by capitalism. Strange ain't it.

France is a good example. You should check out their social works and rights. And England has a Very Strong labor party, which might as well run the whole country.

Here is a list of countries that are socialist or have socialist doctrine in their constitutions,(Democratic socialism). This is a current list, put together in 2008. It also shows which one's are currently in power or opposing the parties in power. I may have left some countries, state, territories out.

Albania Social Democratic Party in opposition

Albania Socialist Party of Albania in opposition

Algeria Socialist Forces Front in opposition

Andorra Social Democratic Party in opposition

Angola Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola in government

Armenia Armenian Revolutionary Federation in government

Argentina Socialist Party in opposition

Argentina Radical Civic Union in opposition

Aruba People's Electoral Movement in government

Australia Australian Labor Party in government

Austria Social Democratic Party of Austria senior party in coalition cabinet

Barbados Barbados Labour Party in opposition

Belgium Socialist Party - Different in opposition part of the SP.A-Spirit-alliance

Belgium Socialist Party junior party in coalition cabinet

Benin Social Democratic Party in opposition part of the Alliance for Dynamism and Democracy

Bosnia and Herzegovina Alliance of Independent Social Democrats in government

Bosnia and Herzegovina Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina in government

Brazil Democratic Labour Party in opposition

Bulgaria Party of Bulgarian Social Democrats junior party in coalition cabinet part of Coalition for Bulgaria

Bulgaria Bulgarian Socialist Party senior party in coalition cabinet part of Coalition for Bulgaria

Burkina Faso Party for Democracy and Progress / Socialist Party in opposition

Cameroon Social Democratic Front in opposition

Canada New Democratic Party in opposition; some provincial government

Cape Verde African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde in government

Chile Socialist Party of Chile in government part of Concert of Parties for Democracy

Chile Social Democrat Radical Party in government part of Concert of Parties for Democracy

Chile Party for Democracy in government part of Concert of Parties for Democracy

Colombia Colombian Liberal Party in opposition

Côte d'Ivoire Ivorian Popular Front in government

Costa Rica National Liberation Party in government part of Politics of Costa Rica

Croatia Social Democratic Party of Croatia in opposition

Curaçao New Antilles Movement in opposition

Cyprus Movement for Social Democracy in opposition

Czech Republic Czech Social Democratic Party in opposition

Denmark Social Democrats in opposition

Dominican Republic Dominican Revolutionary Party in opposition part of the Grand National Alliance

Ecuador Party of the Democratic Left in government part of the PAIS Alliance

Egypt National Democratic Party in government

Equatorial Guinea Convergence for Social Democracy in opposition

Estonia Social Democratic Party in government

Finland Social Democratic Party of Finland in opposition

France Socialist Party in opposition

Germany Social Democratic Party of Germany junior party in coalition cabinet

Greece Panhellenic Socialist Movement in opposition

Guatemala National Union of Hope in government

Guinea Rally of the Guinean People in opposition has no seats in parliament as it boycotted last elections

Haiti Fusion of Haitian Social Democrats in opposition

Hungary Hungarian Socialist Party in government

Hungary Social Democratic Party in government part of an alliance with the Hungarian Socialist Party

Iceland Social Democratic Alliance junior party in coalition cabinet

Iraq Patriotic Union of Kurdistan junior party in coalition cabinet part of the Democratic Patriotic Alliance of Kurdistan

Ireland Labour Party in opposition

Israel Israel Labor Party junior party in coalition cabinet

Israel Meretz-Yachad in opposition

Italy Democrats of the Left in opposition part of the Democratic Party

Italy Socialist Party in opposition has no seats in parliament

Jamaica People's National Party in opposition

Japan Social Democratic Party in opposition

Lebanon Progressive Socialist Party junior party in coalition cabinet part of the March 14 Alliance

Latvia Latvian Social Democratic Workers' Party in opposition has no seats in parliament

Lithuania Social Democratic Party of Lithuania senior party in coalition cabinet

Luxembourg Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party junior party in coalition cabinet

Malaysia Democratic Action Party in opposition part of the Pakatan Rakyat

Mali Alliance for Democracy in Mali in government part of the Alliance for Democracy and Progress

Mauritius Mauritian Militant Movement in opposition part of the MMM-MSM alliance

Mauritius Mauritian Labour Party in government part of the Alliance Sociale

Mexico Party of the Democratic Revolution in opposition part of the Coalition for the Good of All

Mexico Institutional Revolutionary Party in opposition part of the Alliance for Mexico

Mongolia Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party in government

Montenegro Social Democratic Party of Montenegro junior party in coalition cabinet part of Coalition for a European Montenegro

Montenegro Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro senior party in coalition cabinet part of Coalition for a European Montenegro

Morocco Socialist Union of Popular Forces junior party in coalition cabinet

Mozambique FRELIMO in government

Namibia South West Africa People's Organization in government

Netherlands Labour Party junior party in coalition cabinet

New Zealand New Zealand Labour Party in government

Nicaragua Sandinista National Liberation Front in government

Northern Ireland Social Democratic and Labour Party junior party in coalition cabinet

Norway Norwegian Labour Party senior party in coalition cabinet

Pakistan Pakistan Peoples Party senior party in coalition cabinet

Panama Democratic Revolutionary Party in government

Paraguay Revolutionary Febrerista Party in government part of Patriotic Alliance for Change

Peru Peruvian Aprista Party senior party in coalition cabinet

Portugal Socialist Party in government

Puerto Rico Puerto Rican Independence Party in opposition

San Marino Party of Socialists and Democrats junior party in coalition cabinet

Senegal Socialist Party of Senegal in opposition has no seats in parliament as it boycotted last elections

Serbia Democratic Party senior party in coalition cabinet part of For a European Serbia

Slovakia Direction - Social Democracy senior party in coalition cabinet

Spain Spanish Socialist Workers' Party in government

South Africa African National Congress in government

Switzerland Social Democratic Party of Switzerland in coalition cabinet

Tunisia Constitutional Democratic Rally in government

United Kingdom Labour Party in government

Uruguay Socialist Party of Uruguay in government part of the Broad Front

Uruguay New Space in government part of the Broad Front

Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change in government

And no government is perfect, especially a capitalist government, that sets higher standards for the poor then it does for the rich. As in the rich are more likely to get out of jail time, less likely to have to join the military and go to war because they can afford to buy other ways out. But what-ever, sandee, pick it apart. And have a wonderful night.

Socialism's Dead End:

"The Marxist, curiously enough, builds his hope for the supreme reasonableness of society on an ultra-legalistic notion of property. At bottom he identifies property not with the control and use of capital goods but with the residual title deeds, and he assumes that if all the titles are collectively held, the instruments of production will necessarily be collectively "owned" and administered.

This is the crucial point in the socialist argument: the whole hope that exploitation, acquisitiveness, (and) social antagonism, will disappear rests upon confidence in the miraculous effect of the transfer of titles. It is this transfer, and only this transfer, which is to revolutionize human behavior, is to enhance beyond all known experience the human capacity to govern, and is to terminate once and for all that history which "in all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."

The socialist does not say that under socialism diversity of interest is to be more successfully adjusted. He says that when titles are collectively held, diversity of interest will have been abolished.

There is for the socialist only one social problem, and it is easily solved by the transfer of title deeds. There is no socialist technology, there is no socialist plan for the production and distribution of wealth: all the problems in these realms remain to be solved by the socialist officials of the future. There is nothing in the Marxian canon from which the Russian Soviet officials were able to deduce one single guiding principle for the formulation and the administration of the Five Year Plan. Socialist theory provided no clue whatsoever which told them what to produce, how much to save for capital investment, what wages they should pay, what hours of labor they should require, what prices they should charge. The only principle which they derived from their doctrine was that the residual title to property in land and capital goods was to repose in the state.

Those who seized a factory soon saw that they had obtained only an inert heap of bricks and steel: that this capitalist property was incapable of producing income except as part of an economy of credit and international trade that ceased to exist when the managers and directors had been ousted. The socialist movement was able to bring the industrial machine to a standstill; it gave no evidence of being able to make the machine yield more for the people.

Socialism was a failure in Central Europe because it sought to encroach on a capitalist order that was already almost completely impoverished. In rich-capitalism, where there is a large surplus, some wealth can be redistributed. But a poor-capitalism, like that of post-war Germany, has almost no reserves which can be tapped; the attempt to find them, whether by law or direct action, strikes not at excess profits but at capital assets, at working capital, and at those minimum profits without which capitalistic production cannot be maintained. Now it is from the middle class...(whose) savings are drawn upon when the social services of the poor are financed by taxes or inflation. One can understand why socialism in these poor countries provoked a middle class revolution.

When industry was paralyzed by strikes and expropriatory laws, it was the middle class industrial officer who lost his position and who saw his invested savings impaired and his standard of living reduced by rising prices, increasing taxes, and the deterioration of the currency. He realized that poor country-socialism, even of a gradual and democratic variety, does not mean merely the redistribution of the profits of capitalism; it means the gradual paralysis of capitalism---if carried far enough, its total destruction---and the decline of the whole community to a proletarian level."

(An Inquiry Into The Principles of The Good Society, Walter Lippmann, Little, Brown and Company, 1937, excerpts, pp. 72-143)

And again, that was written from a capitalist stand point. So they of course are bias in their theories and statements. So, there-for, it is a useless piece of information. When you go into an actual site of "socialist doctrine," and post the truth of the inner workings and plans, then I'll pay attention. But until then have fun putting up the propaganda.

So you never answered my question, "was it socialism that sent our economic infrastructure down the toilet, or capitalism.?"

Was it socialist that closed down major factories here in the U.S.A. and set them up in other countries so their owners could make more money, or was it capitalists? Was it socialism that put hard working Americans out of work when said factories were moved to third world countries? Humm,...?

**So you never answered my question, "was it socialism that sent our economic infrastructure down the toilet, or capitalism.?"**

Every thing that is wrong with this country can be traced right back to BIG government meddling in the private sector. That goes for businesses, healthcare, schools, farming, communications, power...all of it. The more government grows and meddles ( pushing socialism )...the worse everything gets. When you LIVE long enough...you get better at seeing the changes and connecting the dots. You also recognize how much freedom you've lost while you're at it. I was more of a liberal when I was in my 20s. GROWING UP happened along the way...after starting a family, buying a home and starting a business ( pursuit of happiness ). All of these things makes one realize how much PERMISSION one has to ask and how many government palms are greased....just to do the simplest of things, but you'll probably have to keep breathing a lot longer to actually get all this. I hate to pull rank on you, but there's a reason why all societies respected their elders through out history. With age comes wisdom...it's like osmosis.

Well you might want to get a little older and wiser, because just throwing the phrase (pushing socialism) into your paragraph doesn't make the grade. It is a capitalist government that is running this country into the ground, while holding hands with big business. I think the only thing that your age has gotten you is a deeper fear that your teachers and parents lied to you about the "red threat". How do you respect someone who is still under the influence of propaganda printed up 30's-80's? Respect my elders? What is there to respect? Should I respect your fear of illogical nonsense? Should I respect someone who takes everything they hear as fact? No friggin way. And it seems that your ability to connect the dots is slipping with age. There is no secret socialist threat that caused the housing market to fail causing the domino's to fall. That was straight capitalism, pure and simple. Greed and irresponsibility at it's finest. So gram-ma you might want to get some new bifocals or have your cataracts checked. Your vision is failing along with the American Dream. Or as I say the americon lie. (people will be up in arms about that one.) So it goes,....

The globalization of capital that has undermined workers everywhere finally has brought about moves for the globalization of labor. Finally, unions worldwide are seriously heeding Karl Marx' plea for workers to unite across national boundaries.

Although first voiced 160 years ago, "Workers of the World Unite!" is one of the most important messages that the unions of today are likely to hear. As President Andy Stern of the Service Employees Union says, Marx' message "isn't ideological anymore. It's practical."

The need for international labor unity is great and daily growing greater. Government policies in the United States and elsewhere have allowed corporate employers to shift operations to poor countries, where workers are poorly paid and have few rights because they lack effective unions and other protections.

At the same time, there's been a flood of cheap labor into the United States from poorer countries. That has helped hold down the pay of U.S. workers and keep them from gaining broader rights and better working conditions. Much of the problem has been caused by U.S. trade policies that are designed to help the corporate interests favored by most U.S, lawmakers and thus allow the exploitation of workers both here and abroad.

What it amounts to, simply, is that powerful multi-national corporations -- that is to say, most major corporations -- are able to keep pay and working conditions at low levels by playing one country's workforce off against another's workforce while maximizing the corporation's profits.

In the meantime, the size of the worldwide labor force has doubled, while the size of unions worldwide has not come even close to keeping pace. That has severely weakened the bargaining power of unions in dealing with global employers.

So what's to be done? How should workers of the world go about uniting? For one thing, they should develop international standards for the treatment of workers everywhere and jointly demand that they be followed and that trade agreements carry provisions to protect and further workers' rights.

Workers employed by the same corporate employers in different parts of the world should act jointly -- pool their resources, coordinate their efforts, help each other develop strong, effective unions and global strategies , They need to organize workers jointly and make the same demands for decent working conditions wherever the workers are employed, here or abroad - and enforce those demands jointly, if necessary, by strikes and other actions.

Steps toward the globalization of labor by those and other means have already begun. Unions, for instance, have put together an organization, the International Trade Union Confederation, that represents more than 150 million workers in more than 150 countries. The confederation's charter spells out its purpose and needs quite clearly: "Confronted by unbridled capitalist globalization, effective internationalism is essential to the future strength of trade unionism."

The confederation promises to struggle "for the emancipation of working people and a world in which the dignity and rights of all human beings is assured."

Just recently, the world's first global union was formed through an alliance between America's United Steelworkers union and Unite, Britain's largest union, which is made up mainly of factory and transportation workers. The alliance goes by the awkward, but apt name of "Workers Uniting: The Global Union."

The two unions, which represent workers at some companies that operate in both the United States and Britain, will remain largely autonomous. But they will have a joint leadership to coordinate common policy and collective bargaining for some three million members in the United States, Canada, Great Britain and the Irish Republic who work in virtually every sector of the global economy -- in manufacturing, service, mining and transportation.

Other recent steps toward globalization have been taken by the Communication Workers union. It has formed a T-Workers Union for employees of T-Mobile who work for the German-owned company in this country and in Germany. Members will belong to both the Communication Workers and its German equivalent.

Andy Stern's Service Employees Union has established a worldwide network of security-guard unions as the first of what the union hopes will be a series of organizing campaigns for workers in a variety of occupations here and abroad.

Former labor leader and U.S. Under Secretary of Labor Jack Henning eloquently explained why such steps are urgent and essential:

"We were never meant to be beggars at the table of wealth. We were never meant to be the lieutenants of capitalism. We were never meant to be the pall bearers of the workers of the world. Global unionism is the answer to global capitalism. There is no other answer."

2008 Dick Meister

It was socialist ideology that DIRECTLY caused the housing mess. Big government socialists forced banks to make loans to people that they all KNEW could not afford them. This is common knowledge...in case you missed it.

Government steals all our hard earned money to pay people who have kids they KNOW they can't take care of. It pays for people's healthcare, disability, food, housing and college. None of this is legal nor a civil right under the US Constitution.

We're broke and now we have people coming into power to further the socialist dream. Red Scare? Hah! Obviously YOU didn't learn anything about all the horrific things that has been done to tens of millions of innocent people through out the last century....ALL IN THE NAME OF YOUR IDEOLOGY. True capitalism doesn't exist anymore. It died a long time ago right after the enactment of the Income tax.

You're spittin' in the wind with your rants. But that's OK. You'll find out....not too long after I'm gone. I remember being YOUR age....I thought I knew it all too. Don't get too full of yourself...you'll just look more foolish than you already do.

Yeah, okay. The banks were forced to make loans by america's socialist government. That just sounds like your forcing facts to make capitalism a victim of conspiracy. So I'll pretend to agree with you so you feel better about yourself.

So let me get this straight. If someone becomes disabled in a car accident and can't afford to pay medical bills, buy food, or pay housing cost, you'd rather them die in the streets because you don't want to help them? Or is it just that you want all the money for yourself? That's very greedy of you. And not very Christian either. Do you think God would want these people to suffer because others, like you, thought they were just bums looking for a hand out? Probably not. But I could be wrong, maybe god is a capitalist and only wants the rich greedy people in heaven? But that doesn't sound right does it? Isn't it a civil right to live even if a person is poor? Don't you think education is a civil right even if someone comes from a low income back ground? Or do you think that if a person can't afford school or food that they should be ignored and left to the dogs?

Capitalism has caused all of this. It's made people selfish and only think about themselves. There can be no equality if the rich remain in power while the poor have to scrape by and go deeper in debt to achieve this so called american dream. True capitalism is alive and doing what it set out do. Keep the poor in a state of despair while the rich get fat off our burdens.

Obviously you still don't know it all, sandee.

Mr. Schmidt arranges mortgages in Shreveport, La. He earns his money upfront, taking a percentage of each loan once papers are signed. "We don't get paid unless we can say YES" to loans, his firm's Web site says.

The problem, which Mr. Schmidt says he sees clearly: Brokers have little incentive to say "no" to someone seeking a loan. If a borrower defaults several months later -- as Americans increasingly are doing -- it's someone else's problem.

It's someone else's problem. How very American.

The mortgage crisis which currently afflicts the U.S. economy has brought about numerous foreclosures, corporate bankruptcies, and job layoffs. There is no one answer as to who or what caused this crisis; it was brought about by a combination of several factors. First, we should start with how and when it began, to see what actually caused it to occur.

With the real estate "boom" underway, home prices were constantly rising, and sales remained brisk. Owners realized that they could "flip" (quickly re-sell) their homes at higher prices, rapidly moving from one to the next. Low fuel and food costs helped spur these real estate sales, convincing buyers that they could afford to live in increasingly more expensive homes, without the slightest sacrifice in their standard of living.

Buyers, mortgage brokers, and lending institutions all realized that "flipping" made it possible for homes to be purchased and temporarily owned by people with insufficient incomes to pay for them. Some brokers encouraged people to put false income data on their mortgage applications, while small lenders defrauded larger banks into purchasing mortgages from them based on falsified applications. This sort of mortgage activity would have caused a crisis earlier, if it had not been for the continuing rapid home sales.

With the mortgage industry having been deregulated by the government years earlier, some were taking a more "creative" approach to lending. The unrealistic technique of offering high-interest "subprime" loans to people with poor credit histories became quite common, with many brokers and lenders employing dishonest tactics to deceive buyers about them. At the time, ever-rising home prices made it possible for lending institutions to easily resell (at a higher price) any homes that did get foreclosed upon.

When real estate sales sharply declined and prices began to drop, the "bubble" burst and owners were unable to escape the current home (and mortgage) they had intended upon "flipping." The monthly payments on many of their adjustable mortgages went up, and increasing fuel costs caused the price of consumer goods to rise. As many of them became unable to make the payments, and banks could no longer find buyers for foreclosed-upon properties, the mortgage crisis began.

Basically, the current mortgage crisis was caused by the unsound financial decisions of many lending institutions, brokers, and home owners who based their actions upon the formerly-booming real estate market. The crisis was also caused by the government's failure to properly regulate the mortgage industry, and the questionable economic theory of giving high-interest loans to people with problematic credit records.

This is capitalism.

You might try reading this little article on how charitable Americans really are.

http://tinyurl.com/4tyerl

And using the FORCE of a socialist government ( what we have now ) to take from one person who EARNED it to those who didn't is theft and slavery. Are YOU saying that you are for theft and slavery?

sandee,

You do not have a socialist government!

And I wasn't accusing all americans of being selfish, mainly you, and people like you. Because you seem to have some great anger towards people on disability, welfare, or getting financial aid for school. And that was your first post of today. So get over it.

(Low-income working families are the most generous group in America, giving away about 4.5 percent of their income on average.)

Property is theft, and slavery has nothing to do with me taking your money, sandee. Slavery is being forced to work for little or no reward. Like not being able to get a living wage when you deserve at least that much. Ya know what that's like? It stinks! But you wouldn't care would you? Because you don't like poor people, do you?

And for the record, I'm usually the first guy to stand up and tell people to get bent, when they start using racial slurs. Not that slavery has anything to do with the color of a person's skin. But you were going that way by asking if I was for slavery. If I could see you right this moment I'd curse you with Ebola for talking like that. Lucky you.

Oh and another thing, that link you posted was for statistic's from 2000-2006, so they are not really relevant at this point in time. Good try though.

(higher taxes for the rich and cutting taxes for the poor will be necessary for addressing the roots of the economic crisis.) Finally!

p.i.t. 08'

"Government steals all our hard earned money to pay people who have kids they KNOW they can't take care of. It pays for people's healthcare, disability, food, housing and college. None of this is legal nor a civil right under the US Constitution." SANDEE you wrote this.

And I Asked you this, "If someone becomes disabled in a car accident and can't afford to pay medical bills, buy food, or pay housing cost, you'd rather them die in the streets because you don't want to help them? Or is it just that you want all the money for yourself? That's very greedy of you. And not very Christian either. Do you think God would want these people to suffer because others, like you, thought they were just bums looking for a hand out? Probably not. But I could be wrong, maybe god is a capitalist and only wants the rich greedy people in heaven? But that doesn't sound right does it? Isn't it a civil right to live even if a person is poor? Don't you think education is a civil right even if someone comes from a low income back ground? Or do you think that if a person can't afford school or food that they should be ignored and left to the dogs?"

But YOU never ANSWERED, SANDEE.

Christians go to church and are taught to be charitable and kind to others. That's where it belongs. Not with ANY government but with the people. So there ya go. YOU keep touting THE PEOPLE...well...charity resides with THE PEOPLE as INDIVIDUALS and their conscience to help their fellow man. That is true freedom....any other way is slavery.

So why is someone GREEDY when they desire to do with their own property what they will....but the potential government designated recipient isn't?

The vast majority of recievers of government/socialist largess are NOT automobile accident victims. But they are people who have made and continue to make bad/dumb choices that screw up their lives. So why should others who play by the rules of life be FORCED to clean up these people's act? That is slavery. And YOU are in favor of slavery.

Guess what, you stay in school, don't get pregnant, don't do drugs and don't steal and work hard and VOILA!!!! You have a life. If you don't that isn't my problem and it shouldn't be anyone elses. Freedom MEANS the right to succeed or fail as the case may be. But without failure and the ability to LEARN from it, all you end up with is a nation of whining losers. That ain't what built this country. But it sure as hell will bring it down.

Even in the forest...we are admonished NOT to FEED the bears. Now why in the hell is that???

Because they will become DEPENDENT on humans for their food and will lose their will/ability to forage for themselves. Seems we are kinder to bears than we ever are to humans. You want to kill people with kindness and worse do it with other people's money. That's pretty crappy if you ask me.

This is what someone ( American citizen ) saw while going to a food bank here in San Diego. This is what you get when you announce to all that everything is FREE.

I volunteer at the Chula Vista High School, but today I was asked to help the food bank on Oxford St. I went there and couldn't find a parking spot. I have Handicap plates. I had to park 2 blocks away. As I walked to the food bank I found out why I couldnt find a place to park. Most of the cars there had Baja California license plates. They had been waiting there since 0600. There were hispanic women with baby strollers, walk around carts. They were filling up their carts and shopping bags. By the time they got to the elderly and handycaped Americans, the food was gone. We had to turn them away.

There are more people in America then there are jobs. So should they have to suffer because American corporations move their assembly plants to foreign countries? Should these people that can't find jobs have to die because some people are selfish and don't want to help them? Just because a guy or lady goes to school, doesn't do drugs, doesn't get pregnant and gets a job doesn't mean that they will automatically have a perfect life. Things happen in life that can cause them to lose their job, house, what have you. Not everyone in the system are bums just wanting free handouts. Christ your ignorant. Your a slave to your ignorance's. And this country was built on the backs of wage slaves, not by some rich guy in suit. All the rules and rights you have in the work place are because some working class union member fought for them. The only whining losers I see are people like you that have no clue about what it's like to live in poverty. It's not fun and never will be. And for you to add in your little story the phrase of Hispanic women with babies just proves your ignorance's. Having an Ethnic background doesn't automatically put you on welfare. So hey, when you get fired or whatever because the jobs moving to another country. Or they fire you just because you have a bad attitude make sure to tell the welfare system or the churches not to help you out because you don't believe people like you should be feed because your a bum. Good luck eating from the neighborhood dumpster.

Just an example of people who will more then likely need public assistance soon. Will you deny them?

AP -- Craig Smith tries to save his home during a wildfire that destroyed a number of homes, Saturday, Nov. … LOS ANGELES -- A wind-blasted wildfire slashed through the city's northern foothills Saturday, sending thousands of residents fleeing in the dark, forcing evacuation of a hospital and destroying an untold number of homes.

The fire broke out late Friday in the foothill community of Sylmar on the edge of the Angeles National Forest and quickly spread across 2,600 acres -- more than 4 square miles -- as it was driven by Santa Ana wind gusting as high as 76 mph.

Dozens of homes were destroyed, officials said, and aerial footage from television helicopters showed rows of houses gutted in just in one subdivision.

Fire crews had to abandon a mobile home park that was burning out of control.

"We have almost total devastation here in the mobile park," Los Angeles Fire Capt. Steve Ruda said of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park. "I can't even read the street names because the street signs are melting."

At an evacuation center, Oakridge resident Wendy Vannenberg said the park had about 600 residences, many of them housing senior citizens. The same park had been evacuated during a fire last month.

Things happen in life that can't be controlled, is that any reason to deny these people help?

________________________________________

"Liberalism cited as a mental illness."

Posted: November 12, 2008

6:33 pm Eastern

WASHINGTON -- Just when liberals thought it was safe to start identifying themselves as such, an acclaimed, veteran psychiatrist is making the case that the ideology motivating them is actually a mental disorder.

"Based on strikingly irrational beliefs and emotions, modern liberals relentlessly undermine the most important principles on which our freedoms were founded," says Dr. Lyle Rossiter, author of the new book, "The Liberal Mind: The Psychological Causes of Political Madness." "Like spoiled, angry children, they rebel against the normal responsibilities of adulthood and demand that a parental government meet their needs from cradle to grave."

While political activists on the other side of the spectrum have made similar observations, Rossiter boasts professional credentials and a life virtually free of activism and links to "the vast right-wing conspiracy."

For more than 35 years he has diagnosed and treated more than 1,500 patients as a board-certified clinical psychiatrist and examined more than 2,700 civil and criminal cases as a board-certified forensic psychiatrist. He received his medical and psychiatric training at the University of Chicago.

Rossiter says the kind of liberalism being displayed by both Barack Obama and his Democratic primary opponent Hillary Clinton can only be understood as a psychological disorder.

"A social scientist who understands human nature will not dismiss the vital roles of free choice, voluntary cooperation and moral integrity -- as liberals do," he says. "A political leader who understands human nature will not ignore individual differences in talent, drive, personal appeal and work ethic, and then try to impose economic and social equality on the population -- as liberals do. And a legislator who understands human nature will not create an environment of rules which over-regulates and over-taxes the nation's citizens, corrupts their character and reduces them to wards of the state -- as liberals do."

Dr. Rossiter says the liberal agenda preys on weakness and feelings of inferiority in the population by:

* creating and reinforcing perceptions of victimization;

* satisfying infantile claims to entitlement, indulgence and compensation;

* augmenting primitive feelings of envy;

* rejecting the sovereignty of the individual, subordinating him to the will of the government.

"The roots of liberalism -- and its associated madness -- can be clearly identified by understanding how children develop from infancy to adulthood and how distorted development produces the irrational beliefs of the liberal mind," he says. "When the modern liberal mind whines about imaginary victims, rages against imaginary villains and seeks above all else to run the lives of persons competent to run their own lives, the neurosis of the liberal mind becomes painfully obvious."

Imagine a raging fire approaching your home...and you have only minutes to get your bed ridden spouse/husband and all your pets loaded up in a pick up truck and then drive 90 minutes north ( at midnight )to shelter with a relative? The fire was stopped one block from this home and the power was out. This caused all the food and medications in the fridge to spoil as no one was allowed back in for a week. Imagine what that must of been like to be without your hospital equiptment, for a week, that was left in that home. Imagine what it was like to finally be allowed to return to everything black with ashes, trees down and no power!

You don't know who in the hell you are talking to but I'll give you a clue...that person was me and my husband. BTW, he died two months ago. The stress from that fire took its toll and it was never the same.

Fema opened up their head quarters. Who stood in long lines with their hands out? Illegals! I KNOW..I live here and saw it with my own eyes. Yet THEY didn't lose one thing here in Fallbrook. It was the growers who lost it all but they made sure to have insurance. People who have something invested usually do. People who have nothing to lose, don't.

On any given weekend you'll see illegals standing in line at the grocers buying huge cases of beer and lotto tickest. And you wonder why they are poor? DUH!

Go into our small town hospital and you'll see illegals, not speaking our language, pregnant and getting medical care...many times making others ( citizens ) wait for their insurance paid for care.

You know nothing of my life nor of what challenges I and my family faced through out our lives. And the one person who ( if he were still here and a Mexican ) would tell you to get a REAL life, take care of your own and stop whining abut things you know nothing about. You've barked up the wrong tree. So go find another one to **** on!

I'll believe you when I see it. Your the type of person who changes the story about your life just so you can win an argument. And your psychological break down of so called liberals is absolutely false. There has never been any case study on liberals and never will be. Some conservative radio host put that together to make his case against the liberals. To make them look like idiots, just because liberals in some cases do want to help others out. It was propaganda used to mask all the horrible crap that conservatives do and plan to do in the future.

And if fema was there they would have made people prove that they were indeed victims of the fire. So don't play that racist, Mexicans took my food and my job B.S. And on the beer and lotto buying, I've always seen more white slobs doing that then any other nationality. And if your honest you'd admit it. Like the fact that you live in Mtn. Home and work in an office making way too much money to sit on your re-end. Christ you just get more desperate to win every time you write. Just face facts capitalism is evil and will be forever evil, unless your rich then it's holy. Jesus Christ is a liberal, think about that.

I didn't want to post this other stuff but you irritated me with your lies. And it seems like you need some more education.

Under welfare capitalism, a reserve pool of people is kept undereducated, under-skilled and unemployed, largely along racial and gender lines, to exert pressure on those who are employed and on organized labor. The employed pay for this knife that capitalism holds to their throats by being taxed to fund welfare programs to maintain the unemployed and their children. In this way the working class is divided against itself; those with jobs and those without are separated by resentment and fear. In socialism, full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work.

Democracy in daily life is the core of our socialism. Public ownership becomes a fraud if decisions are made by distant bureaucrats or authoritarian managers. In socialist society power resides in worker-managed and cooperative enterprises. Community-based cooperatives help provide the flexibility and innovation required in a dynamic socialist economy. Workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions. Worker and community control make it possible to combine life at work, home and in the community into a meaningful whole for adults and children. Girls and boys are encouraged to grow up able to choose freely the shape of their lives and work without gender and racial stereotyping. Children are provided with the care, goods and services, and support that they need, and are protected from abuse.

A socialist society carefully plans its way of life and technology to be a harmonious part of our natural environment. This planning takes place on regional, national, and international levels and covers the production of energy, the use of scarce resources, land-use planning, the prevention of pollution and the preservation of wildlife. The cleanup of the contaminated environment and the creation of a nuclear-free world are among the first tasks of a socialist society.

Socialist feminism confronts the common root of sexism, racism and class-ism: the determination of a life of oppression or privilege based on accidents of birth or circumstances. Socialist feminism is an inclusive way of creating social change. We value synthesis and cooperation rather than conflict and competition.

We work against the exploitation and oppression of women who live with lower wages, inferior working conditions and subordination in the home, in society and in politics. Socialists struggle for the full freedom of women and men to control their own bodies and reproductive systems and to determine their own sexual orientation. We stand for the right of women to choose to have a safe and legal abortion, at no cost, regardless of age, race, or circumstance.

Women's independent organizations and caucuses are essential to full liberation, both before and after the transformation to socialism. Women will define their own liberation.

Bigotry and discrimination help the ruling class divide, exploit, and abuse workers here and in the Third World. The Socialist Party works to eliminate prejudice and discrimination in all its forms. We recognize the right of self-defense in the face of attacks; we also support non-violent direct action in combating oppression. We fully support strong and expanded affirmative action programs to help combat the entrenched inertia of a racist and sexist system which profits from discrimination and social division.

People of color, lesbians and gays, and other oppressed groups need independent organization to fight oppression. Racism will not be eliminated merely by eliminating capitalism.

People around the world have more in common with each other than with their rulers. We condemn war, preparation for war, and the militaristic culture because they play havoc with people's lives and divert resources from constructive social projects. Militarism also concentrates even greater power in the hands of the few, the powerful and the violent. We align with no nation, but only with working people throughout the world

Art is an integral part of daily life. It should not be treated as just a commodity produced by the activity of an elite group. Socialists work to create opportunities for participation in art and cultural activities. We work for the restoration and preservation of the history and culture of working people, women, and oppressed minorities

Living under domination and struggling against it exact a personal toll. Socialists regard the distortion of personal life and interpersonal relations under capitalism as a political matter. Socialism must ultimately improve life; this cannot be accomplished by demanding that personal lives be sacrificed for the movement. We cherish the right of personal privacy and the enrichment of culture through diversity.

No oppressed group has ever been liberated except by its own organized efforts to overthrow its oppressors. A society based on radical democracy, with power exercised through people's organizations, requires a socialist transformation from below. People's organizations cannot be created by legislation, nor can they spring into being only on the eve of a revolution.

They can grow only in the course of popular struggles, especially those of women, labor, and minority groups. The Socialist Party works to build these organizations democratically.

The process of struggle profoundly shapes the ends achieved. Our tactics in the struggle for radical democratic change reflect our ultimate goal of a society founded on principles of egalitarian, non-exploitative and non-violent relations among all people and between all peoples.

To be free we must create new patterns for our lives and live in new ways in the midst of a society that does not understand and is often hostile to new, better modes of life. Our aim is the creation of a new social order, a society in which the commanding value is the infinite preciousness of every woman, man and child.

I hope this really ****** on your tree. Democratic Socialism is the answer, ya crazy lady.

Political Conservatism as Motivated Social Cognition

Artical written in 2006'

BERKELEY -- Politically conservative agendas may range from supporting the Vietnam War to upholding traditional moral and religious values to opposing welfare.

Four researchers who culled through 50 years of research literature about the psychology of conservatism report that at the core of political conservatism is the resistance to change and a tolerance for inequality, and that some of the common psychological factors linked to political conservatism include:

Fear and aggression

Dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity

Uncertainty avoidance

Need for cognitive closure

Terror management

Assistant Professor Jack Glaser of the University of California, Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy and Visiting Professor Frank Sulloway of UC Berkeley joined lead author, Associate Professor John Jost of Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, and Professor Arie Kruglanski of the University of Maryland at College Park, to analyze the literature on conservatism.

The psychologists sought patterns among 88 samples, involving 22,818 participants, taken from journal articles, books and conference papers. The material originating from 12 countries included speeches and interviews given by politicians, opinions and verdicts rendered by judges, as well as experimental, field and survey studies.

Ten meta-analytic calculations performed on the material - which included various types of literature and approaches from different countries and groups - yielded consistent, common threads, Glaser said.

The avoidance of uncertainty, for example, as well as the striving for certainty, are particularly tied to one key dimension of conservative thought - the resistance to change or hanging onto the status quo, they said.

The terror management feature of conservatism can be seen in post-Sept. 11 America, where many people appear to shun and even punish outsiders and those who threaten the status of cherished world views, they wrote.

Concerns with fear and threat, likewise, can be linked to a second key dimension of conservatism - an endorsement of inequality, a view reflected in the Indian caste system, South African apartheid and the conservative, segregationist politics of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-South S.C.).

Disparate conservatives share a resistance to change and acceptance of inequality, the authors said. Hitler, Mussolini, and former President Ronald Reagan were individuals, but all were right-wing conservatives because they preached a return to an idealized past and condoned inequality in some form. Talk host Rush Limbaugh can be described the same way, the authors commented in a published reply to the article.

This research marks the first synthesis of a vast amount of information about conservatism, and the result is an "elegant and unifying explanation" for political conservatism under the rubric of motivated social cognition, said Sulloway. That entails the tendency of people's attitudinal preferences on policy matters to be explained by individual needs based on personality, social interests or existential needs.

The researchers' analytical methods allowed them to determine the effects for each class of factors and revealed "more pluralistic and nuanced understanding of the source of conservatism," Sulloway said.

While most people resist change, Glaser said, liberals appear to have a higher tolerance for change than conservatives do.

As for conservatives' penchant for accepting inequality, he said, one contemporary example is liberals' general endorsement of extending rights and liberties to disadvantaged minorities such as gays and lesbians, compared to conservatives' opposing position.

This intolerance of ambiguity can lead people to cling to the familiar, to arrive at premature conclusions, and to impose simplistic cliches and stereotypes, the researchers advised.

The latest debate about the possibility that the Bush administration ignored intelligence information that discounted reports of Iraq buying nuclear material from Africa may be linked to the conservative intolerance for ambiguity and or need for closure, said Glaser.

"For a variety of psychological reasons, then, right-wing populism may have more consistent appeal than left-wing populism, especially in times of potential crisis and instability," he said.

They concluded that conservatives are less "integratively complex" than others are, Glaser said, "it means that they're simple-minded."

Conservatives don't feel the need to jump through hoops in order to understand or justify some of their positions, he said. "They are more comfortable seeing and stating things in black and white in ways that should frighten Americans."