Communism in America

[Esaias]

A short primer. Money quote:

What Americans need to understand is that these are the forces aligned against them, because they have allowed themselves to be considered fascists. Knowing it is a lie is irrelevant. They are building a stage upon which you play the evil fascist to their communist hero.

https://christianmerc.blogspot.com/2...n-america.html

[BuckeyeBukaroo]

Originally Posted by Esaias

A short primer. Money quote:

What Americans need to understand is that these are the forces aligned against them, because they have allowed themselves to be considered fascists. Knowing it is a lie is irrelevant. They are building a stage upon which you play the evil fascist to their communist hero.

https://christianmerc.blogspot.com/2...n-america.html

As long as we are aware of this and talking about this, it cannot happen.

[aegsm76]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeBukaroo

As long as we are aware of this and talking about this, it cannot happen.

Right.
Not.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeBukaroo

As long as we are aware of this and talking about this, it cannot happen.

Is that how it worked in every country Communism took root and flourished?


Read Red Scarf Girl...it's very comparable to what is going on in our own modern culture.

[Amanah]

Saul Alinsky's steps to socialism

1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
2) Poverty – Increase the poverty level as high as possible; poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun control – Remove people’s ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of people’s lives (food, housing and income).
6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to; take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the government and schools.
8) Class warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take from (tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

[aegsm76]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Saul Alinsky's steps to socialism

1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
2) Poverty – Increase the poverty level as high as possible; poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun control – Remove people’s ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of people’s lives (food, housing and income).
6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to; take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the government and schools.
8) Class warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take from (tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

Exactly what happened in Venezuela

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Amanah

Saul Alinsky's steps to socialism

1) Healthcare – Control healthcare and you control the people.
2) Poverty – Increase the poverty level as high as possible; poor people are easier to control and will not fight back if you are providing everything for them to live.
3) Debt – Increase the debt to an unsustainable level. That way you are able to increase taxes and this will produce more poverty.
4) Gun control – Remove people’s ability to defend themselves from the government. That way you are able to create a police state.
5) Welfare – Take control of every aspect of people’s lives (food, housing and income).
6) Education – Take control of what people read and listen to; take control of what children learn in school.
7) Religion – Remove the belief in God from the government and schools.
8) Class warfare – Divide the people into the wealthy and the poor. This will cause more discontent and it will be easier to take from (tax) the wealthy with the support of the poor.

It's a delicate balance. In America today...

Government is involved with healthcare in every Western nation on earth. However, in America, the government serves the corporate lobbyists. In America, corporations run the show, through the government that they lobby with stupid amounts of money. Insurance companies, Big Pharma, and large corporate employers buy politicians, and even have attorneys who draft legislation for those politicians to sign into law. Many politicians on both sides never even read the entirety of the legislation these companies propose. The laws passed tend to favor these corporate players as they try to corner their markets, driving up prices, restricting the purchase of pharmaceuticals across the boarders of states and countries, set fees, and even limit the production and distribution of certain medical equipment. Then you have the issue of emergency rooms being mandated by the government to treat anyone who walks into their lobbies, even the uninsured (EMTALA). This mandate is unfunded, and so all losses are passed on to the consumer through higher healthcare costs, which drive up the premiums for those with insurance. Guess who supported that legislation? If you said, "The insurance companies!", you'd be 100% correct. So, when people say, "We need to get the government out of healthcare!", they are partially correct. We do need to get this corporatism out of healthcare and bring it more under the democratic control of the people who receive those services. Ironically, this can only be done through a nationalized system like single payer health insurance wherein coverage is universal and provided through Medicare. This funds the unfunded mandate for hospitals and providers to provide services, it also makes the politicians directly responsible to the people they serve without corporations pulling the strings from behind the curtain. It also makes all healthcare spending and results public record for the people to examine and vote accordingly... placing healthcare management into the hands of the people who receive its services. But even for single payer to work in America, the power of corporate money needs to be addressed. Because if it is not, it will consolidate corporate power over healthcare and then the major corporations in the industry will run the show 100%.

Poverty destabilizes families, communities, and nations. With poverty comes increased crime rates, increased drug abuse, increased alcohol abuse, increased black market activity, and can even produce riots, unrest, and even revolutions. In America, we've not see these serious effects of deep poverty. However, when it comes to American poverty, everyone is an idealist. One side of the debate thinks that every poor family can pull itself up by the bootstraps and become functional. But the reality is that there are exceptions. Many are in circumstances that, without assistance, the family would be on the street. The other side sees everyone as helpless, on the edge of homelessness. But the reality is, there are those who can and should pull themselves up by the bootstraps. There are no easy answers to this one, because few circumstances are exactly alike. And currently the system is filled with abuse. Strict laws need to be in place that limit the assistance over a specific amount of time that a family can qualify for. Also, more local control should exist regarding welfare programs. This way localities can address their specific needs as they might apply. A federal welfare program is a terrible idea. It should be held at the state level and individual states should manage their welfare needs.

When it comes to debt, factors such as the deregulation of the banking industry, interest, and wages come into play. Banks charge excessive interest and fees for profit. This puts the American people further into debt the more they have to work with the banks. Deregulation of lending standards opens the door for predatory lending which can wipe out Americans financially or lock them into prolonged debt. As inflation rises, and wages remain stagnant, the dollar doesn't go as far and so even if the average American family sees a net increase in dollar amount in their paychecks, the overall value of their wage on the market becomes far less than it was previously. Then there is the issue of taxation. Taxation can seriously harm households... if they pay their taxes and receive no cost saving measures in return. For example, with the taxes the average American pays, we should have public funding for college universities, minimizing college debt. We should have healthcare, which reduces the amount paid in ever rising premiums. We should have state of the art infrastructure. Reduction of potholes reduces the cost of vehicle maintenance, which in turn saves money. We should be seeing our dollars raining back down to us in ways that save us money over all. But in America, we don't. Most of our tax dollars go to defense spending and corporate welfare. Corporations have learned that they can lobby the government not only for legislation that favors them and helps them limit competition (for example regulations requiring high priced licensing standards), but they can lobby for tax breaks, tax shelters, and even subsidies paid for by the tax payer to boost their value and overall profits. Right now in America, corporations receive more tax payer dollars than the TANF food stamp program. The real welfare problem is corporate welfare. So, we're left paying quite a bit in taxes... and seeing little to nothing rain down to benefit us. We're the tax payer becomes the wage slave cash cows of the corporations who suck up tax payer dollars. Sound banking regulations that prevent excessive fees, interest, and predatory lending will help. In addition, a wage increase adjusted to inflation is needed (Congress got theirs). And corporate welfare must be ended and the tax dollars of the people should rain down in measures that actually serve the people... or end taxation altogether.

Gun control is a bad idea all around. Instead of gun control, we need strict mandatory sentencing for crimes and negligence involving fire arms. Think about this for a moment. Nearly half of those incarcerated in our prison system are in for drug charges. Most of which were not violent drug charges. They were charges relating to production and possession of illegal drugs. The drug war has proven to be an abysmal failure. If we legalized drugs and treated addiction as a healthcare crisis, we could decriminalize non-violent offenders who are addicts and get them on their feet. Theoretically, our prison population could be cut in half. That increases space for violent criminals, child abusers, rapists, murders, and the criminally negligent. Those crimes involving firearms could receive mandatory sentencing. Now, only violent criminals and the criminally negligent are behind bars...while stoners and addicts are receiving help for their addictions (a healthcare issue). We don't need gun control. We need gun crime control.

TO BE CONTINUED...

[Aquila]

CONTINUED...

The public educational system has become an abysmal failure. It has become a means to indoctrinate the masses and launch experiments in social engineering. The entire educational system needs to be scrapped and rebuilt with a focus on reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. Peppered with the arts. Classical Western education needs to be restored. The public system shouldn't be used to push religion, a sexually deviant agenda, or political partisanship. Schools should have to compete for funding. Failing schools should lose funding and be closed. Funding lost can be funneled into educational initiatives such as charter schools, subsidies for private schools, and for greater opportunities for homeschoolers. Parents should really look at the dynamic potentials found in home schooling. In addition, there should be magnet programs focused on trades, arts, and sciences. General education should be more targeted for the student's future career... not a hodgepodge of unrelated gobblygook and feel good classes. In addition, we are no longer an agricultural society. Urban school systems should be year round. Standardized testing is a double edged sword. It should only be used as a tool in regions or systems that are struggling, if at all.

While I am a Christian, I do not believe that religion should pay a part in public education or civil law. Laws protecting life, liberty, and property are fine. However, laws that establish religious beliefs and values and social policy are a problem in my opinion. I don't want laws reflecting the majority's religious beliefs imposed on me. And so, I wish to afford others the same respect. I don't believe in institutionalized prayer in schools. I've known many teachers over my lifetime, few are worthy to lead my kids in prayer. Justice should be blind. Everyone should stand before the law as free individuals without being discriminated against based on religion, race, age, color, gender, political views, or sexuality. Everyone should be Joe Citizen, and equally represented by the government who both represents and serves them.

When it comes to taxation and the issue of taxes imposed upon the wealthy and the poor, I'd like to say that I paid more in taxes last year than most millionaires or billionaires. How you might ask? In percentage of my overall income. Millionaires and billionaires have tax shelters and tax breaks I do not have. After all is said and done, that wealthy person pays a far lesser percentage of their income than I do. When taxation is setup to favor the wealthy, the tax burden is shifted to the working class. Right now, it is the working class that pays the most in our society to maintain our government and way of life. If my taxes increased another 5%, I'd have to move from my home into something more affordable. If the billionaire's taxes were increased 5%... he only misses out on buying is fifth yacht that year. The average American voter is working class. And yet they vote for politicians that give the wealthy more and more tax breaks and tax shelters every year. That shifts the tax burden of the nation on them... when many are already living paycheck to paycheck. Why they'd do this, I have no idea. As the tax burden is shifted onto the working class, it is often discovered that federal government spending on various domestic initiatives needs to be cut, because if it isn't, the taxes for the working class will need to be raised to sustain these domestic initiatives. As federal programs are cut, it isn't unheard of for the states to step in and raise taxes to fill the gap left by the cuts in the federal programs. This basically means, the working class voted for a tax increase. Meanwhile, the millionaire and the billionaire laugh it up and make plans to buy a third or fourth vacation home in some exotic location. They also tend to invest their money and place it in overseas tax havens. The solution to this has to be one that distributes the tax burden in a manner that is far more just. This can be accomplished two ways. First, it can be accomplished by a progressive system of taxation in which the wealthy pay a greater percentage of their income than the working class, thereby relieving the working class, and freeing up more of their capital to be spent in the local economy. This boosts revenues and even creates jobs. Second, it can be accomplished through a flat tax. A flat tax rate with few exemptions. For example a flat tax system wherein everyone pays a flat tax rate. However, a $5,000 exemption can be provided for every claimed child under 18. No tax shelters, no tax havens, no tax loopholes. This would help distribute the tax burden more fairly. The only problem is, working Americans without children might find the flat tax rate far too high to sustain an acceptable standard of living. And if lowered to relieve the taxes on the working class, the flat tax becomes a mere pittance for the wealthy. But taxes could be increased on luxuries items such as expensive homes, yachts, planes, etc. But either way you go, without a progressive tax code, the tax burden will primarily be carried by the working voter.

That's how I see it.

[jediwill83]

Dude...breathe...you been saving that one up for a rainy day I see.


Here's the thing about "corporations"...they arent the bad guy...not the primary one... the bad guy is the guy that wields the power of the state to force you to pay for the subsidies that go to the corporations literally at gunpoint.


If a true free market was at work..this wouldn't be the case.


I mean, if these products and services are so great, reasonable people wouldn't mind paying for them willingly right?


If it wasn't for the power of the State, the corporations wouldn't have near the power they have.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

Dude...breathe...you been saving that one up for a rainy day I see.

Here's the thing about "corporations"...they arent the bad guy...not the primary one... the bad guy is the guy that wields the power of the state to force you to pay for the subsidies that go to the corporations literally at gunpoint.

If a true free market was at work..this wouldn't be the case.

I see it a little differently. When a politician runs for office he (or she) looks for contributors and constituents. Various large corporations will approach the politician through their lobbyists. These lobbyists have access to these politicians. And they lobby for the interests of the corporation. These lobbyists will present proposed legislation drafted by corporate attorneys and try to get the politician to consider the legislation or some similar version. They will offer a commitment to provide future campaign contributions, educational packages for friends and family of the politician, memberships and perks, job openings for the politician upon retirement, or even job openings for friends and loved ones. They offer these politicians anything they could ever dream of. Few politicians will refuse to crack. Most compromise for those corporations that provide the best payoff. And suddenly, that corporation owns that politician. Frankly, if politicians were forced to display the corporations that lobby them and pay them big perks to pass legislation in the corporations interests, politicians would look like this:



Right now, our elected officials don't really represent us. They represent their corporate constituents. That's why they often pass tragic legislation that harms families and then scurry away like rodents back to their offices through the screaming voices of protesting citizens. Corporations own the politicians, and as a result, they own the government. America has become the best government money can buy. These cowardly politicians aren't wielding power, they are serving their corporate masters. Their... unelected corporate masters. Corporations offer politicians nice things for those subsidies. And that's why they get them more and more with every passing Congress and administration, regardless of party.

Imagine that there are three major utility companies. These companies will lobby state and federal politicians to pass legislation that requires serious regulation of waste, required licensing, and tough standards that must be met to stay in business. Mind you, these three corporations already have budgeted to meet these standards. These standards are all designed to knock smaller utility companies out of the market so that they don't have to compete with a another company who might grow into a feasible competitor. And the result is a corporate conglomerate that has cornered the market and driven out competition. These corporations trashed the free market... to basically form a collisional monopoly. And, they often have reciprocation agreements on wages, benefit packages, prices, etc. that they have colluded to establish. It's not politicians who come up with these crazy ideas out of the clear blue sky... it is a corporation or group of corporations pulling the strings. This is why "corporate personhood" and the ruling that corporate money in politics is "free speech" for that "corporate person" is such an assault on our democratic process. The politicians don't represent us as much as they represent the corporations who fund their campaigns. Just think of mandatory sentencing laws. Guess who were the biggest advocates for them? Corporations. The privatized prison system in many states is run by corporations that run private prisons. They wanted laws in place for mandatory sentencing to ensure that they had a more steady flow of Americans being put in prison. Why? Because the more prisoners they have, the more funding they can get from state and local governments. If you really dig deep as you investigate legislation today, you'll find some rather quiet corporate bodies lobbying with big money behind the scenes. Most politicians will not make a single move without knowing what their corporate constituents want them to do or how they want them to vote.

Obamacare is a great example. The biggest supporters of the ACA were... the insurance companies. Why? Because they knew the ACA would mandate that every employer provide health insurance, and that every American without employer provided coverage would be mandated to purchase their own insurance packages. You see, most simple folks think the ACA was a government attack on the free market. It wasn't. It was a corporate attack on the free market. It was the insurance companies using the power of the government's gun to try to force Americans to purchase private insurance. It was a corporate power grab to get a stranglehold on the American citizens, locking them into having to purchase insurance or face penalties. Just follow the money and pay attention to who gets rich. There you will find the real power brokers.

This being said, the best way to save the free market is... to prohibit corporate political contributions. Because the laws in place now favor the big corporate players who call the shots in the halls of Congress and stifle competition.

If it wasn't for the power of the State, the corporations wouldn't have near the power they have.

It's more complicated than that. I suggest you read up on the little known corporate history of the United States. Here's an article to just wet your appetite...

Our Hidden History of Corporations in the United States
http://reclaimdemocracy.org/corporat...rporations-us/

When American colonists declared independence from England in 1776, they also freed themselves from control by English corporations that extracted their wealth and dominated trade. After fighting a revolution to end this exploitation, our country’s founders retained a healthy fear of corporate power and wisely limited corporations exclusively to a business role. Corporations were forbidden from attempting to influence elections, public policy, and other realms of civic society.

Initially, the privilege of incorporation was granted selectively to enable activities that benefited the public, such as construction of roads or canals. Enabling shareholders to profit was seen as a means to that end. The states also imposed conditions (some of which remain on the books, though unused) like these*:

◾Corporate charters (licenses to exist) were granted for a limited time and could be revoked promptly for violating laws.
◾Corporations could engage only in activities necessary to fulfill their chartered purpose.
◾Corporations could not own stock in other corporations nor own any property that was not essential to fulfilling their chartered purpose.
◾Corporations were often terminated if they exceeded their authority or caused public harm.
◾Owners and managers were responsible for criminal acts committed on the job.
◾Corporations could not make any political or charitable contributions nor spend money to influence law-making.

To read more... click the link provided above.

When corporate power and government are so entwined like this, it's called, fascism.