An Example of Why Socialism Doesn't Work

I kind of doubt that the particular economic system the government uses has ever made a difference in how the great unwashed think...or vote. Not one in fifty people can even spell "economics."

Consider how many people bought the "Bidenflation" crap, when a child could understand that he had nothing to do with it. The average citizen understands economic policy about as well as the average chimpanzee understands how to pilot a space shuttle.

What people found attractive then, and find attractive now, about authoritarianism/totalitarianism is that under such a government, you don't have to think or be informed; you just do what they tell you. Essentially, you revert to childhood, which a surprising number of people want to happen. Many people would rather row in the galley than pilot the ship, even if that means they are regularly flogged.

I agree that the average voter has very little understanding of economics. That is exactly what "they" (the proponents of said system) depend on. With the population generally ignorant of the issue, they only need to convince the government. Often easy enough when making the right bribes combined with promises of success and votes. 

Once the government embraces those policies the people have little choice. They just find themselves in the situation they find themselves in. 

Wondering why our Dollar has lost so much value. Wondering why we get less spending power per hour of our labor. Wondering why inflationary policies have created an economy were saving money is often punished, rather than rewarded. Where excessive spending and  malinvestment is rewarded, rather than punished. Where big banks and the largest corporations can drive themselves to near bankruptcy only to be declared "too big to fail" and get bailed out at the expense of small businesses and the average taxpayer. 

The moneyed interests win and the people suffer. 

I come across many of those that would rather row in the galley than pilot the ship when it comes to my management duties.  It never ceases to amaze me that there really all people that perfer to live that way by choice. 

I do like this definition of socialism.  Socialism is a system where the community (often through the Government) owns or controls the major resources and industries, aiming to distribute wealth and opportunites more equally, ensuring eveyon'e basic needs (like healthcare, education) are met.  I see a definite difference between socialism and communism.  For me, government ownership is total control of a company or industry.  That would be the VA.  I don't see it as Nvidia.  As it relates to transfer payments (distribution of wealth), we do have programs that do this.  The three biggest are Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.  Keep up the good comments PJ.  I enjoy reading them.

  The funds that social security pay out are funds that have been paid into social security by those who worked with the sole purpose of providing 

money in retirement to only those that funded social security.

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Nope. Social Security is paid out of general government funds. The amount paid out to a given individual over time has nothing to do with the total amount he or she had paid in.

I know that many people think that Uncle Sam keeps a shoebox with their name on it and puts their SS money there. The truth is that withheld SS payroll funds are spent almost immediately.

SS payouts are based on indexed lifetime earnings (the top 35 years) adjusted for wage inflation. The more years worked and SS FICA taxes paid, the higher the monthly benefit paid out can potentially be for a given eligible retiree. FICA taxes fund Social Security and Medicare (from separate trust funds for each).

FICA taxes collected from current workers are spent almost immediately for eligible retirees benefits.

Yes, I should have clarified that the total amount one has paid in affects the monthly amount but not the total amount one receives.

It's actually a fairly elegant solution to the problem that people are living four times as long after retirement than they did when the system was created.

After spending his entire first year in office bullying the FED to lower intrest rates and threatening to fire the FED Chairman (he's not allowed to).....the President and his weaponized DOJ put together a phony lawsuit towards FED Chairman Jerome Powell saying he lied to Congress.      

A letter co-signed by every former FED Chief was published denouncing the lawsuit as 3rd world politics.    Legal analysts from both sides of the aisle have said the lawsuit is baseless.   Republican Senators have called it out as baseless.     Im not worried about it getting a conviction.

But the action remains of a president attacking an independant agency for his political benefit and personal gripes.     What kind of ".ism"  is that you think?

Stupidism? Assholeism?

Trump absolutely LUVVVS lawsuits--the way pigs llove shit. It's too bad that judges don't slap contempt of court punishments on those who waste the courts' time with frivolous lawsuits.

Most of his "retribution" lawsuits get thrown out on Day One. But the targets still have their lives disrupted, have to pay legal fees, etc. And the taxpayers foot the bill for the persecution, I mean prosecution.