How long before it's us?

[LizStreithorst]

I will always love Bernie.

[wallace]

I think the only way democratic socialism could have been reintroduced to the American mainstream after the cold war was to have a likeable grandpa with frizzy hair and a solid marriage. -and the fact that people are fed up.

[LizStreithorst]

I agree.  It's because people are afraid of the word.  They don't know what it means, but they think that it is evil

[BillT]

This reflects the depth of education (or the lack of it) in certain parts of the electorate.

[Ron Sower]

This reflects the depth of education (or the lack of it) in certain parts of the electorate.

Educate me...! I'm ready to listen.

[waterboy]

Yes, explain to me how socialism is good.

[Mugwump]

Yes, explain to me how socialism is good.

...not thinking that he says it's 'good'....merely misunderstood.... ....but 

[wallace]

'Socialism' is one of those words that has been put to so many uses that it has become useless.

One little example: there are some socialists who would call the fire department a socialist institution, and others who would call it state capitalism. Ben Franklin just called it a good idea.

[BillT]

The primary misunderstanding about socialism is that it is the same or very similar to as communism.
Communism usually includes ideas like:
- all property belongs to the state
- uses state propaganda to enforce public support
- uses police/military coercion to make people do what they want

Socialism does not do these things (certainly not to the extent a communism state does.
Socialist ideas today might include things like:
- people can have private property
- a single payer health care system (as in the UK)
- a social security system (which the Libertarian party platform wants to eliminate)
- fire departments (as described above, first created by Ben Franklin)
- public libraries (also a Franklin invention)
- public schools
- more stuff (I am just waking up)

The key feature is a government run shared social investment for common good.

[LizStreithorst]

http://labs.time.com/story/can-time-predict-your-politics/

[Mugwump]

http://labs.time.com/story/can-time-predict-your-politics/

...right where I thought it to be....

[wallace]

I have to reject that test... its one-dimensional and based on too few questions. Here is a two-dimensional one that does a little better.

https://www.politicalcompass.org/analysis2

https://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2016

[Mugwump]

I have to reject that test... its one-dimensional and based on too few questions. Here is a two-dimensional one that does a little better.

https://www.politicalcompass.org/analysis2

https://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2016

...aw...take it anyway, even if you don't like the answer.......

[LizStreithorst]

It's a fun test, Dan.  It's nothing serious.  I don't need a serious test to tell me where I stand.  I'm me.  I already know.  I think that it's cool that they nailed me perfectly by asking questions like whether I prefer cans or dogs.

[BillT]

I would have to agree with Wallace.
I took the first test and came out mid-conservative (seems wrong to me), but I took his test and came out close to Gandhi.