I think anyway that I havent said allot of the things you say I have and calling me "you socialist" is also unfair. I am concerned with equality of opportunity and a reasonable minnimum for those who for no fault of their own cant cope" My argument is that countires which provide that do not stifle individual initiative if social mobility is an indicator.
You started out by saying that the US has the lowest social mobility among western democracies. You also implied that the American Dream was gone. You have cited several cases for the promotion of socialistic ideas and how great they work for you and your people. I have said I did not support socialism. I do however believe that giving a helping hand to those in need is the right and just thing to do. It just does not require a welfare state that redistributes the wealth.
I brought up foriegn policy because allot of the world seems to laugh at the US and their president because of his apparent ineptitude. I certainly dont judge Americans by that standard and see that it is easy to judge unfovourably form the sidelines.
I do not discuss foreign policy with foreigners anymore. I told you that your opinion on the matter means nothing to me. Your, or any other foreigners' opinion is moot when it comes to the foreign policy that we have pursued and I 100% support. I may not always be happy with it, but I do support it. Either way, it has no bearing on the subject of this thread.
I think you have not been able to conside the main points because your opinion is polarised by what i see as old fashioned fear of communists imbedded in your psyche. The modern equivilant is creaking bureaucracy which is the challenge of 21st toeury government no believes even in China that centralised state planning which is what you wer up against in the cold war has the answers. You can stop looking for a red under your bed evey night now before you say your prayers.
I do not fear communists. We defeated the communists in the former USSR. Every die hard communist regime is slowly drying up with the exception of China, and they are evolving into something much different than communists.
As for creaking bureaucracy, I do not support that anymore than I support a socialistic system that will take the wealth away from those that earn it and redistribute to those that did not. I would prefer a much smaller Federal Government and State Governments. They are both too large and self supporting. Creating more government so we could implement the socialist utopia is an even worse option and something that I believe many of my fellow citizens will pick up arms over. Again, just to reassure you, I do not look for "reds" under my bed, but I do keep an eye out for socialists that feel they need to implement their liberal doctrine on my American and my American Dream.
