Socialism, The Real Deal

I’d like to congratulate Jimmy Lee Hollis on his article on Socialism. Though I must admit, the article was misleading and less than the accurate. The problem with Socialism is that there are too many varieties. Most Democratic Socialists, Social Democrats, and Labor parties affiliated with the Socialist International are Anti-Communist and Anti-Leninist.There have been off shoots of Socialism which where very unsavory. These are artificial Socialisms. Even Hitler knew in Europe that using the word Socialism would appeal to the working class and poor.When Socialism was founded, by Robert Owen, who perpetuate worker owned co-operatives, he visited the USA. He told our forefathers about the Concept of Socialism.They applauded wildly at the prospect. Even Benjamin Franklin started the Nations first worker owned Co-operative and in Paterson NJ, our Nations first Industrial City, Conservative Alexander Hamilton Started the Paterson co-operative of Useful Manufacturers.Socialism is more than Co-operatives, in places like Scandinavia their Socialism has worked to the point where they have:
Among the positive sides of this high-taxation system, one can note: * almost no poverty or starvation, as is the case in American ghettos * virtually no homelessness problem * very little crime * equal opportunity to education & health care, regardless of the wallets
But some say this will not work in the USA. What plays in Peoria, plays on Broadway.Another example is that if a US worker is forced to have an expensive car and drive for two hours each way to get to work, spending money burning gasoline, that shows up as a bigger contribution to GDP than that of the Finnish worker who lives in a comfortable Alternative Energy heated house, doesn't need a car, and rides an inexpensive tram in to work.Public transportation in NJ and the USA today is almost the cost of caviar.
Socialism is a complicated doctrine. It embellishes the best of Humanity, Public ownership (That doesn’t mean your TV is your Neighbors TV too.), Compassion, and Environmental Concerns. Democratic Socialists in Europe where Green even before the Green Party came into existence.What enlightened societies where ever conceived by Conservatives?Wasn’t it the conservative view that the world was flat and that The Planets evolved around the Earth? Didn’t conservatives usher in the Spanish Inquisition and persecuted people on thought crimes?And modern Capitalism has only offered us Strife, Social Problems, and mental and emotional problems in this dog eat dog world.But we have had Socialism and Socialist ideas in America. Teddy Roosevelt leftThe Republican Party to form the Progressive Bull Moose Party. His ideas paved the way for New Deal Administration of Franklin D Roosevelt. Kennedy and Johnson both ushered in the Great Society programs. I admit, some of those programs are seriously flawed, but with out them, we would be worse off. Even Nixon carried on some socialist ideas, like the Universal Income.And we had socialism in America: Oklahoma had 17 socialist locals, with a socialist Mayor once serving in Oklahoma City. Haledon and Passaic had socialist Mayors which vastly improved the quality of life in those towns.Milwaukee was the best example. In the early 20th Century that city had mostly Socialist mayors who improved that city with great reforms. Milwaukee was the only City in the USA not to go into default during the Great Depression.Who says Socialist Economics doesn’t work? In 2004 the Milwaukee CentennialPosted an article that was titled ‘Things where not this Bad in Milwaukee when the Socialists where in Office.” In the USA, before ballot access oppression, the Socialist Party had many Mayors and Councilmen serving through out America. And one congressman elected to the US House of Representatives, Emil P Siedel. There was an American Labor Party Congressman also. Vito Anthony Marcantonio, longest serving Socialist in Congress. And of course today we have Bernie Sanders of Vermont.Socialism is about Improving the quality of life in Community and Nation.Socialism isn’t about mere handouts and laziness. It is about providing a positive future with a positive way of life for all, with human rights, democracy, and social justice.