Define communism for dum 'ol Lancer

[Agathon]

Yes, but the backlash will result in voters electing social democrats and moderate socialists, not have a revolution.

You mean like Bush?

Democracy in its present form is a waste of time.

[Velociryx]

Vel: If you want a debate, I'm afraid you have to table something debate worthy. Until then, with nothing of any seriousness or consequence to discuss, and given that this IS the OT (and further, given the reason that you stick around and continue to REPLY)....where's the incentive to stop?

Aggie: Do what you want. I guess you don't want to be taken seriously, and you have succeeded admirably on that account.

Yeah...I didn't think so. I can't find anything debate-worthy in Marx either.

And btw, the welfare state isn't so much unstable as it is inefficient in its present form (a trend common among government-run programs everywhere).

Were "welfare" reserved for those who truly needed taking care of, with re-training and job-placement programs for the rest, it'd be quite capable of being supported by the ever-growing economic pie. As it stands, it's a drain, but the alternatives are far worse.

As far as the rest is concerned....I have no explanation of HOW the current buffoon was elected, except to say that the people of America were....sleeping, duped, drugged, or some combination of all three. Very sad. (not that the only viable alternative was any better, this past election). Sadder still.

-=Vel=-

[Agathon]

And btw, the welfare state isn't so much unstable as it is inefficient in its present form

Ok. Now I'm 100% sure you don't know what you are talking about. Go back to reading Ayn Rand or whatever bad books you seem to like.

[Velociryx]

Yeah yeah....admittedly, a better choice of words would have been "the state of welfare as it exists in the USofA" but I was distracted by something cool and artistic...what can I say, you guys have been a huge time suck for DAYS...I got other stuff to do, but you keep pulling me back.

-=Vel=-

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by Odin
Marx was right with some predictions, wrong with some predictions. His big gaff was that he didn't expect the rise of the Welfare State, which totally blew his prediction that the most highly industrialized countries would go socialist out of the water. The Welfare state decreased "class consciousness of the Proletariat" to use Marxist termenology. There is very little incentive for people to support communism anymore. The Welfare State has rendered Marxism dead for all practical purposes, in the west at least, except in acedamia.

Ah the welfare state. So that not only are workers exploited, but they have to pay taxes to support the unemployed. Perfect.

[Velociryx]

eh...could be worse, we could all be slaves to the state and exploited by state-sanction AND taxed to death AND waiting in the bread lines.

-=Vel=-

[MrFun]

It could be worse . . . . . .




I could be made president for life of United States.

[Velociryx]

you don't give yourself enough credit, Mr. Fun...besides, if the nation can survive Bush's best efforts to dismantle it, we'd be okay in your hands...

-=Vel=-
Edit: Oh...you said for LIFE!

[MrFun]

So would you like to become one of my co-conspirators in my planned coup?

[Velociryx]

Mmmm...only if I can wrangle a life-long appointment to the governorship of South Carolina and a couple of mothballed Iowa's for kicks...

-=Vel=-

[MrFun]

deal -- just as long as you remember who is ultimately in charge

[Velociryx]

I have no global aspirations, Mr. President...I'm quite happy with one smallish state in the best part of the nation...the old BB's are just a bonus and scored you lots of extra cool points... (besides, if the reds--or anybody else who questions your authority--come calling, I'll give them a good shelling for you)

-=Vel=-

[MrFun]

[Velociryx]

So....when do we begin? And how would you like to begin?

Shall we blood-let our way to the office, or just amass a huge capitalist horde (IIRC, that's the Marxist term, to at least sorta stay vaguely on topic...yeah, right), and simply buy the office?

-=Vel=-

[Velociryx]

Ahhh, but for the moment, I must entertain...future mother-in-law just arrived...the conquest of America must wait....a guy's gotta have priorities...

-=Vel=-