I have this conversation often. Living in BC , Canada, I'm a beneficiary of some outstanding Crown corporations, namely BC Hydro and ICBC(auto insurance). If you have a good driving record with no claims or tickets, you pay the lowest rate; it's a meritocracy, and the corporation invests in public safety. Similarly, BC Hydro delivers electricity in a non-profit manner, while building generating and distribution infrastructure for future demand and export. How can you not love that? Canada also has a single-payer health care system, which delivers health services with no out-of-pocket costs. Capitalism has its merits, mainly innovation and reward for effort, but there are services such as water, sewage treatment, police and fire protection that I prefer to be public. There is also no doubt in my mind that the government could solve the housing crisis with a robust public housing program that would cost the taxpayer nothing; in fact it would generate revenue. Unfettered capitalism is not working and needs to be moderated. I have no idea what people are so afraid of when it comes to fixing what is broken.
What would one describe the systems of the Northern European Countries - Finland, Sweden, Norway? The people are "happy". Their system works. Very different from what the Republicans want to impose on the American population.
Man I have grown to love seeing a new Jim Stewartson post, and digging through the comments. A great community.
Judging from the reactions from the right, and the corporate left and media (CNN, MSNBC,FOX, etc) for that matter, I feel as though we the people have hit a nerve, and are on to something huge in the coming days. This summer is critical. Imagine if the number of people who came out for the No Kings protests participate in the general strike planned in July.
Mamdani’s overwhelming victory and the mass support of the people of New York is indicative of a new nationwide movement. This is what terrifies the opposition.
Exactly! If Mamdani is a socialist, that should liven up the politics a bit. Republicans will go wild and claim the sky is falling. But understanding socialism is long overdue, not that I have any optimism that anyone will understand it, except Bernie and AOC and a few economists. Capitalists are scared to death that the people will actually tax them to recover their own money to pay for their needs. That's why democracy must be destroyed (the goal of Leonard Leo's project of stacking the Supreme Court is to prevent taxation of capital by declaring it unconstitutional). It is not likely that enough people will come to the realization that they have the power to shift the focus of the economy from capital accumulation to labor and social equity, as happened during the two world wars. In other words, it will take another massive global disruption to bring people to their senses, for a few minutes. They are too weak to get past the ubiquitous propaganda coming from Fascists and oligarchs claiming that the people must sacrifice public sector services in order to reduce the debt, a process by which the wealthy get more and more wealthy as their captial grows and the citizens continually lose ground paying for it. In academic terms, it's called austerity. The Orange Menace will eventually disappear. The Anti-Democrats won't.
Absolutely! But most Americans likely confuse socialism and fascism. The right always points out that the Nazis were National-"Socialists" and therefore leftists. It's ridiculous but then we have an ignorant population for the most part.
I’m reading a book titled ‘Education For Death The Making Of A Nazi” which was published in 1941 and written by Gregor Ziemer an American teacher who taught the children of the Americans working in Germany before the war. It’s the first hand account of how Hitler dumbed down the German children’s education. The boys only learned to be soldiers and the girls only learned how to be mothers of the soldiers.
I just searched for this book, seems to be rare. I may be able to borrow from a library, though, thanks for the tip! Both Alice Miller and Wilhelm Reich had interesting things to say about German child rearing practices, not so different from what christofascists are trying to bring back now. Patriarchal fascism comes and goes in waves in response to the evolving empathy “climate,” as I never tire of seeing Jim point out.
You’re welcome. I found the book on Amazon. In 1943 Hollywood made a movie of it called ‘Hitler’s Children’ starring Bonita Granville. It plays on Turner Classic Movies from time to time.
Interesting, I’ll watch for that. Others have mentioned a short Disney animated film based on the book. Haven’t found a single copy of the book for sale yet.
I have this conversation often. Living in BC , Canada, I'm a beneficiary of some outstanding Crown corporations, namely BC Hydro and ICBC(auto insurance). If you have a good driving record with no claims or tickets, you pay the lowest rate; it's a meritocracy, and the corporation invests in public safety. Similarly, BC Hydro delivers electricity in a non-profit manner, while building generating and distribution infrastructure for future demand and export. How can you not love that? Canada also has a single-payer health care system, which delivers health services with no out-of-pocket costs. Capitalism has its merits, mainly innovation and reward for effort, but there are services such as water, sewage treatment, police and fire protection that I prefer to be public. There is also no doubt in my mind that the government could solve the housing crisis with a robust public housing program that would cost the taxpayer nothing; in fact it would generate revenue. Unfettered capitalism is not working and needs to be moderated. I have no idea what people are so afraid of when it comes to fixing what is broken.
What would one describe the systems of the Northern European Countries - Finland, Sweden, Norway? The people are "happy". Their system works. Very different from what the Republicans want to impose on the American population.
Social democracy.
Mamdani is truthfully everything Donald Trump says about Barack Obama as a slander. 😂😂😂
Thank you.
Socialism is a good thing - a great thing.
#Cons made it into a boogeyman because the don*t like sharing.
Time to grow the eff up!
Man I have grown to love seeing a new Jim Stewartson post, and digging through the comments. A great community.
Judging from the reactions from the right, and the corporate left and media (CNN, MSNBC,FOX, etc) for that matter, I feel as though we the people have hit a nerve, and are on to something huge in the coming days. This summer is critical. Imagine if the number of people who came out for the No Kings protests participate in the general strike planned in July.
Mamdani’s overwhelming victory and the mass support of the people of New York is indicative of a new nationwide movement. This is what terrifies the opposition.
Exactly! If Mamdani is a socialist, that should liven up the politics a bit. Republicans will go wild and claim the sky is falling. But understanding socialism is long overdue, not that I have any optimism that anyone will understand it, except Bernie and AOC and a few economists. Capitalists are scared to death that the people will actually tax them to recover their own money to pay for their needs. That's why democracy must be destroyed (the goal of Leonard Leo's project of stacking the Supreme Court is to prevent taxation of capital by declaring it unconstitutional). It is not likely that enough people will come to the realization that they have the power to shift the focus of the economy from capital accumulation to labor and social equity, as happened during the two world wars. In other words, it will take another massive global disruption to bring people to their senses, for a few minutes. They are too weak to get past the ubiquitous propaganda coming from Fascists and oligarchs claiming that the people must sacrifice public sector services in order to reduce the debt, a process by which the wealthy get more and more wealthy as their captial grows and the citizens continually lose ground paying for it. In academic terms, it's called austerity. The Orange Menace will eventually disappear. The Anti-Democrats won't.
Leonard Leo’s name is not out there enough - people need to know who this morally bankrupt douche bag is.
Excellent essay Jim.
The F Word (Fascism) is what Americans should be really afraid of!
Absolutely! But most Americans likely confuse socialism and fascism. The right always points out that the Nazis were National-"Socialists" and therefore leftists. It's ridiculous but then we have an ignorant population for the most part.
The ignorance is this country is appalling. As Trump says he “loves the uneducated.”
I’m reading a book titled ‘Education For Death The Making Of A Nazi” which was published in 1941 and written by Gregor Ziemer an American teacher who taught the children of the Americans working in Germany before the war. It’s the first hand account of how Hitler dumbed down the German children’s education. The boys only learned to be soldiers and the girls only learned how to be mothers of the soldiers.
I just searched for this book, seems to be rare. I may be able to borrow from a library, though, thanks for the tip! Both Alice Miller and Wilhelm Reich had interesting things to say about German child rearing practices, not so different from what christofascists are trying to bring back now. Patriarchal fascism comes and goes in waves in response to the evolving empathy “climate,” as I never tire of seeing Jim point out.
You’re welcome. I found the book on Amazon. In 1943 Hollywood made a movie of it called ‘Hitler’s Children’ starring Bonita Granville. It plays on Turner Classic Movies from time to time.
Interesting, I’ll watch for that. Others have mentioned a short Disney animated film based on the book. Haven’t found a single copy of the book for sale yet.