Social Democracy

[sealybobo]

LOL - sure, sure. The government would have nothing at all to do with that.

He supports shifting power from private hands to the government. That's the whole point of socialism. You probably think that's fine and dandy - because democracy! I don't.

No government required!

LOL - of course. No need to seize property when you control it via regulation. The state's still calling the shots.

It's called a transfer of power. Socialists want economic power controlled by the state.

Donald Trump consistently portrays himself as a defender of free-market capitalism and an opponent of socialism. However, his administration's use of industrial policy, tariffs, and direct government equity stakes in private companies has led some economists to label his economic approach as "state capitalism" or a hybrid of socialism and capitalism.

 

[sealybobo]

When the state takes your wealth and gives it to others for the sake of "equity" in whatever form, that's state control of property.
You know - from each according to their means to each according to their needs.

Donald Trump consistently portrays himself as a defender of free-market capitalism and an opponent of socialism. However, his administration's use of industrial policy, tariffs, and direct government equity stakes in private companies has led some economists to label his economic approach as "state capitalism" or a hybrid of socialism and capitalism.

 

[dblack]

One who thinks socialism is good idea when it has failed in every country where it was tried and increased oppression poverty and suffering.

Heh... ok. Maybe try reading my posts?

 

[dblack]

Donald Trump consistently portrays himself as a defender of free-market capitalism and an opponent of socialism. However, his administration's use of industrial policy, tariffs, and direct government equity stakes in private companies has led some economists to label his economic approach as "state capitalism" or a hybrid of socialism and capitalism.

Yup. So what?

 

[sealybobo]

One who thinks socialism is good idea when it has failed in every country where it was tried and increased oppression poverty and suffering.

Even Trump thinks some socialism is good.

England is not a socialist country; it operates a capitalist mixed economy where the means of production are overwhelmingly privately owned. However, the country does feature a significant welfare state, including heavily subsidized public services like the National Health Service
No, Canada is not a socialist country; it operates as a parliamentary democracy with a mixed-market capitalist economy.

No, Australia is not a socialist country. It operates as a capitalist free-market economy with a strong social safety net, making it a "social democracy"

No, the United States is not a socialist country; it operates as a mixed-market economy that blends private free-market capitalism with significant government regulation and public social programs.

And btw, capitalism is failing the majority of us too. So name a country that's 100 capitalism. You can't?

One who thinks Capitalism is a good ism when it's never been tried before is an idiot. And Capitalism, at least this version of it, has increased poverty oppression and suffering.

Millions of Americans are quietly struggling to pay their bills, as shrinking savings, maxed-out credit cards, and lingering inflation push many to the brink.

Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies surged by 46% to 315 filings in 2025, and this upward trend is continuing into 2026. Driven by compressed profit margins, high input costs, tightening credit conditions, and low commodity prices, the Midwest and Southeast have been hit hardest by these financial strains.

And they voted for Trump so fuch em

 

[dblack]

Even Trump thinks some socialism is good.

A big reason why Trump sucks. He doesn't get it. He's a big government statist - of course he likes socialism.

 

[TheProgressivePatriot]

Socialism is based on the false belief that an economy is zero sum. When one gets rich it makes another get poor.

It does seem to work that way, especially with capitalism

The phrase "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" is a well-known economic aphorism describing a feedback loop of wealth inequality. The dynamic is largely driven by asset ownership, compounding growth, and systemic barriers that make wealth accumulation easier for the wealthy and harder for the lower class. [1, 2, 3]

The growing divide is perpetuated by several core structural and financial dynamics:

Asset Accumulation vs. Wages: Wealthy individuals primarily build wealth through assets (stocks, real estate, businesses) that experience compounding growth over time. In contrast, lower-income households are heavily reliant on wages, which often lag behind inflation and the rising cost of living. [1, 2]

The Cost of Poverty: Being low-income often comes with hidden financial penalties. Limited access to traditional banking leads to a reliance on predatory lending, while frequent late fees, higher interest rates, and renting instead of owning property drain limited resources. [1, 2]

The Matthew Effect: The wealthy can leverage existing capital to access better investments, education, and lucrative networks, giving their children a head start that further entrenches generational advantage.

Systemic and Policy Influences: Tax systems are often designed to favor income from wealth (e.g., capital gains) over income from labor, meaning individuals who already hold substantial assets pay proportionally less. [1]

Socialism has the effects of dampening this effect and leveling the playing field somewhat

 

[M14 Shooter]

None of this is propaganda…..I am not cherry picking facts…..I am speaking truth. And how the hell does the government get richer, and we get poorer through socialism? More codswallop.

Says the guy who proved he contradicted himself, bases his position on an idealized view of Democratic socialism and an extreme and inaccurate interpretation of capitalism , and lies to support his position.

 

[M14 Shooter]

It does seem to work that way, especially with capitalism

You know you completely ignored his point, right?

 

[TheProgressivePatriot]

Says the guy who proved he contradicted himself, bases his position on an idealized view of Democratic socialism and an extreme and inaccurate interpretation of capitalism , and lies to support his position.

You're not even coherent anymore

 

[M14 Shooter]

For the top 5% of earners, the effective tax rate (including income taxes and social contributions) is approximately 30% to 35% in the US and roughly 45% to 50% in Germany. Germany has a significantly heavier tax burden and steeper progressivity across all high-income brackets. [1,

German tax brackets:

• Up to€12,348 0%
• €12,349 – €69,878 14% to 42% (The rate increases smoothly as income rises)
• €69,879 – €277,825 42%
• Over €277,826 (45\%

This would be a -gigantic- tax increase for everyone in the US except those who pay no federal income tax.

Lets' do the numbers...
So if the top 5% (of wager earners in the US) paid taxes at the level of Germany....

Ah. Good. Numbers. Concrete.
How much revenue would this generate?
How do you know? Show your math.

So for that you get

• Free or very affordable Healthcare
• Working public transport which is a game changer in economic movement
• Way better roads,
• Free third level education,
• a proper social safety net,
• way better air and water quality
• Lower Crime rate (United States homicide rate is roughly 5 to 6 times higher than Germany's)
• many other things...

How much would these things cost?
How do you know? Show your math.
How does this cost compare to the revenue generated in the previous step?

 

[M14 Shooter]

You're not even coherent anymore

Awww. Does the truth hurt?

 

[dblack]

It does seem to work that way, especially with capitalism

Sometimes things aren't as they seem.

The phrase "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer" is a well-known economic aphorism describing a feedback loop of wealth inequality.

Not really. Usually, it's describing a situation where both get richer at different rates. But we've all got our dogma.