Here is the ad about growing up in a socialist country for those who want to see it. The final line

[applegrove]

"in socialism the rich will be poorer but the poor will also be poorer" too is true of pure socialism/communism but not true of mixed market economies like we have everywhere in the West. How do we counter this meme. Cause, with the exception of North Korea, every country in the world is a mixed market (with socialist policies and capitalist ones). They are contrasting themselves with policies which no longer exist in the world, let alone the democratic party.

by Thomas Peterffy at Freedom to Succeed

[RoccoR5955]

1. Here's how we counter that meme.

This meme is false because Hungary was not a true socialist government. It was a totalitarian government, where the ruler cares not for the people, but for himself.
In a true socialist state, which there never has been on Earth, the people who make the rules are all part of the decision making. Decisions are made through consensus, not majority rule, but EVERYONE must agree. People have to work together and give a little to get a little. All wealth is spread equally among all the people. Industries are owned by the government, and their are no "stores." If you NEED (not want) something, it is provided to you. Socialism is all about cooperation, all around, none of this bs. If you need a computer to do something, than you have it. There is no need for wages, or money, because all the necessities of life are provided, some luxuries as well. If someone needs more, they get it. If someone simply wants more, for no good reason, they cannot have it. You have to justify your needs within the community and get everyone to agree with you.
Socialism, when implemented properly, sees that we live on a planet with finite resources, and we must all share these resources, if we are all to survive.
Nobody will get rich, but nobody will be poor. No one will go hungry, and nobody will hoard food. Nobody will be without proper transportation, communication, or other things, because they will be distributed equally.

[Flatulo]

5. And why do you think no true egalitarian society has ever existed on earth, despite

murdering 40 million or so people trying to do so?

[RoccoR5955]

14. Check that

I think that, as another poster stated, it is being done in Norway, and I believe Finland. Not the way I think it should be done, but it's being done successfully there.

[Flatulo]

16. No, both Finland and Norway have market economies,

and respect property rights.

What they do have is universal health care and higher education funded by rather high tax rates. They're not even close to being true egalitarian societies.

[cyclezealot]

12. Hungry was not Socialist , but Communist.

Socialist would be Norway. Or at least with heavy government influences in the economy.. Capital has been liberated from total control by hedge fund managers and private equity.... .. And among one of the most business friendly climates in the world..

[BrainMann1]

2. Good ad but false.

Bing it and you'll get your answer on these forms of society.

[Crow73]

3. That is great

But.... that is not what we are asking for.
We want:
The Banks regulated so they don't gut our savings
Wall St regulated so they don't gut our 410ks
Affordable health Insurance
A living wage
Clean water to drink
Clean air to breath
Clean earth to plant
Taxes that aren't just for the working poor

That isn't socialism.

[Flatulo]

6. Agree with you 100%. We just want a fair shake, under protection of law. nm

[jtuck004]

4. When you can get funding to get another message in front of millions of people.

Obviously he distorts the truth, and that can be countered, but and unless you can get in front of that many eyes he wins.

Oh yeah - the other is to start turning out students who think instead of just absorbing/repeating what they are told, people who would question the premise when faced with a piece of political propaganda, or a jerk for a teacher.

[marble falls]

7. Just because he came from any socialist/communist country doesn't make him any more qualified

to vote Republican or Tea Party. I was raised in North Korea vote Republican?

And WHY is a Republican ad on DU. Bet it shuts down PDQ.

[applegrove]

8. I put it up with an explanation so we could have some comebacks. I saw this

as twice. Both on CNN. Both times in prime time. I don't think anyone on the DU would be uninformed enough to be moved by this crap.

[maddiemom]

9. Bull.

I grew up in a family that was half Scandinavian with some active Socialists. Socialism is a far cry from Communism, although many in this country are confused about this. Democratic socialism is a fact, not only in Scandinavia, but increasingly in many European countries. Capitalism is personified by the Koch brothers and Donald Trump, who would prefer the U.S. not understand that there is a middle ground.

[applegrove]

10. Yup. They can't win if they run against Obama so they have been running against

Communism here, or running the Clintons against Obama in previous months. They put Romney up against Obama in an ad? They lose.

[Enrique]

11. Jon Stewart made a great point about this in his debate with O'Reilly

it's basically the point you made, that the stuff in this ad, and the stuff all over RW radio, has nothing to do with the problems our country is facing.

He grew up in Soviet-dominated Hungary, and he says, "that's what I see happening here." Total bullshit, the nice man in that video is lying to everyone. He doesn't see that, he just wants tax cuts . How to respond to it? Only one way, tell the guy, "stop lying", and tell everyone to drive anyone peddling this bullshit out of the debate, we need to start debating the real issues.

[Political Troublemkr]

13. The new McCarthyism

There's a new strain of McCarthyism flowing through American discourse. Tea Party elected officials like Rep Allen West and others make unfounded statements like Obama being a Marxist, there being up to 80 Democratic House representatives who are communists, and inflammatory rhetoric like saying that Obama, Reid, and Pelosi should "Get out of the United States of America". It's downright disturbing. I've made a video cataloging some of Rep West's more ridiculous statements. I'll include it here, but I'd really like to start a new thread with it. I'm a newbie here so I'm not allowed yet.

[RoccoR5955]

15. If they ever come to me with that McCarthyist garbage,

I'll just use what I call the Pete Seeger defense.
When the HUAC went after Seeger, he stated that under the FIRST AMENDMENT, he had the right to assembly, and it was none of the government's business who he associated with.

[Political Troublemkr]

17. Seeger

And yet people found their careers destroyed from blackballing. Seeger found his own career hampered by this.

[RoccoR5955]

18. I know that, but he still has a career.

The only guy I know who's 93, and still working. Not as much as he was 20 years ago, but still working.

He did manage to get gigs after the HUAC. He got local gigs from the folks who know him. And today Seeger is the grandpa of American Folk Music. He even has one of the country's highest honors. He deserves it. And he especially deserves it for what he did during those dark days of HUAC.

So let's not say that Seeger's career was hampered, let's say that it took a different turn. A turn for WE THE PEOPLE, not them, the corporations.