Bernie Sanders is mistaken or he is outright lying about being a socialist ... maybe because of the negative connotations of the word capitalist? especially since the GOP likes to call it's
robber baron like polices "true capitalism"? On the other hand Bernie Sanders may simply be using
a European definition of socialism, meaning 'a person who helps society'' rather than it's economic definition. In other words, this whole "socialist" thing is
a big misunderstanding no matter how you look at it. We can prove this by looking at his
policies.
First, the definition of socialism;
Socialism—defined as a centrally planned economy in which the government controls all means of production
Socialism is when the government takes over the making and distribution of stuff. ALL of Bernie Sanders policies have to do with regulating that stuff and NOT taking over the production OR distribution of that stuff.
In other words, I dare you to examine Bernie Sanders's website and find ONE policy where the mode of production is turned over to the Government. You won't because he doesn't. His polices are designed to give everyone a fair shot at the American Dream.
The following post explains one of the problem's hes dealing with in his policies:
Cartoon of Basic Business Structure & Corruption Motivations With The Example Of Rupert Murdoch
i.e. Bernie seeks to regulate capitalism while leaving the mode of production & it's distribution up to private enterprise thereby following the Constitutional goals of provide welfare for the entire nation while keeping away from tyranny. In other words, if everyone can't get a fair shot at something then the system to messed up and needs to be fixed. This happens in human societies. You simply rebuild it better, as The Declaration of Independence outlines, and continue with life. You don't remove the system altogether and leave people without a Constitution/System which is what the GOP is doing while pretending it's not. Note: The Constitution outlines our system. Blocking economic activity and development for the sake of winning elections isn't 'seeking general welfare of the community' as per the Constitution. Somehow this is missed is right wing rhetoric and the focus is on more terrorist like activities.
My Posts On Bernie Sanders Thus Far
Second, A Response To The Ayn Rand Style Derugulators;
One might respond (from the right) that 'I think any form of regulation whatsoever is socialism or communism'. Since the Constitution is a set of rules and regulations of how to structure a Government of the people, I will simply have to ignore them as anti-constitutionalists or idiots/
dufflepuds. I hope my readers can do the same. But just for kicks...
A Conservative Libertarian might argue that all regulations are bad, YET in the Constitution Article 1 Section 8 has to say
;
Article 1 Section 8;
The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;
To borrow money on the credit of the United States;
To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;
To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;
To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;
To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;
To establish post offices and post roads;
To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;
To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;
To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;
To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;
To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;
To provide and maintain a navy;
To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;
To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;
To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;
To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And
To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.
All of the above are basic functions of Congress and all constitute regulations that the writers of the Constitution (the Founding Fathers) EXPECTED future communities to employ in it's regulation cause
that's how societies work and they knew that. The GOP establishment republicans will often argue
that Government is bad or inefficient. Often by pointing out to their own administrations doings, i.e. 'Government is bad,
just look what we did when we were in charge', ... but GOP politicians never answer the question of
why these people are running for Government when they believe it doesn't, and more importantly,
can't work because 'Government is inefficient'. A Government they run two branches of,
Congress &
The Supreme Court. They might as well be calling the Founding Fathers idiots by proving them wrong with thier own actions.
Related:
For more information see the developing
section on economics on my website
Liberal Libertarianism.Org
