Why do people always use Europe as an example of socialism?

Question

Is this supposed to scare someone? We might end up like them. No war in Iraq, healthcare coverage for all Americans. Oh, the humanity!! It may cost me a couple of dollars though, so I guess I will just pass the problems on to my children. They are pretty smart. I'm sure they can solve it.

Daniel..thank you for pointing out what I wanted....the fact is that Republicans will support anything as long as it doesn't cost them a penny.

That guy...why would I want to...Hillary is about to bring Europe here.

Pfo...that is just silly...people will not quit working because they get affordable health care.

Answer 1

It's a scare tactic.To those people everything that isn't jungle capitalism equals socialism.It's a fact every industrialized country except America has Universal health care for example.They aren't all socialist.Who won the cold war?What they advocate is social Darwinism.
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761579584/Social_Darwinism.html
The arguments they use to oppose any social program are the same that were used when child labor was abolished.The economy can't survive.That's socialism and so on.For me the economy means nothing if a good economy means people suffer.

What's considered moderate in America is right wing.
Someone like An Coulter and all the radio wackos are so far right it's scary and disgusting.There's no one like that on the left but the regressive right succeeded in part to say or act like Michael Moore or Rosie O Donnell are the same on the left.That's bull.They call to hang Democratic traitors meaning congressmen and senators and that's their free speech but Move on should be kicked out of the country for a factual ad that makes one reference to betraying in thr form of a question
There is hardly a real far left in America and there's no far left wing in the Democratic party.Kucinich and Gravel and some others are definitely left but the right has succeeded in marking them as far left while they are not.
Most of the Democratic party is moderate,a lot right of center but the right succeeds in making too many people think they are communists.

On so many issue's the right controls the language of the debate and therefore the debate itself.A lot of liberals use their language and fall into their logic.
It's gonna be very hard for the left to change that.Their low taxes scam works.It's a scam.Americans don't accept tax cos it's their money but they do accept working overtime for nope.That's theft but they don't see the relation.Do you?If you work fifteen hours and only get payed eight.In America that's legal and it was passed without strikes or any protest.But try to raise a tax a little and people scream and are outraged.The right controls America including a lot of people who think they are liberal.
The money "wasted" on welfare is peanuts compared to the military spending.Most welfare recipients aren't lazy bums.Still a majority of Americans think they are.The military spending is often very wasteful but no one cares or only a few who are immediately branded as far left.

Answer 2

Europe has had all the bloodie wars fought over on her soil. American civilians have always read about the wars and the europeans have seen and felt the bombs drop on their doorsteps.

Britain after WW2 had a big re building to do, social policies were the ones that got us on our feet again. there were no jobs cos there were no firms able to offer employment.

Socialism made sure:
That kids had milk to drink, orange juice, rooves put over their heads.Warm clothes to wear, Doctors visits free for everyone. And Jobs .

Capitalists only think of the bottom line.

This is a summary of the human race.

The whole human race is in a boat and there is a loaf of bread.

You can do three things with that bread.. one, you can sell it, that way the rich get the whole loaf, you can fight for it, this way the strong will get the whole loaf. or you can share it, so that everyone gets some.

Socialism is co operation, capitalism's motive is getting ahead of the next man. It does work , yes, for some.

Its all your choice . but then life is about choices.

Answer 3

Europe has an average unemployment rate of 10%, ours is 4%.
Europe has an average tax rate of 70%, ours is 30%.
Europe has the highest cost of living in the industrialized world.
Europe ranks in the bottom of productivity in the industrialized world.
Europe has universal health care in which the average joe gets treatment within 18 months, and the rich come to America to get treatment immediately.
Europe has given up their guns, so the next time they are invaded they will have to rely on the U.S. to save them (for the fourth time).

Europe is a mistake we should learn from. Our Constitution was written to protect the individual FROM government, not to have the government rule us. If you think Europe is a role-model, you have no clue about the Constitution, freedom, or what makes America great.

Answer 4

Goldenrae 9 is absolutely right. I lived in a social democracy in Europe for 17 years. Great health care, fine education system, care for the elderly and old age security. Everyone lives well, the country prospers and everyone has 6 weeks vacation a year. These countries do not go broke, they thrive. The corporations run the USA and the working people have a constant struggle to stay ahead of their bills and pray they do not have a health disaster befall them.
Our taxes, on average we work 5 months to pay taxes, does not get us much unless you feel good about close to 4000 Americans dead in Iraq and several hundred thousand dead Iraqi's.

Answer 5

That, too. To demonize progress states. But I have to add it's also in part because people don't understand what socialism means. The means of production in Europe are privately held. Boom. There you go. Capitalism, not socialism. Capitalism tempered with social programs and progressive legislation to keep people from rioting and to give the worse off an opportunity to give their best back, but capitalism all the same.

Answer 6

Well let's see....why would I oppose socialism?

I like not paying 49+% of my hard earned income in taxes...to support all of the "Social" programs.

I like living in the country with one of the highest standards of living in the world....Our "Poor" are rich by world standards.

I enjoy living in the country with some of the most widely available infrastructure in the world. Wow! Drinking water & toilet everywhere!

I live in the land of opportunity, If I want it bad enough, and I'm willing to work for it...I can have, or achieve it here.

Socialism, doesn't work......Let me say that again, so that it might sink in.....

Socialism, doesn't work!

Never has, never will.

It looks pretty (For the "Sheep") for a little while....but it's a downward spiral......till the end.

For innovation to happen, for change...you need a >REASON< for that innovation...a catalyst, if you will.

Socialism removes these incentives, these catalysts.

Why work? What is the motivation? What >Drives< the person (People) to be more than they are, to innovate, to grow?

There is NONE......

Society..stagnates.....declines...then dies....

It's a classic part of world history.......Over and over again.

I understand history, I'd like to not repeat it.


Why would I?

T.S.

Answer 7

Several reasons. 19% sales tax in Germany, repressive governments, expensive monthly tax on commercial laden TV and radio, low quality medical care, poverty stricken and overworked hospital doctors, lack of free speech (denying the holocaust leads to arrest, mentioning that the Third Reich encouraged women to stay at home has caused one TV moderator to lose her job) and a much lower level of freedom when compared to America, are all examples of socialism at work.

Answer 8

Because socialist policies in Europe have brought both good and bad, and pro-socialist policy people like yourself need to realize that socialism is not a bed of roses and can in fact be dangerous. Needless to say, anyone that is wealthy is not going to want socialism. THERE IS NO WAY TO CONVINCE A WEALTHY PERSON TO GIVE UP THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY. If you do encourage socialism, you are only encouraging America's downfall, in the long run there will be no incentive to work if the trend continues. Everyone will slack off and do the least work possible.

Answer 9

those poor euro bastards are taxed back to the stone age

Answer 10

None of the conservatives who blather about how much they hate Europe have ever been over there. These people are violent ignorant idiots who are responsible for the Iraq war. We should be scared of them, not the Europeans.