"Don't you hope Obama succeeds?"

[j2k4]

rather than becoming preoccupied with tangential...chaff.

Quite the ventriloquist, Mr. Kevin.

I have no talent for that particular art, my bovine friend.

Gee, I sure miss my smilies.

[clocker]

He will not serve a second term ...

I'll take that bet.

[j2k4]

He will not serve a second term ...

I'll take that bet.

Done.

[Snee]

What's up w.dabsith your unemployed friends in the USA?
Have you ever lived in the USA? If you didn't this conversation is over, because you don't have a clue how life in the US is, I have lived in both places, so I can tell you wich one is better when it comes to healthcare, you can't.
Have a nice day

And yet, one has to wonder if you've actually lived in either one

The Spain you describe doesn't seem to match up very well with reality, and nor does your fantastic image of the US match what aforementioned pals have told me about their situation.

I guess one shouldn't expect too much from someone who's basing his opinion of european health care on one or two experiences he once thought he had in Spain

Also, you certainly haven't been here, so you can't really say anything about our health care, now can you? Or indeed european health care in general, going by the same logic.

See, I've just had a friend told me how he can't even afford to have a simple allergy test, over there. I've had lunches more expensive than what it'd cost me, here.

That came up when I brought up this thread in a conversation with a few people I play games with online, the other day, and the funny thing is that they don't quite seem to agree with you. This would be a couple of americans, as well as a few europeans.

[Snee]

Any thoughts on the difference between socialism and social democracy, J2?

Also, I don't think of Obama as a socialist, other than his choice of words, sometimes (cf "revolution"). Liberal, yes, though. Even social democrat would be moving in another direction, I reckon.

I see him as a fair bit right of any socialists I've ever met, tbh.

[j2k4]

Any thoughts on the difference between socialism and social democracy, J2?

Also, I don't think of Obama as a socialist, other than his choice of words, sometimes (cf "revolution"). Liberal, yes, though. Even social democrat would be moving in another direction, I reckon.

I see him as a fair bit right of any socialists I've ever met, tbh.

Allow me to ask you, first, as I meant to, before I was sidetracked by the wily Clocker.

For the nonce, I see social democrat-ism to be a polite way to refer to socialism without actually using the word.

Call it de-stigmatized or thinly disguised, and slightly less-than-full-strength.

[Rat Faced]

Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and a society characterized by equal opportunities for all individuals with a fair or egalitarian method of compensation.

Due to Human Nature (Greed) it's a lovely theory that can't work in practice in its pure form, except in very small close knit communities.

It is the opposite of Capitalism, which has recently shown it can't work in its pure form for the very same reason: Human Nature (Greed).


Social Democracy is an attempt to blend the two Theories.

It encourages people to make money by supporting Business, so that the taxation of this money can be used to fund Socialist "Values" eg: Free Universal Health Care.

Again, this is the Theory... and again it fails to take in Human Nature...

However, it's not nearly as bad as either a Pure Socialist System or a Pure Capitalist System.

[j2k4]

Socialism refers to a broad set of economic theories of social organization advocating state or collective ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods, and a society characterized by equal opportunities for all individuals with a fair or egalitarian method of compensation.

Due to Human Nature (Greed) it's a lovely theory that can't work in practice in its pure form, except in very small close knit communities.

It is the opposite of Capitalism, which has recently shown it can't work in its pure form for the very same reason: Human Nature (Greed).


Social Democracy is an attempt to blend the two Theories.

It encourages people to make money by supporting Business, so that the taxation of this money can be used to fund Socialist "Values" eg: Free Universal Health Care.

Again, this is the Theory... and again it fails to take in Human Nature...

However, it's not nearly as bad as either a Pure Socialist System or a Pure Capitalist System.

Says you.

So, in the U.K., greed goes unsatiated.

Sounds dangerous.

[Rat Faced]

So, in the U.K., greed goes unsatiated.

Sounds dangerous.

Unfortunatley, the "Tories" *spits* de-regulated to follow the US Model.

Equally unfortunate, "New Labour" *spits* decided that it was actually another Tory Party and left it that way.

Result: Our system is almost as badly hit as your own but with a currency that other countries dont need to hang onto in order to buy their Oil.. meaning that our Government can't bail our economy out to the same extent as your own. (Don't stop 'em trying though!!!)

Ulike many people, I don't totally blame New Labour. They didnt reverse the changes brought in by the Tories, so they must bear some responsibility, but it was the Tories that brought those changes in.


A little like the Council Tax that the Tories bleat and moan about, without reminding everyone they wrote the legislation in the 1st place, y'know?

Amazing how fickle a politicians memory is

[ahctlucabbuS]

You're still at it I see.

Applause!