What is socialism?

Socialism is when the government controls the means, and the method, of production.

In essence, socialism is a “government factory.”

But let’s examine some things that could be claimed are “socialist.”

Money.

The coinage and currency in your pocket is made by the United States government upon government-owned machines – stamping mills, and presses, with government-owned metals, government-owned paper, and government-owned inks.

But it’s not socialist.

Why not?

Because

What are you calling “socialism,” and where is “socialism” found in our nation?

Look at the money in your pocket… the paper currency and the coinage.

Where was it made, and who made it?

Chances are, you’d say the United States government made it at one of their mints. And if you did, you’d be correct. The currency was printed on government owned paper, with government owned ink, on government owned presses.

“Show me a Roman coin. Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” “Caesar’s,” they replied. “Well then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”
– Jesus of Nazareth, as recorded in Luke’s Gospel, chapter 20, verses 24, and 25

Same thing for the coins. They were made with government owned metals, on government owned dies, on government owned machines.

But you can’t own it. You can’t own the money.

At least not in the narrow sense, in that it belongs to the government, anyway, since it was issued by them, using their materials.

In the broad sense, it’s entrusted to you.

But again, it’s government property, and that’s why it’s illegal to deface or destroy currency. It doesn’t belong to you.

So you might think that’s an example of the dread “socialism.” And if you did, you’d be wrong.

Why?

Because ALL of it – the ink, the paper, the metals, the presses, the dies, the machines – ALL of it came from the Private Sector via publicly bid contract.

Yeah.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it for a little while.

Even the healthcare we give our Military Service Members – AND their first-degree family members (spouse and children) – is not an example of socialism, because

A Retrospective: Bush & the GOP’s Promises VS Reality

Does anyone remember this?

Nope. Probably not. That’s why it’s being posted here… to remind us all.

In the first Presidential Debate in 2000 with Vice President Al Gore, Jr. and former Texas governor & GOP candidate George W. Bush, the forum included questions on the topics of budget & economy, governmental reform, healthcare, Social Security, tax reform, education, energy & oil, foreign policy, homeland security, war & peace, and abortion.

As you read the responses below, consider how

Rising Job Numbers: Will they Buoy the President’s re-election Chances?

Recently, the Obama administration has justifiably trumpeted news from the Department of Labor Statistics that hiring hiring by the private sector has increased significantly, and added 227,000 jobs in February while the national unemployment rate remained at 8.3 percent.

With 233,000 jobs added by private businesses, this marks the 24th consecutive month of private sector job growth. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

This is good news for everyone, especially individuals, private households, the economy at large, small businesses, including

Our National Economy -or- How We Got Into This Fine Mess

The state of our national economic affairs is, to be certain, a complex topic.

And, as complex topics go, there is no one “simple” solution to resolve the greater problem. The greater problem is, of course, the whole state of affairs – especially, and particularly as it relates to every family’s household income.

Again, the complexity of the issue begs to be understood, because