I mock msnbc but kudos to chris Matthews for asking a serious and pertinent question. The video is great because she never expects this question from msnbc.
Quote:The chair of the Democratic National Committee was momentarily speechless after being asked an awkward question about her party and socialism on Thursday.
“What is the difference between a Democrat and a socialist?” MSNBC host Chris Matthews asked Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D., Fla.).
“Uh,” Wasserman-Schultz responded.
“I used to think there was a big difference,” Matthews said. “What do you think?”
“The difference between—the real question is what’s the difference between being a Democrat and being a Republican,” Wasserman-Schultz said. Matthews didn’t let her off easily.
“Yeah but what’s the big difference between being a Democrat and being a socialist?” Matthews said. “You’re the chairwoman of the Democratic Party. Tell me the difference between you and a socialist.”
“The relevant debate that we’ll be having over the course of this campaign is what’s the difference between being a Democrat and being a Republican,” Wasserman-Schultz repeated.
Matthews introduced this line of questioning after asking whether the Democratic Party would let Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), an avowed socialist, speak in primetime at the Democratic convention.
Wasserman-Schultz affirmed that Sanders’ “progressive, populist message” of socialism was welcome at her party’s big confab.
“Bernie Sanders has been a good Democrat,” Wasserman-Schultz said.
Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president, has enjoyed a groundswell of support from Democrats dissatisfied by Hillary Clinton.
Recent polling finds that the liberal base is more extreme today than it was 15 years ago. This leftward shift could pose a problem for Democrats hoping to win a general election.
Socialists believe that the government should control the means of production and supply of services in a country.
Democrats do not believe that. They support private ownership and capitalist market competition.
When Bernie Sanders calls himself a "socialist" he is referring to his support for "social programs" that supply assistance to the citizens. He has never advocated that the government own and/or have operational control over the means of production, industry, or supply of non-social services in our economy.
(07-31-2015, 01:57 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Socialists believe that the government should control the means of production and supply of services in a country.
When you have a govt employing a massive number of people to redistribute a massive amount of entitlements, that's a distinction without a difference.
Wasserman-Shultz is a clown. She's either really, really good at misdirection and spewing talking points, or more likely just not very bright. She's always struck me as sort of a female version of Biden.
(07-31-2015, 03:02 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: Wasserman-Shultz is a clown. She's either really, really good at misdirection and spewing talking points, or more likely just not very bright. She's always struck me as sort of a female version of Biden.
The chairs of the parties often are not very good representations of their party, to me anyway.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
(07-31-2015, 02:55 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: When you have a govt employing a massive number of people to redistribute a massive amount of entitlements, that's a distinction without a difference.
There is a HUGE difference between the government providing some assistance to a portion of the citizens and owning and operating the means of production.
In fact it isn't even close to the same thing.
Your are better than this. Don't start acting like Lucy. It is beneath you.
How is it that she was unable to answer the question?
“History teaches that grave threats to liberty often come in times of urgency, when constitutional rights seem too extravagant to endure.”-Thurgood Marshall
(07-31-2015, 03:19 PM)michaelsean Wrote: How is it that she was unable to answer the question?
She was not going to let them label Sanders as a Socialist when he is running as a Democrat. He is not seeking the nomination from the Socialist Party.
This is the way all politicians speak. They don't really answer questions. They just keep repeating talking points.
(07-31-2015, 03:18 PM)fredtoast Wrote: There is a HUGE difference between the government providing some assistance to a portion of the citizens and owning and operating the means of production.
In fact it isn't even close to the same thing.
Your are better than this. Don't start acting like Lucy. It is beneath you.
This is increasingly less and less true, first with the ACA (which, healthcare is something like 17% of the economy)...All the govt workers (including teachers) and military...And govt has its hands all over the energy industry, as well (another 12%) or so.
It's A LOT closer than you think, and increasing in the trend (hint hint hint regulation).
And the goverment doesn't own and operate the means of production in a socialist economy, Fred. That would be communism.
(07-31-2015, 06:02 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: This is increasingly less and less true, first with the ACA (which, healthcare is something like 17% of the economy)
All provided by for-profit private insurance companies, doctors, and hospitals.
And govt has its hands all over the energy industry, as well (another 12%) or so.
(07-31-2015, 06:02 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: And govt has its hands all over the energy industry, as well (another 12%) or so.
Don't know what you mean by "hands all over", but as far as I know the entire energy industry is owned and operated by private for-profit companies.
(07-31-2015, 06:02 PM)JustWinBaby Wrote: And the goverment doesn't own and operate the means of production in a socialist economy, Fred. That would be communism.
No that is socialism.
Not sure what the exact difference is, but socialism involves government control of the means of production.
(07-31-2015, 04:11 PM)fredtoast Wrote: She was not going to let them label Sanders as a Socialist when he is running as a Democrat. He is not seeking the nomination from the Socialist Party.
This is the way all politicians speak. They don't really answer questions. They just keep repeating talking points.
He is a socialist...he's a self-admitted socialist...
(07-31-2015, 06:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Because he supports social programs. Not because he supports the idea of the government owning the means of production.
This.
My take is, Communism wants to end all capitalist programs ASAP.....NOW! Socialism wants to build upon a capitalist society with restrictions on capitalism, or controlled by a centralized system. Socialists thinks that capitalism is good for socialism, or is it the other way around......or both? But it is something like that. Communism and Socialism is supposed to have the goal of having economic equality. Capitalism is great, with some sprinkling of socialism.
I mock msnbc but kudos to chris Matthews for asking a serious and pertinent question. The video is great because she never expects this question from msnbc.
I saw this earlier. Hilarious. There is no difference.
(07-31-2015, 06:33 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Because he supports social programs. Not because he supports the idea of the government owning the means of production.
My take is, Communism wants to end all capitalist programs ASAP.....NOW! Socialism wants to build upon a capitalist society with restrictions on capitalism, or controlled by a centralized system. Socialists thinks that capitalism is good for socialism, or is it the other way around......or both? But it is something like that. Communism and Socialism is supposed to have the goal of having economic equality. Capitalism is great, with some sprinkling of socialism.
Lenin always said that the goal is socialism was communism.
(07-31-2015, 03:19 PM)michaelsean Wrote: How is it that she was unable to answer the question?
This is what struck me as well. How is she not prepared for that question.... And how does she not know an answer lol. She basically said that it's the goal by stammering and saying nothing.
She has always been a baffoon and pretty much useless as DNC chair.
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