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Socialism and the Damage Done

The big boys are also staying out because they know that even if Milei has some good reforms, Argentina is still a banana republic of sorts. These kukas aren't going to go down without a fight before the next elections.

Already you are seeing terrorists on the left trying to sabotage pipe lines. A friend sent me this. The police stopped them before they could blow up the EZE gas pipeline near the airport. They exchanged gunfire with the terrorists and no surprise they got above. The big boys are going to stay out until they see that they have less risk. We are far from that now.

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I wonder if those hand grenades are real. With this government you don't know if they staged this to just be able to act more aggressively with protestors. It's part of the problem of Argentina. You don't know what is real or fake.
 
For those of you with a soft spot for socialism, Kirchner, Kiciloff and the like, this is the kind of long term damage that socialism will do to a country. The US President is telling major oil companies "we're in control, the oil is bubbling to the surface, go get it" and the oil companies are saying "no way". The reason is that operations like natural resource extraction and distribution require enormous amounts of upfront capital and you need to know that your ability to recoup it all is protected by law, not just now but decades into the future. Like Argentina, Venezuela has outright seized assets and the population has deep socialist leanings and keeps electing people like Kiciloff. So nobody trusts them. Chile and Argentina share many of the same natural resource deposits yet only one of them is benefitting from it. The long term damage to Argentina's economy from this sort of mindset and behavior is mind-boggling when you think of foreign investment, jobs (real ones), exports (bringing in dollars), tax revenues etc.

Socialism is like heroin, feels so good until it feels so bad.
Dude, spare me the bullshit econ lecture from your couch in whatever safe capitalist bubble you're hiding in. Argentina's Vaca Muerta is gushing oil like crazy, billions pouring in from exports even with the populist drama—meanwhile the US is on its knees begging Exxon to drill while they frack rivers to sh*t and pretend climate change is fake news. Chile? Copper kings sitting on piles of cash while the poor smash windows over crumbs. Your "socialism is heroin" line? Laughable. Neoliberal wet dreams wrecked Greece, tanked Kansas farms with debt— that's the real junkie high. I'm an expat down here slurping café con leche, dodging black markets that actually work, and you're yapping about "mind-boggling damage"? F**k off with that. Grab some maté and wake up.
 
Dude, spare me the bullshit econ lecture from your couch in whatever safe capitalist bubble you're hiding in. Argentina's Vaca Muerta is gushing oil like crazy, billions pouring in from exports even with the populist drama—meanwhile the US is on its knees begging Exxon to drill while they frack rivers to sh*t and pretend climate change is fake news. Chile? Copper kings sitting on piles of cash while the poor smash windows over crumbs. Your "socialism is heroin" line? Laughable. Neoliberal wet dreams wrecked Greece, tanked Kansas farms with debt— that's the real junkie high. I'm an expat down here slurping café con leche, dodging black markets that actually work, and you're yapping about "mind-boggling damage"? F**k off with that. Grab some maté and wake up.
I didn't quite understand all of that but think you're saying you disagree?
 
I didn't quite understand all of that but think you're saying you disagree?
Socialism in the United States is often a subject of intense debate, largely because people define the term differently. In a modern American context, "socialism" usually refers to social democracy—a system where the government provides essential services funded by taxes—rather than a state-controlled economy.
While the U.S. is primarily a capitalist market economy, it contains several massive, deeply integrated programs that operate on socialist principles: "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need."


1. Social Security

Established in 1935, Social Security is perhaps the most prominent example of a "socialized" program.
  • How it works: It is a mandatory social insurance program. Workers pay into a collective pool through payroll taxes (FICA), and those funds are redistributed to retirees, disabled individuals, and survivors of deceased workers.
  • Socialist element: It is not a private savings account; it is a collective safety net designed to prevent poverty in old age.

2. Medicare and Medicaid

These programs represent socialized aspects of the healthcare system:
  • Medicare: A national social insurance program that provides health insurance to Americans aged 65 and older, regardless of income or medical history.
  • Medicaid: A social welfare program that provides health coverage to low-income individuals.
  • The distinction: While the healthcare delivery (doctors/hospitals) is often private, the insurance/payment is socialized through the government.

3. The Military and Public Safety

Though rarely called "socialist," the U.S. Armed Forces, police departments, and fire departments are pure examples of publicly funded, government-run services.
  • Access: You do not receive a bill after the fire department saves your house.
  • Funding: These services are funded by the community (taxes) for the benefit and protection of the entire collective.

4. Public Infrastructure and Education

  • The Interstate Highway System: Built and maintained by federal and state governments, the road system is a public good available to everyone, funded by the collective tax base.
  • Public Schools: Every child in the U.S. is entitled to a K-12 education funded by property and income taxes. This is based on the idea that an educated populace benefits society as a whole, not just the individual student.

Comparison: Capitalism vs. Socialism in the U.S.

FeatureCapitalist ElementSocialist Element
HealthcarePrivate Insurance / Employer-basedMedicare / Medicaid / VA
TransportationRide-sharing (Uber) / AirlinesPublic Highways / City Buses / Subways
EducationPrivate Universities / TutoringPublic K-12 / Community Colleges
Retirement401(k) / Stock MarketSocial Security

The "Mixed Economy"

Most economists describe the U.S. as a mixed economy. This means it protects private property and relies on free markets for most goods (like iPhones or groceries), but uses "socialist" interventions to provide services that the market might not provide equitably (like clean water, roads, and elder care).
 
Socialism in the United States is often a subject of intense debate, largely because people define the term differently. In a modern American context, "socialism" usually refers to social democracy—a system where the government provides essential services funded by taxes—rather than a state-controlled economy.
While the U.S. is primarily a capitalist market economy, it contains several massive, deeply integrated programs that operate on socialist principles: "from each according to their ability, to each according to their need."
America should have safety nets and all those other things. We can debate how the government goes about these things, but most people understand it is not at all a reflection of socialism. They're just the kind of things a wealthy country should be doing.
 

"Venezuela is uninvestable" - Exxon CEO

For those of you with a soft spot for socialism, Kirchner, Kiciloff and the like, this is the kind of long term damage that socialism will do to a country. The US President is telling major oil companies "we're in control, the oil is bubbling to the surface, go get it" and the oil companies are saying "no way". The reason is that operations like natural resource extraction and distribution require enormous amounts of upfront capital and you need to know that your ability to recoup it all is protected by law, not just now but decades into the future. Like Argentina, Venezuela has outright seized assets and the population has deep socialist leanings and keeps electing people like Kiciloff. So nobody trusts them. Chile and Argentina share many of the same natural resource deposits yet only one of them is benefitting from it. The long term damage to Argentina's economy from this sort of mindset and behavior is mind-boggling when you think of foreign investment, jobs (real ones), exports (bringing in dollars), tax revenues etc.

Socialism is like heroin, feels so good until it feels so bad.
But also from Trump. "Let's make Venezuela our 51st state" 😆

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Indeed. Argentina should be chanting "drill baby drill" but they don't have the money and foreign companies aren't going to step in when Kicillof is still winning elections.
But it doesn't seem like Kicillof has many prospects at the National level. In polls going out now he doesn't do well in them. Thank god!
I didn't quite understand all of that but think you're saying you disagree?
That has to be the funniest stuff on here.

Yes. Only weak minded individuals who don't know their history blame 'socialism'. Most forget that America has many socialistic traits.
Dude socialism does NOT work. The idea of it if it could be pulled off in principal is harmonious but it never works. History has proven that time and time again.
 
But it doesn't seem like Kicillof has many prospects at the National level. In polls going out now he doesn't do well in them. Thank god!

That has to be the funniest stuff on here.


Dude socialism does NOT work. The idea of it if it could be pulled off in principal is harmonious but it never works. History has proven that time and time again.
Please name three times it hasn't worked without outside influence.
 
Dude socialism does NOT work. The idea of it if it could be pulled off in principal is harmonious but it never works. History has proven that time and time again.
Groundbreaking take. Socialism has literally never worked anywhere ever, except for the dozens of times history textbooks mysteriously skip over the parts where capitalist paradises also collapsed, starved people, or turned into oligarchies with extra steps.


But yeah, tell me more about how ‘it just doesn’t work in practice’ while we all pretend the Nordic countries are actually secret libertarian wonderlands and Venezuela is the only country that ever tried anything left of center. Truly the most original thought on the internet in 2025. We’re all taking notes.
 
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