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SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SOCIAL DEMOCRACY
A "new life"? Really? Wakey, wakey America!
Social Democracy - not Socialism - has been a keystone-concept in Europe ever since the demise of the Soviet Union in December of 1991 (with its dissolution). The key-attribute of Socialism is having the means of production owned by the state, which a Social Democracy does not entail.
Bernie is a declared Social Democrat, so let's stop painting him with the broad-brush of Socialism. Social Democracy predicates itself based upon a common will for Social Justice and it is not anti-Capitalist.
After all, if we want to replace capitalism, we do what? Go back to barter? (How many chickens would you give me to plow your cornfield?)
Want to heap all the ills of modern democracy upon Capitalism? Be my guest. But because a Reckless Ronnie triggered a massive reduction of upper-income taxation that flooded into Wealth and Net Work, don't blame capitalism. It's like blaming murder upon the gun/knife used to perform it.
Capitalism must be re-tamed - that is, brought back to an alignment that was first finagled by LBJ (of all people) in the 1960s when he dropped upper-income taxation from the above 90% level down to around 70%. Reagan further chopped them down in the 1980s to below 30%. See here.
Today, the comprehensivetax-rates (after deductions) are, in fact, a sort of flat tax - that varies between 21 to 29% for the top 10% of American taxpayer household. See Historical Average Federal Tax Rates for All Households.
What America needs is to return to tax-fairness, which is just one cornerstone of a Social Democracy edifice that calls for Progressive Income Taxation (or here for students).
And this is what Bernie, a Social Democrat, is pitching to the American public. Batter up ... !
A "new life"? Really? Wakey, wakey America!
Social Democracy - not Socialism - has been a keystone-concept in Europe ever since the demise of the Soviet Union in December of 1991 (with its dissolution). The key-attribute of Socialism is having the means of production owned by the state, which a Social Democracy does not entail.
Bernie is a declared Social Democrat, so let's stop painting him with the broad-brush of Socialism. Social Democracy predicates itself based upon a common will for Social Justice and it is not anti-Capitalist.
After all, if we want to replace capitalism, we do what? Go back to barter? (How many chickens would you give me to plow your cornfield?)
Want to heap all the ills of modern democracy upon Capitalism? Be my guest. But because a Reckless Ronnie triggered a massive reduction of upper-income taxation that flooded into Wealth and Net Work, don't blame capitalism. It's like blaming murder upon the gun/knife used to perform it.
Capitalism must be re-tamed - that is, brought back to an alignment that was first finagled by LBJ (of all people) in the 1960s when he dropped upper-income taxation from the above 90% level down to around 70%. Reagan further chopped them down in the 1980s to below 30%. See here.
Today, the comprehensivetax-rates (after deductions) are, in fact, a sort of flat tax - that varies between 21 to 29% for the top 10% of American taxpayer household. See Historical Average Federal Tax Rates for All Households.
What America needs is to return to tax-fairness, which is just one cornerstone of a Social Democracy edifice that calls for Progressive Income Taxation (or here for students).
And this is what Bernie, a Social Democrat, is pitching to the American public. Batter up ... !
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