Anyone who repeats the tired old cliché of “Progressive policies means getting “FREE STUFF” or “Liberalism is great, until you run out of other people’s money” simply demonstrates utter and complete CLUELESSNESS about what liberalism means, how it works, or its role in the world today.
Progressive policies are NOT about using “other people’s money” or expecting “FREE STUFF” any more than you expect law enforcement, emergency first responders or “free” public schools to be provided by “other people’s money.”
We all contribute and we all benefit.
As was recently noted on The Last word with Lawrence O’Donnell:
There is good “socialism” (not really true socialism) and bad “socialism.”
.
Good “socialism” (helping those who actually need it):
• Universal comprehensive no-fee health care
• Universal tuition-free public education through college
• Guaranteed secure retirement program
• Job training, job placement
• Proactive social services to PREVENT crime
• Infrastructure
• Law enforcement, firefighting, disaster relief
.
Bad “socialism” (giveaways — the real “free stuff” — to the few richest elites who already have the most):
• Corporate welfare (socialism for the rich)
• Socialized professional sports (all benefit goes to people that are very rich)
• Tax exemptions for churches that non-believers have to make up for (socialized religion)
.
• Example of worst kind of bad socialism (cited by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez): Trump has a country club / golf course in her district. It was developed with public funds, but HE gets to keep all the revenue.
Anyone who repeats the tired old cliché of “Progressive policies means getting “FREE STUFF” or “Liberalism is great, until you run out of other people’s money” simply demonstrates utter and complete CLUELESSNESS about what liberalism means, how it works, or its role in the world today.
Progressive policies are NOT about using “other people’s money” or expecting “FREE STUFF” any more than you expect law enforcement, emergency first responders or “free” public schools to be provided by “other people’s money.”
We all contribute and we all benefit.
As was recently noted on The Last word with Lawrence O’Donnell:
There is good “socialism” (not really true socialism) and bad “socialism.”
.
Good “socialism” (helping those who actually need it):
• Universal comprehensive no-fee health care
• Universal tuition-free public education through college
• Guaranteed secure retirement program
• Job training, job placement
• Proactive social services to PREVENT crime
• Infrastructure
• Law enforcement, firefighting, disaster relief
.
Bad “socialism” (giveaways — the real “free stuff” — to the few richest elites who already have the most):
• Corporate welfare (socialism for the rich)
• Socialized professional sports (all benefit goes to people that are very rich)
• Tax exemptions for churches that non-believers have to make up for (socialized religion)
.
• Example of worst kind of bad socialism (cited by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez): Trump has a country club / golf course in her district. It was developed with public funds, but HE gets to keep all the revenue.