“Benefits of Socialism”

[Joanne98]

Peter Stathis’s response (”Spewing Socialism”) on April 22, 2009, to my earlier letter, requires clarification as to his misunderstanding of socialism. The writer seems to be living in the past with his stereotypes of socialists as either communists, fascists or indentured servants of the state. From my perception, these outmoded labels are nothing more than shallow fear-mongering and red-baiting on his part, and a lack of knowledge as to how a socialist system normally would work in a country.

Under socialism, it is not the government that takes care of its populace, but it is his/her fellow citizens and co-workers who create the policies and conditions for its community and working environment. It is they who establish local criteria through local independent boards, commissions and councils, acting in a democratic fashion. It is the people who have the authority, the ownership and control of the communities and their workplaces, and not the government nor a small group of executives or military brass, which is the case under the economic systems of both authoritarian capitalism and communism.

Historically, in the early 1900’s, it was the Socialists who advocated a 40-hour work week, and a six-day work week; plus, child labor laws, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, social security, Medicare, collective bargaining, woman’s suffrage, and civil rights. Socialists solely opposed World War I, which was ultimately fought for gold, money and corporate greed. Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats embraced these concepts until much later in the century.

The local Socialist councils will direct regional, state and federal governments how to administer a national health system, a quality housing plan, full educational opportunities and full employment. For example, under health, it will be the regional council, made up of nurses, doctors, consumers, and senior citizens in our central western Florida area, who will determine the full range of medical, dental and mental health services; plus, the compensation levels for the salaried nurses, doctors and medical providers. The democratic councils will establish the work ratios of nurse to patients, work hours, and any other important factor affecting the quality of care of the patient and the quality of working conditions for the employees. This will be done in a truly democratic fashion.

People are leaving Cuba because of a 50-year American embargo and its economic burdens imposed on Cuban citizens; due to the big money of Florida Cubans buying Democratic and Republican legislation. Both Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez are leaders who overcame previous despotic governments where the majority of its citizens lived in poverty and squalor. We supported Castro in his overthrow of a rotten dictator, and Venezuela’s president Chavez was democratically elected, and did not have his election stolen from him at the ballot box, as was done in our country in 2000, and in our state. Both Chavez and Castro have either sent, or offered to send, doctors and nurses in our country’s times of need, and Mr. Chavez has provided free oil, in the winters, to the poor of our nation.

Under capitalism, around the world, 20,000 human beings die each day (this totals 12 million people each year) from the diseases or human conditions of TB, malaria, AIDS, typhoid, infected water, infant mortality, etc. which fester under, or are products of capitalistic economic systems. In America, we have 50 million people living in poverty, 47 million without any form of health insurance and we go to war every other year, or perennially, mostly to protect financial corporate interests (i.e.oil). Plus, there is a widening gap between the rich and everyone else in our country, including the loss of pensions, health care, and outsourced jobs.

With the economic collapse and the huge bailouts being returned to the same corporate barons who have caused this disaster, Mr. Stathis, need I say more about the failures of capitalism and the benefits of socialism?

http://briansblog.votebrianmoore.com/2009/05/benefits-of-socialism-letter-in-tampa-tribune/