The idea of "Democratic Socialism"...????

[Stuart G]

While many believe so called "Democratic Socialism" is one strange thing, I would like to believe it is creation and support of the
following programs:

1. Public Education through University and higher. (free for all, )
2. Public Fire and Police Departments (answerable to the elected governments)
3. Public Parks for all, (not like country clubs for a few)
4. Public water supplies at as reasonable rates as possible
5. Public sewer facilities and pipes for all
6. Free roads and availability for all
7. Public transportation and facilities for all (reasonable prices, governed by and for all)
8. Strong regulations to protect the public ...such as clean food, clean water, safe autos, safe roads, airline safety controlled by the
federal government
9. Strong public libraries open to all
10. Social Security (everyone pays in)
11. Universal Medical Care for all....(single payer)
12. Strong Regulations of the workplace and workplace safety
13. Access to Internet for all (reasonable prices or government control of)
14. Phone service for all (same as above)....................etc.etc.etc.
15. Voting Rights for all voters. easy accessibility for all

Yes, there are some more favorable additions to this list. Most of this is already part of the way we live.
.and the Jeb Bushes of the world would destroy as much as they could/and can. And privatize as much as
possible...for the benefit of the 1%... That is the challenge:

To educate the population on what this is, why it must be saved and enlarged. And then do so!!!!...We are already living in a somewhat "Democratic Socialist" society, and most of us don't even know it...

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. Small businesses, cooperatives etc.

job training, vocational training. Democratic socialism isn't all govt. controlled as some suggest. It is not communism.

[Stuart G]

2. Of course it isn't..It is not communism.

By job training, vocational ed, universal ed, and so on, all can participate and have the ability to lead decent lives.

The government doesn't have to own the airlines, just make them safe and accessible to all..Government does not own the food stores, but the food is safe and clean. Toyota still makes a very nice profit, but that company is required to make a safe car, much safer than 30 years ago...What the hell is wrong with that?

[orpupilofnature57]

3. A way to castigate and dismiss an Honest man who doesn't play ball with Robbers .

[Stuart G]

4. I agree..."Namecalling"...nothing new....

What else is there to say about the right wing 1 percent and their ilk..

[orpupilofnature57]

6. About certain things they're the Walking Dead . n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. If you're not going to have collective ownership of a lot of production, distribution and exchange

then you ought to at least have something about a strongly progressive tax system there, with specific taxes and laws to inhibit the growth of privately-owned monopolies and limit inherited wealth.

[Cleita]

8. And what's wrong with inhibiting the growth of privately-owned monopolies and limiting

inherited wealth?

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Nothing's wrong with it - I'm saying it ought to be part of the list

At the moment, there's no mention of tax at all. There's nothing about inequality, either, or welfare. There's more that should be added - availability of affordable housing, avoidance of communications monopolies ...

The OP list reads like liberalism at the moment, not democratic socialism.

[RobertEarl]

10. You have a unique way of looking at this

Actually seems a little weird.

We have democratic socialism in this country. Indeed, some of the very best things about this country are very socialistic.

So what we need in management (government) is someone who believes in socialism. Only one running for the top management (president) who believes in socialism is Bernie Sanders.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. Do you want to run away from progressive taxation? Is it too radical for you?

No, you do not have democratic socialism in the USA. You have far too much poverty, and most of your politicians do not care. You have runaway capitalism, with some of the worst inequality in the developed world, and it's getting worse. If you had democratic socialism, there wouldn't be a need for someone like Bernie Sanders.

[Cleita]

7. I came across this website before DU was a gleam in Skinner's eye.

I was actually researching national health care. But I find Denmark is a good example of how a socialist democracy works.

http://denmark.dk/

I knew a lot of Danes who were living in LA back in the seventies so I got familiar with their culture through them and every now and then I get an urge for really good coffee and aebleskivers, Danish pancakes,(http://allrecipes.com/recipe/aebleskiver/) so I travel down the road to Solvang, a town founded by Danes and other transplanted Scandanavians.

[DirkGently]

11. "Social Democracy" is maybe more apt?

I like Wikipedia's description, anyway:

Social democracy is a political ideology that supports economic and social interventions to promote social justice within the framework of a capitalist economy, and a policy regime involving welfare state provisions, collective bargaining arrangements, regulation of the economy in the general interest, redistribution of income and wealth, and a commitment to representative democracy.[1][2][3] Social democracy aims to create the conditions for capitalism to lead to greater egalitarian, democratic and solidaristic outcomes.[4] "Social democracy" is often used in this manner to refer to the social and economic policies prominent in Western and Northern Europe during the latter half of the 20th century.[5][6] Alternatively, social democracy is defined as a political ideology that advocates a peaceful, evolutionary transition of society from capitalism to socialism using established political processes.[7]

Social democracy asserts that the only acceptable constitutional form of government is representative democracy under the rule of law.[8] It promotes extending democratic decision-making beyond political democracy to include economic democracy to guarantee employees and other economic stakeholders sufficient rights of co-determination.[8] It supports a mixed economy that opposes the excesses of capitalism such as inequality, poverty, and oppression of various groups, while rejecting both a totally free market or a fully planned economy.[9] Common social democratic policies include advocacy of universal social rights to attain universally accessible public services such as education, health care, workers' compensation, and other services, including child care and care for the elderly.[10] Social democracy is connected with the trade union labour movement and supports collective bargaining rights for workers.[11] Most social democratic parties are affiliated with the Socialist International.[12]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_democracy

[Hiraeth]

20. correct, yes.

[sadoldgirl]

12. Most European countries and up to now

Canada as well have democratic socialism. We, however,
teach kids that they can only succeed in life as total
individuals outside of community, so that they can
become millionaires. In other words we teach:
Greed is leading to success.

[cyberswede]

13. DSA describes it this way:

Democratic Socialists believe that both the economy and society should be run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few. We are a political and activist organization, not a party; through campus and community-based chapters DSA members use a variety of tactics, from legislative to direct action, to fight for reforms that empower working people.

And

At the root of our socialism is a profound commitment to democracy, as means and end. As we are unlikely to see an immediate end to capitalism tomorrow, DSA fights for reforms today that will weaken the power of corporations and increase the power of working people. For example, we support reforms that:

- decrease the influence of money in politics
- empower ordinary people in workplaces and the economy
- restructure gender and cultural relationships to be more equitable

We are activists committed to democracy as not simply one of our political values but our means of restructuring society. Our vision is of a society in which people have a real voice in the choices and relationships that affect the entirety of our lives. We call this vision democratic socialism — a vision of a more free, democratic and humane society.

http://www.dsausa.org

[colsohlibgal]

14. Not Strange At All

There was a time though.....anyone more than a little left of center was looked at with suspicion back in the days of McCarthy and the "commie" witch hunt and blacklisting days.

The bad news is some righties are trying some revisionist history about McCarthy and those days.

I just saw some of that on IMBD, one person called McCarthy a "hero".

The right wing has gone crazy.

[Stuart G]

17. The right wing is now and has been for awhile the, "crazy wing"

So sure that they are always correct...Privatize everything
..McCarthy a "hero"
make "social security" private..???

..Hate President Obama in ways never thought of..and...war, war, war.
....more money for war...Privatize ..our water, ???????? These people are selfish beyond belief.

They belong in the bottom rung of Dante's Hell.......

[AOR]

19. Red-baiting and McCarthy like rhetoric is hardly confined to the right wing...

it is rampant in the Democratic Party and always has been. It is also rampant among liberals to marginalize leftists. This is no secret nor is it illusion.

[Sienna86]

15. Clean water and air for all

Have to add this.

[deutsey]

18. The ruling classes in America have done a superb job

of poisoning the meaning of "socialism" in this country since the end of World War I.

I think (hope) the times may be right for correcting that.