The Monday ,December 10, 2012 has a Bob Mercer column titled "Socialism in a Democracy". He spends about 30 column inches discussing topics which have nothing to do with socialism and then concludes, ""Some of the problems are due to inattention and generous assumptions. But overall, this is what we get, when taxpayers in a democracy take priority among their elected officials above collecting enough money to pay for the promises of socialism programs."
It is bad enough when the wingnut right retrograde columnists such as Rush Limbaugh misuse language in the pursuit of partisan mythology, but I find Mercer's incorrect nonsense labeling more dangerous because he does not have a reputation as a wingnut or fool.
The closest things we have to actual socialism have been the South Dakota Cement Plant, the South Dakota purchase of railroads, etc. Socialism is public ownership of the means of production. Socialism does not necessarily have anything to do with social welfare or failure to tax the very rich. In a modern society, the internet becomes something closer to socialism than does Medicare, etc. But, you can read the rest of his stuff which may be correct even if framed inappropriately. Mercer and Socialism-Aberdeen American
Mercer needs to check his dictionary. He might also do a little review of the distinctions among capitalism, communism, fascism, socialism and democracy. Mixing them is a bit like mixing apples and aardvarks. Misuse of the terms destroys good information.
*** Stay tuned even if you never let actual word meanings stand in the way of good partisan mythology--- Doug Wiken
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