Yes, let’s DO play some “Whataboutism”

ICYMI:

“When Donald Trump was a private business man in New York, he got millions of dollars in tax breaks and subsidies to build luxury housing.  That’s called corporate socialism.“ –Bernie Sanders, 60-Minutes (02/23/20)

For the Americans who fear Bernie Sander’s brand of “democratic socialism,” let’s take a deeper look into some of his outrageous proposals:

-Medicare for all (which, btw, probably won’t happen.  Best case scenario, a building on the ACA.  And if no Congress to back him, won’t happen at all; just pie-in-the-sky.)

-Tuition free higher education (best case scenario, it will be cheaper)

-Free childcare (best case scenario, some kind of voucher system to offset the costs)

-Taking on corporate greed (pharmaceuticals, health insurance companies, jails for profits, etc.  You can expect all of these groups to go kicking and screaming into that dark, profitless night.)

These are some of the highlights of what Sanders advocates for, along with, as a potential Sanders supporter, my personal opinions about them.

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Now let’s play the whataboutism game.

What about America’s “corporate socialism”:

-Bank and other corporate bailouts
-Farm subsidies and tariff offsets

-Tax loopholes 
-Zero dollars paid in federal taxes companies   

Like it or not, these are four examples of “corporate socialism.”

Correct me if I’m wrong, but this leads me to wonder, why is one brand of “government socialism” okay, yet Sander’s brand of “democratic socialism” not okay?  Hold that thought.

Granted, we have many socialized programs already in play (Medicare for seniors, Medicaid and other safety nets for those at the poverty level, HUD, etc.).  We also have many, and I mean MANY, social institutions that operate on government budget tax allocations: Teachers, libraries, fire depts., police depts., civil service jobs, etc., all looking out for the betterment of the greater society.  Even the FBI, CIA, and the bloated Military Industrial Complex operate under budgets provided by the government, via our taxes.  A society cannot function very well, indeed is destined to fail, without these basic-type socially-oriented programs.  These social institutions keep our greater society afloat and competitive on the world stage.

Isn’t it time for America to rethink that scary word “socialism” that corporate America has, in the name of obscene profits, indoctrinated us to fear?  Seems to me (and Bernie) that our “just socialism for the rich” is another version of corporate America's dreaded “just socialism for the poor.”

Your Challenge: Defend “socialism for the rich.”

Thanks for posting and recommending.