First and foremost, I love that you are commenting on a year old post!

“Socialism is less about what the government is going to give you, or force you to do and more about people learning to take care of each other and stop being stingy and greedy.”

Says who? Says the gov’t tool telling me what to do? or forcing me to do? or giving me my alloted amount regardless of how hard I work?

Your last paragraph is incoherent at best, but I will try to respond.

There are a ton of jobs that offer health care, from the paralegals at my old office, to the kid who pretends to be IT in my new job (I say pretend since I am pretty sure I know more than him)?

“Just because your employer doesn’t offer health care doesn’t make it any less of a human right.”
That is where I disagree, health care at a job is a benefit – if your job doesn’t offer it and you are pissed of…go work at starbucks. They offer it to part timers I think.

“If you are homeless there are shelters, if you are hungry, there are pantries. If you are sick you’re screwed.”

This is literally just bullshit – if you are sick an ER is legally not allowed to turn you away. Alternatively, if youa re ‘alright’ living in a shelter then you should be alright going to a free clinic.

Check out my political posts! I’d love to have future discussions.

You really think that people choose not to work for a company with health care? Where are these jobs that offer health care? In my area (western Ohio) they were at Chrysler, GM and the factories that made parts. I’m glad people chose to take those jobs with health care, all their problems were solved, they don’t have to worry about a single thing now, because they got a ‘good job’. Just because your employer doesn’t offer health care doesn’t make it any less of a human right. If you are homeless there are shelters, if you are hungry, there are pantries. If you are sick you’re screwed.

First and foremost, I have never seen your blog before, congrats on the weight loss, especially the most recent mark of under 300 (Oct 18).

I would never stop reading, because someone has a different view than me. But to be honest, you aren’t a socialist, at least not to the extent that I would define someone as a socialist. This is evidenced by two simple statements:
1) “I also like the idea of people being able to keep their wealth.”
2) “And the idea of keeping government from being restrained and overbloated.”

Socialism is the opposite of those 2 statements. You just believe that there are some inalienable rights that the gov’t should provide for (i.e. “food, shelter, education, health care, and transportation”). VERY REASONABLE.

My Question to you, and I hope your respond, is:
How does the government account for those allegedly inalienable rights? Should they tax more? Should they cut spending? etc.

Funny story, last night as I wrote the post, I watched the 3rd debate (thanks tivo!). While watching THE WIFE and I fought about what should the gov’t provide. Her stance? Healthcare.

My selfish stance? I don’t believe my taxes should be increased because someone chose not to work for a company with health care.

It is a fundamental difference in ideology, but I think we will work it out in our marriage LOL (I hope so cause we are only pushing 4 months thus far).

Now if you have decided to continue reading, I don’t disagree with some of the libertarian principles. I like the stand point of everyone should manage their money effectively and if people can afford to feed their families without the government then they should. I also like the idea of people being able to keep their wealth. And the idea of keeping government from being restrained and overbloated.

But I don’t believe that any of that should happen at the expense of a person having access to food, shelter, education, health care, and transportation. I believe that people who do everything right shouldn’t have to worry about having enough to eat or getting to see a doctor. And if the government has to pay for it to get it done then so be it.

Personally I think that providing my fair share of taxes to a government that focuses it’s efforts on the needs of society is a responsibility I’m more than willing to accept.