Is a Communist and a Socialist the same thing?

All communists are socialists, but not all socialists are comminists. Universal (affordable) healthcare is despised and resisted because there is no way to arrive it without socialism. And a plethora of excuses have been invented for resisting what is clearly the cheapest most efficient solution to healthcare, but the REAL reason the United States lacks Universal single payer healthcare is because such a system eliminates healthcare defined by the profit motive.

Good answer @stanleybmanly but why can those other examples I stated be achieved and no one throws out the evil socialist label, only when it comes to affordable health care?

Easiest way to distinguish the two is that Socialism is an economic system and Communism is a system of government; therefore, an economy can be socialist and democratic, autocratic, theocratic, etc.

Communism is a form of Socialism. At last count, there were at least 20 forms of Socialism.

No.

@tinyfaery I wouldn’t call Communism a system of government. I’d call it a political theory about what the problems are with capitalism and what to do about it.

Where Communism starts to look like a system of government is in corrupt non-Western examples such as Soviet Russia and Communist China, where a tyrannical regime at the top decides to act the there’s a perpetual war/revolution* which justifies them being in charge and squashing free speech against themselves.

(Why does that remind me of “the war on terror” and George Orwell’s 1984?)

The public education system here actually kinda sucks.
Police, fire and military are more “necessary” than “good.”
What conservatives dislike is not so much the idea of public healthcare and “socialism” but the financial implications of it and they’re probably right. Conservatives have basically zero problem with libertarian socialism but are suspicious of state sponsored socialism. Where they’re wrong and I’m speaking of the “conservatives” flutherites seem to “know” is that laissez-faire is the best approach. It clearly is not.
The reality is that conservatives, (and I’m talking about actual people here not the talking heads) want something done about healthcare. Myself I do not want socialized healthcare. I want heavily regulated healthcare. I want to see costs come down and gouging to end. I want smother out parasitic insurance companies and cut out most of the red tape that is really there to separate people from their money when they are the most vulnerable. I don’t think it makes sense to have a healthcare system that continues to pay the parasites and forces everyone to flip the bill.

Communism I think of everything controlled by the government including religion or lack there of. Communist governments usually demand their citizens be atheists, and then try to replace God with their leader. This is a very important point for the Evangelical Christians, communists are characterized as Godless, and that is terrifying to them. Democracy, capitalism, those are all seen as with God, as living what God wants. Socialist aren’t far from communism, because the state also is controlling and providing many facets of life for the citizenry.

I personally think capitalism and democracy is the best way overall, but with some social systems to create a safe and good environment for all. Regulation in lieu of the government providing some services is also an option. In America we have done all of those things for a long time.

I find it a little scary some of the idealism about socialism out there right now. I want socialized medicine, but I want the people and the government to be cautious about the pitfalls of social services.

I never understood the difference. It seems the more I read about these isms the more it gets muddled for me.

As for healthcare, universal or not, I simplify it between Americans who believe they are responsible not just for themselves but also their fellow citizens and Americans who subscribe to the survival of the fittest rule for a civilization.

Bernie Sanders touts Universal Healthcare but can’t fully explain the math as to how it’s going to be paid for. Details, details, details.

I think more than the question of math or whatever isms there exists, the ultimate question is how do each of us really feel about the other, who maybe Americans just like us but are total strangers. Why do we need to pay more of our money and be responsible for their healthcare?

If that ultimate question gets a final answer from all not just most Americans, we would know if we would have universal healthcare or never.

If by chance Americans decided yes, we are all of us responsible for the other, then coming up with a system or means to pay for it maybe complicated…but seriously, nothing is too complicated and too hard for Americans to accomplish once we all decide to get behind a single vision.

True, we need great smart leaders to lead, unite and inspire us but we seem to be lacking in that department right now so it’s up to us the common people to reflect, examine ourselves and yes, inspire ourselves and hopefully others as well.

^^The thing is, if we decide to really do something that very question does not even need to be answered. The majority of people on this planet are empathetic regardless of political affiliation. People just have different ways of solving problems, some more cautious and less brute force than others. There is a time and place for both. More of “our money” is a distraction, we all pay too much. My utility bill is roughly $200 a month, just think about what it takes to maintain the infrastructure that makes all of that possible and yet it’s vastly affordable for everyone.
Just let that sink in and it’s even more complicated and resource heavy than you think. Why then are we paying so much for healthcare.

^^ Try supporting the Universal Healthcare idea if you haven’t yet. It’s a start.

The study the Koch Brothers had done on universal health care is the USA would save 2 trillion dollars in the same amount of time compared to what you have now.
I know SHOCK, universal health care is actually cheaper in the long run, compared to what you have now.
And believe me I don’t think that is the conclusion they wanted knowing how far right the Koch brothers are.

Thank god for those billionaires spending money for that important research! Imagine that.

Have a feeling though they did that to be better informed on how to keep it from happening. Heh.

@SQUEEKY2 And it would be even cheaper if we gasp stomp out the those looting the current healthcare system. Until we do that, then we have not really done anything.

I really see @ARE_you_kidding_me’s point, and I have said it many times before, that underlying health care costs are the problem. I prefer a socialized healthcare system, but becoming socialized does not necessarily cure the problem of cost.

Western countries that have lower health care costs per capita also have lower paid CEO’s than America, higher paid wage earners, and an overall philosophy of we rather than me. Literally, in some of the countries the “we” is part of the education system, a huge focus on the greater good.

America is too busy lately feeding into the chant that greed to any extreme is good and Godly and benefits everyone.

It doesn’t matter who is paying, government, insurers, individuals, if the underlying cost is outrageously inflated we all are paying too much.

@ARE_you_kidding_me do you mean the over bloated high priced health care insurance providers in your country?

One thing is abundantly clear, so many americans are fucking obssessed with labels, religion & politics.

@SQUEEKY2 Of course and also the general ripping off of people by pharma…. and ambulance chasers and…and

@ucme Don’t forget placing blame!

Oh & completely lacking in irony or anything approaching a nuanced nature.

^Maybe the Brits can try running America. Oh… Wait…. Yeah, that didn’t work out. Actually, pretty much every place ever controlled by a European power, is still unstable, in one way or another.

I have not heard people singing the Brits’ praises, about “Brexit ” either…

Hahaha, bet a little bit of spit dribbled onto your chin eh?

Onto my beard….