10-07-2016, 01:19 PM
(This post was last modified: 10-07-2016, 01:53 PM by Eric the Green.)
Most of today's "left in the U.S." is quite moderate. There's no strong left wing in the USA. Even the best the Green Party can do with two unpopular major party candidates is 3 or 4% for its candidate.
What does "the left" (actually mostly center-left) want in the USA? A mixed economy, with taxes that are fair and progressive, but not over-bearing, and regulations that require business to do what it should and needs to do anyway, assuming that capitalist bosses had any sense (which they largely don't). The environment, climate, consumers and workers need to be protected from abuse. Investments in infrastructure are needed, such as physical and transportation resources, education, and support for new industries that are in the national interest (such as clean energy and the space program). And a meaningful safety-net welfare, health and social insurance system is needed, since capitalism does not provide for the disadvantaged, nor can capitalism survive without stimulus when needed for the less wealthy to spend and keep the economy going. With computer automation continuing, much more such safety nets and income supports are the only alternative if capitalism wishes to stay in business. This includes higher minimum wages. Anti-trust and economy protection laws need to break up banks and other big businesses that are too big to fail, regulate the investment companies, and stop lots more mergers. Employee ownership needs to grow. Foreign trade needs to be better regulated, without allowing corporations to evade protection laws and fair wages. We need a military, with a good defense if/when attacked and multi-lateral peacekeeping, but we don't need imperialism and projects for new American Centuries.
There also needs to be regulations on human behavior, such as crime, gun ownership, smoking, etc. This would not go to prohibition, in the liberals' view, of such personal behavior; but to outlaw or regulate it when it threatens life and safety. Although criminals should be caught and put away as needed, and the law and police respected and supported, our justice system needs to be much more fair to defendants than it is now, and without any racial profiling or racial shootings by police. Civil rights and liberties need to be protected, discrimination outlawed, and affirmative action continued as long as needed. Immigration needs to be allowed, with fair paths to citizenship for the undocumented. Suitable compromises have already been passed by the US Senate on this issue. Our elections need to be democratic, without laws aimed at preventing people from voting (or for politicians to choose their voters instead of vice-versa), and without allowing money to rule politics. Public financing and free open media access for all political advertising is needed.
None of this is state capitalism. The state would not own or run most industry; it would and should be free, but responsible; and not trusted to be responsible without government oversight. The state can own and run some businesses, such as public education, libraries, mail, roads, criminal justice, etc., and possibly energy companies run by cities. Some other businesses are utilities that are regulated by commissions. Most others are corporate or proprietorship, open to people to start and run them as entreprenuers and innovators. Government can encourage this, but should not stifle it.
What does "the left" (actually mostly center-left) want in the USA? A mixed economy, with taxes that are fair and progressive, but not over-bearing, and regulations that require business to do what it should and needs to do anyway, assuming that capitalist bosses had any sense (which they largely don't). The environment, climate, consumers and workers need to be protected from abuse. Investments in infrastructure are needed, such as physical and transportation resources, education, and support for new industries that are in the national interest (such as clean energy and the space program). And a meaningful safety-net welfare, health and social insurance system is needed, since capitalism does not provide for the disadvantaged, nor can capitalism survive without stimulus when needed for the less wealthy to spend and keep the economy going. With computer automation continuing, much more such safety nets and income supports are the only alternative if capitalism wishes to stay in business. This includes higher minimum wages. Anti-trust and economy protection laws need to break up banks and other big businesses that are too big to fail, regulate the investment companies, and stop lots more mergers. Employee ownership needs to grow. Foreign trade needs to be better regulated, without allowing corporations to evade protection laws and fair wages. We need a military, with a good defense if/when attacked and multi-lateral peacekeeping, but we don't need imperialism and projects for new American Centuries.
There also needs to be regulations on human behavior, such as crime, gun ownership, smoking, etc. This would not go to prohibition, in the liberals' view, of such personal behavior; but to outlaw or regulate it when it threatens life and safety. Although criminals should be caught and put away as needed, and the law and police respected and supported, our justice system needs to be much more fair to defendants than it is now, and without any racial profiling or racial shootings by police. Civil rights and liberties need to be protected, discrimination outlawed, and affirmative action continued as long as needed. Immigration needs to be allowed, with fair paths to citizenship for the undocumented. Suitable compromises have already been passed by the US Senate on this issue. Our elections need to be democratic, without laws aimed at preventing people from voting (or for politicians to choose their voters instead of vice-versa), and without allowing money to rule politics. Public financing and free open media access for all political advertising is needed.
None of this is state capitalism. The state would not own or run most industry; it would and should be free, but responsible; and not trusted to be responsible without government oversight. The state can own and run some businesses, such as public education, libraries, mail, roads, criminal justice, etc., and possibly energy companies run by cities. Some other businesses are utilities that are regulated by commissions. Most others are corporate or proprietorship, open to people to start and run them as entreprenuers and innovators. Government can encourage this, but should not stifle it.