Why can't the USA have a happy medium between socialism and capitalism?

[Shovel Ready]

Socialists are never happy with their control over others. They will always want more. It is greed.

[regerugged]

Turn on your radio news station. The French were rioting in the streets because the government raised the retirement age fro 60 to 62. This year, the retirement age in the US is 66 and not one protest. In England people rioted because the government wants to students to pay for their college educations. Oh, how awful.

There is no unregulated free enterprise, anywhere. So you cannot know what would happen if there was true free enterprise. Since there is competition, I predict that prices would be lower.

Government is the problem. Government is not the solution.

[DONALD T]

THE HAPPY MEDIUM IS WHERE THE ONLY SOCIALIST PROGRAM THERE IS IS ONE THAT ONLY ENSURES EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO EAT, SOMETHING TO WEAR AND SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP AND THAT IS IT

[TSK]

We have it in the UK, when things are working well. More equal societies are happier and at ease with themselves.

[Midnightarithmetic480]

"So why can't the USA manage a social democracy like France" - that is funny. France has more social unrest due to government intervention in people's lives than has ever occurred in the US.

The US does have a happy medium between socialism and capitalism. Why do we need to be more socialistic?

[Terri Th]

I think that would be great! The reason we can't have it is the unstoppable greed of many Americans. They're bringing down the country, but they have so many $$$ in their eyes that they can't see it.

[Trekd]

When a government takes your money and gives it to people THEY think needs it, that's socialism. Here's are some examples: A large profitable company wants to send their factories overseas, but it is too expensive to move it, so the government gives them a big tax break to help them move factories and with it, American jobs overseas, that's a social program. A product comes in from another country and they get charge no tariffs so that it helps foreign companies sell it cheaper than U.S.A. made products, that's a social program.

You mention France, yeah right, France average unemployment rate has been 9.7% for the past 20 years. They are at 10% right now. You really want that? True, we are at that rate now, but we call that a recession, France calls it normal.

[Tony Brown]

are you serious you want the greatest country in the world to be like france

[Max S]

The US has a happy medium between Socialism and Capitalism with elements of Fascistic "Corporatism" or a collusion between public and private wealth.

[MythicRuler]

The quasi-socialist countries in Europe are the ones rioting right now...

Anyway, even if it were "every man for himself" (which could be debated; as a capitalist society the US has always been incredibly charitable, most charitable in the world actually) then the system would still work. Say a man wanted to get rich. To do so, he would have to help other people (unless he was a thief of course) even if that was not his motive. Think about it. If a businessman wants to get rich, he will often invest. This investment allows other people to have funds to succeed, and both parties win.