If socialism is so good, then why don't socialists CLEARLY explain how a socialist society would function?

[NONAME]

From my interpretation of their rhetoric, its either a social democracy (which isn't really socialism), a Marxian utopia (which hasn't been proven yet), or forcing all businesses to turn into co-ops (which is capitalism that restricts certain business structures)
Gee Wally-
Germany is a Social Democracy. They encourage free enterprise.

[Nightwind]

They have tried....................but too many take the Pelosi approach and think we have to "pass it to see what's in it". They want us to just take in on faith and believe thier BS.

Well we tried that here with Obama, and after 3 years of record debts, this bozo hasn't changed a thing but made us more in debt and stolen our tax money with no way to recoupe the losses

[Gee Wally]

Germany is a socialist country. It has done very well for itself. America should take some lessons.

Yes, Germany is a socialist democracy proving that socialism can work here as well.

[kchess07]

These people are basically a lot of talk, or they're simply not familiar with Eastern Europe.

[Madtank680]

they cant but there over 30 variations of socialism including national socialism

[john]

"capitalism that restricts certain business structures"

and yet, our current system is activist enough to recognize bizarre business constructs (i.e. transnational corporations)

"The idea that institutions, established for the use of the nation, cannot be touched nor modified, even to make them answer their end, because of the rights gratuitously supposed in those employed to manage them in trust for the public, may, perhaps be a salutary provision against the abuses of a monarch, but it is most absurd against the nation itself"

-- Thomas Jefferson; letter to William Plumer (July, 21, 1816)

[Across the Dark]

Socialism at it's core is government intervention in the economy, and social safety nets.

Unemployment, retirement, health care, housing subsidies, food stamps, and etc.

Socialist nations generally will accept some inflation if it secures high employment rates, large businesses are some-what regulated by the government in order to keep them from making bad financial decisions or bad trades.

There are many types of Socialism but the main goal of it is social safety nets, and guaranteed employment by having the state regulate aspects of the economy.

[Jude the Obscure]

Step 1: Aim to end the wars, save money by leaving some of the 277 nations our military occupies. Use that money to hire unemployed and welfare citizens to jobs.
Step 2: Aim for 100% employment. Ideally, in good economies, most of them will work for private industry, but in these bad times, the government will have to spend tax dollars to hire everyone to a job. The sidewalks, roads, that are cleaned and built (and other types of labor) by those currently sitting on a couch collective welfare or unemployment, will build America's infrastructure.
Step 3: Make the Economy work for the workers. People who labor deserve a break... Up to now, the government only gives breaks to the speculator class and the permanent welfare class. The working poor class shouldn't exist. If you work, you should make enough.

___________
I think when you say "socialism," you mean specifically Marxism. Socialism was around before Marx. We founded the first Food Co-Ops and Unions before Marx ever set pen to paper. And for those who think Marx was way off in his philosophy, remember that free market America (the mid 19th Century) at that point in history, still had a free market slave trade... very unjust.

Social Democracy, a movement started in England, popular in Germany, Canada and Australia, and at one point fairly popular here in the US, doesn't aim for a Utopia, but rather uses capitalism, and makes the economy just. (not "free market"... but rather a regulated market, fixing the system to make it better)

Free enterprise, but not free trade. A strong safety net so it's nearly impossible to fall through the cracks. That safety net will actually inspire more capitalism, as you can feel more free as an individual to risk opening a business and fail, if you know failure won't mean working at Wal Mart when you're 80 years old.

[Meg]

Liberals in the US favor the policies of social democracies (which isn't really socialism) of Europe, but the Right has convinced people that is socialism. Not many people think real socialism is good except for communist but the results of the social welfare policies make most people happy, and after decades have not had any detrimental effect on economic growth in Europe. Some of them even have a higher per capita income than the US now despite being far behind 50 years ago.

[Roadkill]

Because most people would reject socialism if they fully understood all the implications of a socialist system. The bottom line is that all the citizens are essentially slaves to the state.