The idea of the "almighty market" is one of the great fallacies of American life.

And yet, criticize the "almighty market" and you get called a socialist, a communist, or a facist which evidently all mean the same thing.

I have no problem with being called a socialist. I think I am. I think that it promotes more equality than capitalism and I am with TJeff on the "all men are created equal" and "life liberty and pursuit of happiness" stuff. I just happen to think that "all men" means all people. I think that if more of us understood what socialism really meant then more people might identify with it.

Oh, wait, of course they wouldn't because we all want to live the American DreamTM. Which actually translates once again to make as much money as you possibly can, damn the consequences. And not that "citizens of every rank feel that they can achieve a 'better, richer, and happier life.'"

It has only helped to foster a classist society where the rich get richer and the poor die younger in larger numbers because they can't afford healthcare.

I'm sorry if this is ranty but the more I think about this whole healthcare "debate" the angrier I get. While society as it is with the privileged white man reaping all of the benefits may have been technically what was written into the Constitution, I would have hoped that as a society we woudl have gotten to a point where we coudl actually embrace the wider meaning of "men" by now.

(title taken from Charlie's comment on this post on It ain't all pizzas and cream.)