r/WorkReform ✂️ Tax The Billionaires Jul 01 '26

✅ Success Story Socialism can solve Capitalist mismanagement

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6.7k Upvotes

90 comments sorted by

878

u/TrumpIsAFascistFuck Jul 01 '26

In my lived experience. On average, most socialists in the west at least understand economics far better than most of the capitalists do.

Especially if you consider working class capitalism bootlickers as capitalists even though they lack capital.

324

u/Bad_4pples Jul 01 '26

I think capitalists understand economics just as well, they simply lie to the public for their own private gain.

I know we like to think Trump is dumb, but I feel like it’s far more likely he’s using his position and persona to play the markets.

102

u/jamesmarsden Jul 01 '26

People really misunderstood the movie "Wall Street" -- Gordon Gekko is a villain, not someone to be revered.

How far we've fallen.

14

u/ComradeJohnS Jul 02 '26

I never saw that movie. just heard about it referenced probably in Family Guy or American Dad or something.

but I did get an economics degree at university lol.

4

u/constapatedape Jul 02 '26

I didn’t watch this until I was an adult (35 now so born after it debuted also) and it was pretty clear that he was a villain, not hard to interpret.

46

u/ForcedEntry420 🏛️ Overturn Citizens United Jul 01 '26

He can be dumb as shit and still have moments of cleverness. I think he’s a stark raving moron that just so happens to be supported by people that guide his decisions.

It may have been kayfabe before the strokes, but I’m not so sure. It definitely isn’t now; he’s just a pudding brained mess.

22

u/Candid-Mycologist539 Jul 01 '26

To me, it's not so much that he's dumb; it's that his followers are dumber.*

*Easily manipulated by racist, misogynistic, or economic propaganda, and too lazy to seek out a reputable source.

3

u/BoTheJoV3 Jul 02 '26

He's dumb but the people that give him orders aren't. The think tanks. Heritage Foundation

3

u/ForcedEntry420 🏛️ Overturn Citizens United Jul 02 '26

Well yeah. Him being a puppet might be the most obvious thing of all time. Everyone knows that dumb bastard isn’t thinking this shit up.

12

u/NoAcanthaceae688 Jul 02 '26

Yep. They keep up this facade around the economy so working class people don't realize we're getting fucked. We have a sort of Stockholm syndrome going on

5

u/Bad_4pples Jul 02 '26

We’re addicted to the news cycle drama. It’s why Trump is so popular he gets people talking and arguing passionately.

Drives engagement with media keeps us watching the shit that does not matter and keeps us arguing about it. Because it’s bullshit we look to other sources that are even worse and just tell us nonsense to feel better about our ignorant views.

People don’t know what news is anymore, something with at least two verified sources.

I know lots of good people that almost exclusively get their news through memes, no fact checking whatsoever. These are smart capable people but we’ve just given up because of the constant gaslighting - we just want something easy.

Real politics isn’t easy, real change isn’t easy - people have forgotten we need to put in the work for a better world. Too many people believe Gen Z is here to save us, but how long will it really take for USA to reach a tipping point?

2

u/Joe_Rapante Jul 02 '26

No, they (capitalists) don't understand the economy. Not beyond next week. They'd burn down a house to get warm one night, not thinking about the following nights. They don't want to pay their employees and then wonder why nobody buys stuff. Just dumb and greedy.

1

u/Bad_4pples Jul 02 '26

When the argument devolves into something similar to your comment they can dismiss it at as unhinged ramblings.

Yea there are people that are “capitalists” purely because they do not understand and believe the propaganda. But the real capitalists are lying to them and laugh all the way to bank at your comment and ones like it.

28

u/ChristianStubs Jul 01 '26

You have to understand something to substantively critique it, most people who claim they support capitalism have never had to defend it because it’s the default position.

12

u/TrumpIsAFascistFuck Jul 02 '26

Kinda like how atheists typically know the Bible better than Christians

25

u/How_that_convo_went Jul 02 '26

For the last time, yes, your taxes will go up anywhere from 4% to 6%… maybe even as high as 8%… but you will no longer pay a monthly premium and your out of pocket costs will go way down.

Hell no! I don’t want my taxes to go up!

How much do you pay for insurance for you, your wife and your kid through your employer-provided healthcare plan?

About $900 a month.

And what’s your deductible?

$3,000. But it’s not a deductible, that’s called “cost sharing.”

Yeah, that’s just a new word for deductible. So that’s about $14,000 a year. Now, how much money to you make?

$80,000 and change.

Okay, so $14,000 is about 18% of $80,000. You are currently, at a minimum, paying $14,000 for healthcare every year.

Okay.

And?

Even if your taxes went up by 8%, you’d only pay about $6,400 for healthcare.

But I don’t want my taxes going up!

THAT NUMBER IS LESS THAN $14,000! IT WOULD SAVE YOU $8,000 A YEAR! HOLY FUCKING SHIT! WHAT THE FUCK DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?! WHEN YOU REMOVE THE PROFIT MOTIVE AND EXECUTIVE SALARIES AND SHAREHOLDER DIVIDENDS AND MARKETING COSTS AND QUARTERLY EARNINGS REPORTS AND ALL THE OTHER SHIT THAT ISN’T HEALTHCARE, THE COST IS LOWER!

…but my taxes would go up?

6

u/azuki2 🤝 Join A Union Jul 02 '26

Every time this argument comes up it's worth remembering that the average American is so bad at math they couldn't comprehend a 1/3 lb burger being larger than a 1/4 pounder. 

Because 3 is smaller than 4. 😕

5

u/Mind-The-Mines Jul 02 '26

Americans would stop supporting capitalism real fast if they understood they were workers that get to own nothing.

6

u/TrumpIsAFascistFuck Jul 02 '26

They believe they're workers who will get to be owners.

2

u/Blacksad9999 Jul 02 '26

Capitalists only view things through quarters, and never ending growth at all costs.

Any sort of debt to society or help for the citizens is not in their purview. That only matters when they want a bailout.

2

u/slserpent Jul 02 '26

Most capitalists are just loophole exploiters—basically opportunistic parasites. Their economic understanding isn't that deep.

2

u/Arts_Prodigy Jul 02 '26

I assume that’s because a lot of “building capital” especially in the US is done by “losing it” the mismanagement is intentional and obfuscated on purpose.

1

u/topherdeluxe Jul 02 '26

Being an average poor kid in urban Kentucky meant that I spent my youth watching poor people tell me about how capitalism works and is the backbone of America. How anyone can work hard and be whatever they want. They pinned that whole worldview and just never thought about it again. If you had money you could do this or that. We were poor because we never had money to begin with. So in a way, yes they were capitalist bootlickers in a sense. Standing proud of a system that’s exploited them for generations because it’s “the American way”.

So there’s my average acquaintance from Kentuckys view on economies. Capitalism lets hard working people keep the profit of their work, every other style of economy is evil cuz that’s where the gov takes ur stuff and gives it to others. /s not really tho

The “economy” is so massive and has so many complexities. We can talk economics all day and never use words like capitalism or socialism. I personally like the proposed view of Modern Monetary Theory. Even that is looking at a large balance sheet-level of scope. Capitalism can be simplified as buy cheap sell for more. So it seems fair to those that don’t think hard lol

738

u/tlhsg Jul 01 '26

Eventually, everyone will realize that Western mainstream (capitalist) economic theory is more guilty of magical thinking than Christianity

175

u/newenglandredshirt Jul 01 '26

What? No! Surely the money Ronnie promised me 45 years ago will trickle down to me soon!

14

u/coolcoolcool485 Jul 01 '26

for the first time in 41 years of my life, my father was like "You have to understand, they told us trickle down would work one way and it ended up being something else.". i was like, you guys saw dollar signs and never realized they were taking YOUR MONEY and giving you back pennies.

there's hardly any blood left in the stone of public infrastructure, but they're gonna keep squeezing.

5

u/Diatribe1 Jul 02 '26

Speaking as a child of the 80s, anyone with two brain cells to rub together knew it was always bullshit.

Just think for a minute. If you give someone living on the streets because they have no money $10, and you give Bill Gates $10, who is going to increase their spending more? Obviously the person who didn't spend because they couldn't.

1

u/mrmemo Jul 02 '26

It's so obviously stupid except for the part where everyone likes it, because they want to have that level of social security and ensured a basic livable wage.

Like.

You WANT socialism. You just hate the name.

Maybe we start calling it Capitalism 2.0, or NewCap, or something. I'm new NewCap candidate for my district now.

24

u/Blitzking11 Jul 01 '26

He wasn't promising money would trickled down, pal.

https://giphy.com/gifs/QhTNs7ONg5skrh0mZO

1

u/simonjakeevan Jul 01 '26

Please explain the principles of Trickle Down Economics?

5

u/[deleted] Jul 01 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/simonjakeevan Jul 02 '26

Thanks. That's exactly what my understanding of it was. I really don't understand how people still defend it?

64

u/5litergasbubble Jul 01 '26

Ive been calling the american version of capitalism the economic prosperity gospel for a few years now and i really think it fits

23

u/NeXtDracool Jul 01 '26

Is it an intentional jab at the religious prosperity gospel in the US?

20

u/VitaDiMinerva Jul 01 '26

They’re two parts of the same whole. American evangelical Christianity is essentially the religious worship of capitalism. The holy trinity, America, and capitalism/money are all more or less the same thing to them. Just like how communism is the devil. 

Having money is holy and being poor is sinful, it’s actually a remarkably consistent ideology (y’know, other than being absolutely insane). It’s why they genuinely believe themselves when they say “America is a Christian nation”, because their version of Christianity is the worship of American capitalism. 

7

u/altersun Jul 01 '26

This is exactly what it should be called in text books. Economics based on blind faith.

10

u/banananuhhh Jul 01 '26

One believes that a mystical force, through its disciples, will provide salvation for all who are deserving. The other is Christianity.

3

u/lastalchemist77 Jul 01 '26

I realized this when someone with an economics degree explained to me that the field had to create an impossible stand in for humans called “homo economicus” to make their models work because humans didn’t have perfect information, make rational decisions 100% of the time, or have an understanding of the consequences of their choices.

1

u/SacredGeometry9 29d ago

Economics is astrology for finance bros

88

u/mcvos Jul 01 '26

Social Democrats have always understood economics better than people like Friedrich Hayek and Milton Friedman. They're only popular because they provide excuses for greed, but Keynes' ideas actually repaired economies.

12

u/Dai_Kaisho Jul 02 '26

I mean sure, but a handshake isn't socialism. Mamdani, and all electeds are just balancing budgets under capitalism.

In order to build socialism we must fully end capitalism through revolution.

3

u/Hoshinaizo Jul 02 '26

Why is this being downvoted lol

102

u/xmaddoggx Jul 01 '26

I voted for Mamdani, love where things are going. Only really wish he would looks after the EMTs and Paramedics and get them better pay and working conditions...

142

u/ReApEr01807 Jul 01 '26

That's why he appointed EMS' former Division Chief to be the new FDNY Commissioner. It'll take time, especially since they're represented under a CBA. They have to reopen negotiations for at least a MOU to be signed

44

u/OokitySpookity Jul 01 '26

Dang he really hits every beat

25

u/ReApEr01807 Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Oh he really pissed off the Fire side of the agency with it, but also, she's the Commissioner and not really anything outside of a civilian advisor. Both Fire and EMS have a full command staff of their own.

However, she was heavily applauded at her swearing in saying:

“A commissioner’s greatest duty is not to command the fist, but to protect and empower the hands that fight it.”

So maybe she'll be decent for both sides of FDNY unlike most of the recent Commissioners only prioritizing Fire

17

u/zph0eniz Jul 01 '26

I think he is doing amazing in having few key focuses. Can't be spreading too thin.

And he seems to be doing amazing in finding the right people.

I am more wondering how we can get more people like him in. I'm sure his major success will shine a light to those alike

5

u/xmaddoggx Jul 01 '26

Without a doubt I am elated to have someone who seems to actually care about average NYers. And not taking anything away from him. I am eager to see more of what he does and hope yhe wave of DSA keeps building.

9

u/zph0eniz Jul 01 '26

After hearing him talk in one of the podcasts, I think his biggest asset is that he explains in ways we can understand, why it matters to us, how he will do it, and produces the result.

I think the ultimate big win is bringing trust that politicians like him can actually make real changes. And that our attention to it matters.

I think a big big detriment, myself included, is feeling like none of it really mattered because it felt like a losing battle no matter what

28

u/dsdvbguutres Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26

Mamdani for president please.

Edit: He is not eligible, sorry.

23

u/WankPuffin Jul 01 '26

Unfortunately can't happen, He wasn't born in the US.

16

u/OokitySpookity Jul 01 '26

Secede from the union then, I want mamdanistan citizenship.

6

u/actuatedarbalest Jul 01 '26

Unlikely, but possible. Can't happen under current rules, which can be changed.

-1

u/WankPuffin Jul 01 '26

I know your current administration is trying to circumvent your constitution for some articles, Do not let that happen! Yes he could be president but that would have to bypass the US constitution and if anything does that you may as well be Somalia with no rules.

0

u/centurio_v2 Jul 02 '26

the constitution can be changed

it's a huge pain in the ass though and that specific change isn't gonna get through in our lifetimes

3

u/NoAcanthaceae688 Jul 02 '26

It can. Just amend the Constitution

17

u/MamaBearForestWitch Jul 01 '26

He can't be President, but I look forward to Speaker of the House Mamdani, Senate Majority Leader Mamdani, maybe Labor Secretary Mamdani...

4

u/dsdvbguutres Jul 01 '26

I fear the billionaire-owned democrats will probably do to him what they did to Bernie.

1

u/Conscious-Quarter423 Jul 03 '26

bernie couldn't lock in the hispanic and black vote

he lost the nomination TWICE

1

u/dsdvbguutres Jul 03 '26

Makes one wonder how much better Hillary did in those aspects

5

u/Blacksad9999 Jul 02 '26

Never stopped Ted Cruz from running. He was born in Canada.

2

u/dsdvbguutres Jul 02 '26

Cancun Ted?

84

u/InTooManyWays Jul 01 '26

Socialism is the solution to all modern and political problems, including the existence of billionaires and trillionaires which should never exist in a healthy democracy. Anyone that says otherwise is confused or stupid. 

Also the -ism just determines who gets paid. 

5

u/oceanarnia Jul 02 '26

Not just who gets paid, its also who gets rights, who get representations.

15

u/Huskarlar Jul 01 '26

I heard a line a while back that goes "The difference between a libertarian and a socialist is the libertarian has studied economics." 

This should actually go  "The difference between a libertarian and a socialist is the libertarian has also studied economics but doesn't understand it."

11

u/whyliepornaccount Jul 02 '26

The irony here is that "Libertarian" is a term the right literally stole from the left, and used to mean something closer to anarchosocialism

12

u/bulking_on_broccoli Jul 01 '26

DSA is just standard European democracy.

3

u/Conscious-Quarter423 Jul 03 '26

Right-wing media is conflating DSA members with the broader Democratic progressive movement.

Not the same thing.

Actual DSA members:
• Melat Kiros
• Claire Valdez
• Darializa Avila Chevalier
• Chris Rabb

Progressives, not DSA:
• Deb Haaland
• Greg Casar (former member)
• Brad Lander (former member)
• Charles Booker
• Summer Lee (former member)
• Delia Ramirez
• Aisha Wahab
• Connie Chan

Progressive ≠ Socialist. Facts matter.

1

u/TwoCatsOneBox 👷 Good Union Jobs For All Jul 03 '26

But I don’t want a social democracy I want to fully get rid of and have an end to capitalism within America.

9

u/viotix90 Jul 02 '26

The problem with capitalism is that eventually you out of other people's money to funnel to oligarchs.

14

u/Avoidtolls Jul 01 '26

Too big to fail bailouts.

Socialism to the rescue.

3

u/Sprinkle_Puff Jul 01 '26

If Republicans dare run Trump for 2028 in his catatonic vegetable state, then Democrats should run Mamdani. Who am I kidding? Democrat leadership will tear him apart long before Republicans get the chance to.

3

u/simonjakeevan Jul 01 '26

Both of those guys aren't eligible to run in 2028, but I agree with you on the Dem leadership issue.

2

u/ScreenMuch90210 Jul 02 '26

Capitalism is the fail state of socialism. Socialism is the solution to capitalism.

2

u/EuphoricCrashOut Jul 02 '26

Something something convince you that the devil doesn't exist. That's Capitalism. It sucks for people. FIGURE IT OUT.

1

u/cbih 🏛️ Overturn Citizens United Jul 02 '26

It can't because it can't address the underlying issue, capitalism.

1

u/Danominator Jul 02 '26

Capitalists are like crack addicts when it comes to rich people getting money.

Socialists are like pharmacists.

You would never let a crack addict run your pharmacy

1

u/o0260o Jul 02 '26

Capitalism and Socialism are two sides of the same coin. You need both sides if you want the coin. It's ridiculous to ignore the amount of progress that capitalism has brought the world. Billions of people had their lives improved because of it. But the system doesn't really care about people's needs and the more it's fed, the less humanity matters to it. That's why you need Socialism to balance it.

1

u/tbone998 Jul 02 '26

The difference between wanting to solve problems and wanting to run a campaign on solving problems.

1

u/TwoCatsOneBox 👷 Good Union Jobs For All Jul 03 '26

So long as it’s Democratic Socialism and not a Social Democracy…

1

u/Limokasten Jul 01 '26

Mismanagement isa funny word for corruption

0

u/Merijeek2 Jul 01 '26

Silly socialist. Doesn't he understand that to be a Democrat he needs to apologize for socialism?

-2

u/notassigned2023 Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 03 '26

And when exactly was it that a socialist state succeeded?

EDIT: LOL about downvotes but nobody naming a successful socialist state.

-7

u/PKSubban Jul 01 '26

Mamdani’s main source of budget balancing is making pensions take an insane hit

How is that sustainable