Thank you to CFH and miles for taking the time to try and educate me on this issue, or at least expressing your views, because I find those interesting as well.

OK, the reason most of the figures I mentioned were "totalitarian" and "extremists" is because they were the only ones that gained control of entire governments, and although they had the ideals of making things better, making their countries better, they really messed things up instead of improving them. Which Socialist leaders did you want me to look at? Do you guys have a few that I should look into?

I understand that certain aspects of American economic policies both individual and corporate can be defined as Socialism and that is something I think that hurts the middle class most as they are the ONLY ones not bouyed by the helping hand of the government...the middle class play fair, play by the rules of Capitalism and they are punished with taxation to pay for individual and corporate welfare. If politicians truly cared about the middle class, then they would make adjustments to allow for both the poor and the wealthy to be placed on a level playing field with the middle class. welfare in my view does much more harm than good. With the individual welfare shackles them to be perpetually destitute, it punishes them for striving to dig themselves out of the lower class by taking away benefits. With corporations it increases the tax burden on other companies that don't have the political sway of a GE.

miles, first off The United States has the right to trade with whomever they please, however they come to an agreement. Secondly, you argue that the US did something wrong by using the leverage of loans to countries to get Free Trade from them....well miles that's just life, I don't know of any country that would not try and make a better deal for themselves if given the opportunity. Finally, which "socialist protectionist" countries are doing better miles Greece? They Were lead by a Socialist and things ain't looking to hot for them. Perhaps you were thinking of China? Well for the time being China seems to be doing ok, but it won't be long before their bubble bursts...you think the Baby Boomer Generation in the United States will eat up large amounts of capital, China is going to get demolished by their older citizens in the very near future.