Quote from: K-Dog on Sep 28, 2024, 10:07 PMAnd everyone has health care and a roof.

Could be, but not like the roof you and I have! However, it looks like under Communism there was homelessness i.e. lacking a roof. USSR. So maybe a roof was just part of the propaganda, as the article states?

While health care in the USSR DOES (unlike apartments) appear to be available to everyone....surely the difference between real care, and one subject to the following problems, is worth considering before trading away certainly the care that RE is getting, and my parents, and myself and family get in a normal capitalist health care system?

Wiki
The Soviet healthcare system was plagued by shortages of medical equipment, drugs, and diagnostic chemicals, and lacked many medications and medical technologies available in the Western world. Its facilities had low technical standards, and medical personnel underwent mediocre training. Soviet hospitals also offered poor hotel amenities such as food and linen. Special hospitals and clinics existed for the nomenklatura which offered a higher standard of care, but one still often below Western standards

Quote from: K-DogI admit to being fortunate, and I was taught to save money by survivors of the depression.  I am by the standards of society successful.  And I can take pride that all that I have was earned by wage slavery.  A straight-up wage.  I provided socially necessary labor and I was paid.

You mention this because you were the only one taught by Depression survivors? Because you aren't unique in that regard any more than being successful. And the wage slavery you and I earned wasn't REALLY wage slavery...you get 14X70 trailers in Appalachia with drug addled children with wage slavery...you get million dollar homes and luxury cars by being just a WEE bit better than that.

Quote from: K-DogI turned myself into a valuable commodity and in the end I was replaced with cheaper commodities.  There is nothing to "equalize" about my lifestyle.  I earned what I have, and I do not live to excess.

So what? So did I (except for the cheaper commodities part), so did RE. We all arrived in perfectly expected outcomes.  You would trade in the outcome from being a commodity in the current system for a shitty lifestyle expected in the Communist one? There it wouldn't matter how smart you were, the local party boss guy gets promoted. And a bigger apartment. And rides to work in Daddys private automobile.

Quote from: K-DogI earned what I have under the rules of communism, and I did it in America. 

When did you live under the rules of Communism...and which one? Because unless daddy was named Mao or Stalin or Gorbechav, you don't get million dollar houses and luxury cars under Communism. You got those.....in...'MURIKA!

Quote from: K-DogI was never in a position to partake of the capitalist pie or make any capitalist decisions. 

But....because you were in a capitalist system....you benefitted just by being nearby? Capitalism didn't make that opportunity available to you as a commodity just by accident?

Quote from: K-DogI was always paid for my time only.  I have never had property to rent. 

So was I. And you've got property to rent if you want to...you simply choose not to. You can collect premo rent for your location, take all those savings and social security and your luxury cars and go live on a golf course in Florida, plus they probably have more sunshine than Seattle.

Quote from: K-DogI am in a unique position to demonstrate what life in communism should actually be like.  I worked and I retired and I have health care.  And I did it without exploiting anybody.

That sounds very important to you. And in communism you don't get a million dollar home, or luxury cars, remember? So call me crazy for noticing, but I'll put up money that your kitchen doesn't look like one of those fine Soviet era commnunism ones in those concrete apartment homes demonstrate your true dedication to the communist state...except..in America....call me liar....

Quote from: K-DogI continue to work to improve my lot, but I do not 'have' to.  I do not 'have' to because I made choices.  I am a genuine American comrade.

Except for the house, car ownership, much better kitchen and far better health care perhaps?

Because based on your criteria for American communists like yourself, I qualify as well! Except motorcycles, I got those too! Probably dusqualifies me from being as good a Communist as you are...it comes across as a luxury item I bet.