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points by toomuchtodo 14 hours ago | 0 comments
This is an opinion. Many people have opinions. Test it in the current sociopolitical forward curve. Obama nationalized GM, to great success, and he was a centrist (very mid in my opinion, but a statesmen with tacit, so respect where due). 100+ Democratic Socialists were elected in midterm elections. Therefore, I think forward looking, the appetite for this goes up overtime. Shareholder rights and cap tables are simply shared delusions. The shared delusion can change, when needed.

Mamdani has a ~70% approval rating, and a long list of wins, New York City is doing phenomenal. There is strong evidence this was a contributing factor in more democratic socialist being elected across the country (“Mamdani Effect”), including the mayor of LA. If you think it isn’t, well, you’re ignoring reality. That’s a choice. Do so at your own peril.

In this specific context around auto manufacturing, it is clear there is no competition, and US tariff policy is keeping competition out to benefit legacy auto management and their shareholders. We could flip the switch on tariff policy, and they would immediately have competition, but they can’t handle it. The evidence is clear they are already doing poorly for the US consumer, and they have no intentions to change.

https://newrepublic.com/post/217572/dsa-candidates-won-elect...

Old people, fond of capitalism, keep dying every day, and young people who believe in socialism keep entering the electorate. Only time will tell, but rough trajectory is clear. The time to prepare for the next election cycle has already begun.

[–] _heimdall 12 hours ago
Obama didn't nationalize GM as a long term plan though, at least my reason the earlier comment was a long term plan but that's my bad if I read it wrong.

Mamdani's approval rating is beside my point. My point was simply that we have a current example of a government in the US attempting to nationalize (well its in a city but I don't know what that form of the term would be) a portion of an industry and it already ran aground. The publicly owned version can be run not for profit, meaning it beats a competition in price. Either the competition all leave or the state ends up having to subsidize their entire profit margin so they can compete.

People can approve of Mamdani and the city as a whole can be doing very well under his leadership. That doesn't change the outcome of the grocery store program of the topic.

I do agree though, time will tell if this fresh round of socialism fairs better than past attempts. History shows it fails miserably every time it is attempted, if the US were to make it work they would be the first.

[–] toomuchtodo 11 hours ago
Let’s not pretend capitalism is any better. Better for some, but not the majority. Top 10% of US households hold 90%+ of US equities. Majority of Americans cannot afford basic needs on their incomes, and most of their jobs are low quality.

Typically, the people who complain about socialism and communism are the ones looking for a right to exploit others under an economic system for their own economic gain, as socialism and communism would cram down what these exploiters would be able to achieve while achieving a more solid floor under the poorest and most disadvantaged. A tale as old as time.

If capitalism is so good, why is everyone so unhappy and suffering while a select few get and stay wealthy, mostly out of luck and/or inheritance?

[–] _heimdall 11 hours ago
If we can agree that the US isn't capitalist today, I'd definitely agree that what we have today is no better than socialism.

Exploitation is always a challenge. As you said, those today often yelling for capitalism are actually wanting to exploit those not paying attention or small enough to he steamrolled. In socialism, its those at the top that end up exploiting the rest of the country.