Republican farce re Hagel

[soulflower]

A socialist democracy?

Well, they might not always agree with Netanyahu but the alternatives when you're surrounded by hostiles...probably aren't acceptable either.

Israel has a bunch of domestic policies that would be called "socialist" or "Marxist" in the US

[ms maggie]

A socialist democracy?

Well, they might not always agree with Netanyahu but the alternatives when you're surrounded by hostiles...probably aren't acceptable either.

Health care in Israel is universal and participation in a medical insurance plan is compulsory. Health care coverage is administered by a small number of organizations, with funding from the government. All Israeli citizens are entitled to the same Uniform Benefits Package, regardless of which organization they are a member of, and treatment under this package is government-funded for all citizens regardless of their financial means. Additional coverage for non-essential treatments can be arranged for a fee, which is generally shared between a citizen and their employer. Generally, health care in Israel is of high-quality and is delivered in an efficient and effective manner. Partly as a result of this, at an overall 82 years, Israelis enjoy the fourth-longest life expectancy in the world as of 2012.

Universities generally require a certain amount of bagrut matriculation units (as well as a certain grade average) and a good grade in the Psychometric Entrance Test, which is similar in many respects to the American SAT. All of Israel's eight public universities, and some of its colleges, are subsidized by the state, and students pay only a small part of the actual cost of tuition.

Healthcare and college are primarily state funded. Which would make it clearly socialist according to some.

[RIKMAN]

Israel has a bunch of domestic policies that would be called "socialist" or "Marxist" in the US

Come to think of it...so do we!

[RIKMAN]

Are we confusing socialism with taxpayer subsidies for the theoretical greater good of the society?

A slippery slope indeed!

[ms maggie]

Are we confusing socialism with taxpayer subsidies for the theoretical greater good of the society?

A slippery slope indeed!

I believe socialism is defined in terms of ownership of the means of production and some measure of centralized control of the economy.

[RIKMAN]

I believe socialism is defined in terms of ownership of the means of production and some measure of centralized control of the economy.

You are correct...let me see "ownership of the means of production"...oh yeah ...GM = Government Motors...bank takeover...bailouts

Centralized control of the economy...well you can figure that one out

[ms maggie]

You are correct...let me see "ownership of the means of production"...oh yeah ...GM = Government Motors...bank takeover...bailouts

Centralized control of the economy...well you can figure that one out

Owing part of GM is hardly ownership of the means of production! And centralized control of the economy? What's our national energy policy? Our national manufacturing policy? Our competitors have these of course. But not us, we're not socialists!!!!

[Cameron]

I disagree. Israel is a Socialist Democracy.

Also, Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party is becoming increasingly unpopular in Israel...

Israel is a theocracy.

Anat Hoffman, who was among those detained, said the women were stopped because they were wearing religious garb that Orthodox Judaism reserves for men only. The incident occurred at the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest sites.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the women were detained because they acted against court-ordered regulations that bar women from wearing prayer shawls at the Western Wall so as not to offend Orthodox Jewish worshippers. Rosenfeld said the women were released after several hours.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013...m-western-wall

[soulflower]

Israel is a theocracy.

Technically it is but not all Israelis are Jewish and most of their laws aren't based on religion

[soulflower]

Hagel moves closer to confirmation:

WASHINGTON — After a combative two-hour debate, the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday approved the nomination of former Senator Chuck Hagel as defense secretary, sending it to the full Senate.

But the 14-to-11 vote, which broke down entirely along partisan lines, was just the beginning of a process this week that seemed certain to further expose a deep rift between Republicans and Democrats over President Obama’s foreign policy prerogatives.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/us...n.html?hp&_r=0