Maybe "socialism" works fine in other countries, but not here (not that we aren't already 50% socialist). Not without a major change in Washington culture. Here we should be striving for less centralization, not more. I really do believe if we aren't careful it could end up the dystopian nanny state that forces everyone to be dependent upon it.
Again, not a problem with socialism but with governance. While I do empathize with you, I think you should put the blame where it belongs. Germany is pretty socialist, and they're efficient. Not saying that they couldn't be better, or that they wouldn't be equally efficient under capitalism.
And you're currently not a socialistic country by world standards, and you're in this mess right now. Perhaps it's the capitalistic way of thinking that created it?
Perhaps you need more socialism? Take more money from the wealthy and put it to work for the poor? Instead of taking money from everybody and give to the rich.
I am saying (I believe) that, in the US, taking money from the wealthy and giving it to the poor results in more money in the hands of the wealthy in the long run, meanwhile stifling innovation and work ethic. Rather than the clever, cut throat businessmen with the power, you get the clever, cut throat smoothtalkers and liars with the power.
If you believe socialism to be superior in theory. Ok. I am basically saying that even if that is the case, you still should be worried about it being implemented in a perverse way in the US. Someone earlier in the thread was arguing that anarcho-capitalisists never seem to think pragmatically enough about how things will actually work out. I am saying the same thing here with regards to dealing with the US government's current culture of insane amounts of bureaucracy, corporatism and corruption.
Just passing a few laws never seems to work out in the way intended. So what kind of transition to this newer, less corrupt, more efficient government do you envision?