Archer, they need to do more than leap from the boiling water they need to tip the pot. We need to throw out the Manchurian - Ok, leave in the pot....

Mike, rubbish read his early works...

I love that guy.... What a great Atheist.

This was said like the governments today does, then once in and the door is lock and all hell is let loose. Love it! propaganda at its best. If this was today's agenda I would vote for this man but it was said to garner support - and now we have an inverted form of that same speech.

Guys read it again you are missing the point....

Yes; it reminds me of the quote about the guy who let those around him get taken until one day there was a knock on his door. Wake up America and stop the abuse of human rights. ACT NOW or you will be next

Perfect explanation

Wow, Archer, you are beginning to sound like me, or is it the other way round. As you know, capitalism cannot exist without socialism. Reston your heart is in the right place keep it there many have lost it.

That's why our system stinks + a few others...

Unfortunately, in the vast majority of cases the stats we look up are made up.

At least he gets this right. And, its going to get worse - next step will be controlling the Internet.

Carlton, you are wrong the USA is at the bottom of the heap when it comes to the quality of life - we are no 37 in health and 49th in mortality, and 23 re standard of living. The cancer is not socialism its the fiat economy - wake up America. "The collapse of the credit system in this country last year has pulled the mask off the real economy. And what has been revealed is that there was nothing behind it. The only growth obtained (as reflected in the US GDP) has been a direct result of credit growth."

Carlton, we are the most socialized state in the west but without the benefits of socialism - wake up America. And, Publius, heat will not be a problem; a hammer is also needed to shape the molten steel and I think both you and I know what the hammer will be....

That would be a start..............

Elaine, how about stopping the wars - I here very little of this from those on the right. Be active and shout no more wars GET OUT OF Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq and STOP overthrowing democratically elected governments because they disagree with American policy's.

Or better still read his books...

Both Joy and Mike make good points - Marx and Engels new the inherent problems with unfettered capitalism. They new also that democracy on its own would implode without socialism. If you wish another ten pages on the subject please email me at robken16@gmail.com

Publius, I love your pen name. You are indeed correct, well done! please post again - I miss this kind of retort. Carlton, you too are correct, but aren't the politician's as Plubius points out, just a reflection of us who gave them the mantles of power? Yes, they are apathetic, but we too are apathetic allowing the politicians, under their corporate masters, to muffle our voices of dissent and corrupt the constitution.

A perfect example of Americas current situation. The French are obviously trying to prove him wrong.

Bureaucrats are just a front for the board room corporatist's. Many US companies don't pay taxes and many only pay a very little. 70% of our taxes pays for our military machine. We need to stop the way we do business, we need to have a total reform from the current system.

He speaks the perfect truth and unfortunately for many it hurts.

Unfortunately its not being practiced - our greatest weakness today is the people - we are a reflection of those we put into the government, not the other way round. We are responsible for putting parasites into our life, into our freedom into our liberty. When will we stop blaming everyone else and just look into the mirror. We are responsible for our liberty taken from us, we allowed the patriot act, we allowed the discontinuation of habeas corpus, and we allow the torture of prisoners. O yes, our liberty is being torn from us and it has nothing to do with those in the White House, but all to do with the American people.

Mann, where have you been, what a great comment and accurate too. I agree with your thinking. The US history of Capitalism was tempered with socialist ideals so for Friedman to be so arrogant to think that it was just capitalism is lacking in the knowledge that capitalism had a great partner and it was called Liberalism. Friedman's whole argument is flawed simply by the fact he is immutable. Furthermore, It was Reagen that got us into the mess we are today - he was a terrible President and his trickle-down was trick-up. Capitalism without it's nemesis would be the worst kind of pyramid scam of all time. It would lead to the same situation Friedman is denouncing. I would suggest Mr Friedman talk with Sir Kenneth Clark before making these assumptions. Mike, can't you do better than that? getting personal, just stay on the subject and that goes for all you other name callers.

A great political mind - where are these thinkers of the past, we need them back. Jim, yes, but why no stars? you are agreeing with Acton...

Yes, as Peter Finch in Network said 'open your windows and shout I've had enough and I'm not going to take it anymore'. Carlton, your heart's in the right place but you have a lot to learn about politics and before you make statements like that. Obama is a corporatist DON"T YOU GET IT!!!!!!!!!! Bought and paid for by Phamaco, Goldman, and the Wall Street - any social initiative is just to keep the masses calm and to stop them rioting - give them cake and circus, that's what it is all about. The French have the right idea - cut the bloody gas pipes.