[arcticbull]

I don't think most of us agree that redistribution of wealth (the proceeds of production) is socialism (the redistribution of the means of production). The US has particularly strong property rights, and asking companies to chip in to reimburse the public for the benefits they've leveraged to become and remain successful (such as national defense, public education, public roads, public police, public fire departments, public water, courts, etc) is beyond the pail even if you choose to label that socialism. I don't think it's beyond the pail to work to build a more meritocratic than plutocratic society to ensure the next generation of businesses also.

[chillacy]

I don't want to get in between you two if you're dead set on arguing over the definition of socialism but it seems to me to be unproductive.

[arcticbull]

Fair, he seemed genuinely surprised that some of us had a different idea so I wanted to explain where I’m coming from so we had a shared basis to work from. It was more of a pitch than an argument :)