We are a country divided, and nowhere is the division better seen than among the comments sections beneath political articles.  These opinions, conservative and progressive, reveal America and are sociologically fascinating.  The following from Yahoo News: Beaming Obama Signs Historic $938 Billion Overhaul, delineates opposing mindsets:

PROGRESSIVES:

--None of these **cks screaming SOCIALISM has EVER been to a Socialist Nation. All they know is Faux "News" and follow whatever Beck says. Dumb, foolish, and weak.

--This is the joy of a hope-and-love kind of policy over a hate-and-fear kind of policy!

--Winners adapt with change, whiners don't. 

--Socialism beats lamocracy!!

--It's a bright day for Freedom, when the rich and privileged will have one less shackle with which to enslave those of us who didn't have everything handed to us by charging insane prices for care that is available to all citizens in the rest of the world.

--You people are DELUDED. Crying socialism from the mountain-tops. If you could only see what you look like to the True Majority in this country. We are the speak softly and carry a big stick types, and our big stick is being SMARTER than you, and having big numbers. Period.

--Why don't you pick up a book numb nuts. You have a vague picture of socialism because you refer to it out of context. I wish people weren't so dumb. Good day.

CONSERVATIVES:

--It's a socialist style reform and it is used in context. Here is one definition: "a political theory advocating state ownership of industry."  You should read the book that started it all-Socialism: An Economic and Sociological Analysis, by Austrian School economist and libertarian thinker Ludwig von Mises, first published by Gustav Fischer Verlag under the title Die Gemeinwirtschaft: Untersuchungen über den Sozialismus. I'm not trying to be rude in proving you wrong, I'm merely trying to be informative. I believe if people knew the history of socialism, it would change things depending on their ability to absorb facts.

--I work in healthcare. Let me tell you our current system is working just fine. The lazy and unemployed get their narcotics at the taxpayers' expense. The truly sick and impoverished are treated and their bills are written off by the hospital. The few that fall through the cracks get socked with outrageous bills due to the abuse that is rampant in the current federal programs, but can still file bankruptcy. There are all sorts of programs for those who try to do the right thing and pay for their healthcare and prescriptions. I have helped many people get their prescriptions when they cannot afford them. However, when they are smoking a $5 pack of cigarettes, talking on a cell phone, being picked up in an Escalade, and on Medicaid, I have very little help or sympathy when they ask for a prescription for Tylenol. Fix what we have. Don't mandate something new. And certainly don't punish those that are  having a hard time. This bill has far reaching implications. This country wanted "change."  Bleeding hearts need to stop crying for the poor and start educating themselves because we're all about to see what "change" really means.

--Socialism under Stalin, Mao, Hitler (Yes, the Nazis were the National Socialist German Workers Party) murdered over 150 million "peasants."  In Germany, the swastika symbolized the replacement of the Christian Cross with State worship.  The two-headed spear, Education and Media, has succeeded in creating an ignorant population.  The comments here attest to that. 

Notice that progressives tout socialism blindly.  They embrace "hope," attack the "privileged," and name-call because no argument to corroborate lies is available.  Conservative comments, by contrast, are sober, thoughtful and clear.  This sample is small, but after reading thousands of comments, I've yet to see a single progressive argument, anywhere, steeped in fact.  True, they're "smarter," these progressives, than conservatives. 

But facts are stubborn things.

 

Greg Halvorson is the founder of Soldiers Without Boots, and hosts The Soldier One Radio Hour on Blog Talk Radio.