# Why Is The S Emulating Soviet Communism? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 11, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616 "2011-07-11T12:08:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/1 "2011-07-11T12:08:16Z")
The insane decisions coming out of Washing defy explanation-it seems that the government doesn’t believe in the free market anymore. We get crazy edicts like the “low flush” toilets (that didn’t work), the banning of incandescent lamp bulbs (that will result in massive mercry pollution), and the ethanol subsidy program (that results in higher oil imports and higher food prices), with higher air pollution. Why are we allowing Federal Agencies the power to emulate Soviet -style “central planning”? Besides the idiotic edicts, agencies like the DOE are expensive to run, and cost s in productivity. And, yet, this contry professes to be “free”-what a joke. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/2 "2011-07-11T12:16:05Z")
Why do so many Americans (even some Dopers, it now seems) believe such a farrago of nonsense? Why do they have so little idea about what Soviet Communism was actually like? ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/3 "2011-07-11T12:23:54Z")
What is “The S”? ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/4 "2011-07-11T12:26:06Z")
The **S** ocialistCryptofascistMuslim. Duh! ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/5 "2011-07-11T12:32:20Z")
Kudos for putting this in the right forum, at least. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/6 "2011-07-11T12:43:59Z")
I thought the Dope has a “no posting while drunk” rule… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/7 "2011-07-11T13:09:35Z")
Because the idiots that filibuster almost everything that comes through the Senate don’t filibuster crap such as described in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/8 "2011-07-11T13:37:29Z")
They can take my incandescent lamp bulbs when they pry them from my cold, dead, burned out lighting fixtures. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/9 "2011-07-11T13:42:23Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > The insane decisions coming out of Washing defy explanation-it seems that the government doesn’t believe in the free market anymore. We get crazy edicts like the “low flush” toilets (that didn’t work), the banning of incandescent lamp bulbs (that will result in massive mercry pollution), and the ethanol subsidy program (that results in higher oil imports and higher food prices), with higher air pollution. > Why are we allowing Federal Agencies the power to emulate Soviet -style “central planning”? > Besides the idiotic edicts, agencies like the DOE are expensive to run, and cost s in productivity. > And, yet, this contry professes to be “free”-what a joke. Low flush toilets work fine. Incandescent light bulbs are not banned. I have some. Ethanol subsidies are as much a product of big business influencing congress as they are of environmental interests. The DOE **is** expensive to run, but that’s not what people mean when they say they want a “free” country. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/10 "2011-07-11T14:02:42Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Low flush toilets work fine. > Incandescent light bulbs are not banned. I have some. > Ethanol subsidies are as much a product of big business influencing congress as they are of environmental interests. > > The DOE **is** expensive to run, but that’s not what people mean when they say they want a “free” country. I take issue with the statement “low flush toilets work fine”. I had to replace two-clogged constantly and require two flush cycles. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/11 "2011-07-11T14:18:57Z")
So you accept Sailboat’s other statements as true? That’s good - I’ll mark that down in my ralph124c file. Care to tell us what the hell “the S” is? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/12 "2011-07-11T15:08:52Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I take issue with the statement “low flush toilets work fine”. I had to replace two-clogged constantly and require two flush cycles. It appears the evidence which supports your beliefs is full of shit. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/13 "2011-07-11T15:15:48Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I take issue with the statement “low flush toilets work fine”. I had to replace two-clogged constantly and require two flush cycles. So what you mean to say is that your toilet doesn’t work. Ever have the sewer line checked for obstructions? Incandescent bulbs will still be around, just more efficient. Do you have any cites for your ethanol statements, or is this just ranting for the sake of listening to yourself? ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/14 "2011-07-11T15:33:31Z")
The "Free Market " gave us the biggest financial meltdown in the last 80 years. Not to mention the auto manufacturers bailout. But you just keep believing the nonsense. Pull the other one, it has bells on. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/15 "2011-07-11T15:40:29Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I take issue with the statement “low flush toilets work fine”. I had to replace two-clogged constantly and require two flush cycles. What kind of shit did you put into them? (literally and/or figuratively) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/16 "2011-07-11T15:47:58Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I take issue with the statement “low flush toilets work fine”. I had to replace two-clogged constantly and require two flush cycles. The early designs for the low-flush toilets didn’t work well, but the newer ones are much better. Your other statements are about as correct, which is to say not at all. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/17 "2011-07-11T15:54:41Z")
We are not free if banks aren’t free to charge what ever interest rates they want on credit cards and charge whatever fees they want for ATM transactions. This is what my father died for when he fought the Japanese at Normandy. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/18 "2011-07-11T15:56:50Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > We are not free if banks aren’t free to charge what ever interest rates they want on credit cards and charge whatever fees they want for ATM transactions. > > This is what my father died for when he fought the Japanese at Normandy. It’s like this contry has forgotten everything George Washing stood for. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/19 "2011-07-11T16:16:35Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’s like this contry has forgotten everything George Washing stood for. Deforestation and universal dental care. ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616/20 "2011-07-11T16:24:52Z")
It is complete absurdity to think that a country as large as the US can be run by 50 independent states, each with their own agenda, values and goals. If you want a righteous mess, then by all means lets go that way. Absolutely, positively there is waste and inefficiency in a centralized government–just as there is in any large organization. Just look around your work area to see some really stupid ideas being generated, implemented, and shot down as complete failures. What a waste of time and money. Welcome to reality. So please, please, please tell me how it would work better any other way. Don’t bitch–do something about it! But be aware that any recommendation has to take into account the random illogic of human behavior–something excluded by communist and libertarian thought processes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-s-emulating-soviet-communism/588616.md?page=2)