"American socialism has long functioned under the principle that a strong central government, lavishly funded by the middle and upper classes, should influence the economy in the name of "social justice," and provide benefits to the lower class. The power and cost of the government have steadily increased -- surging under the previous two Presidents, and exploding under the current one. Its financing has shifted to deficit spending and direct control through mandates and regulation, since endless tax increases became politically painful.
I believe this system is very close to total collapse <http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2010/02/04/the-great-crash/>. If nothing else triggers it, the explosive bankruptcy of Social Security and Medicare will. The half-life of American socialism may now be measured in years, rather than decades. If we let it run its course and crash, its death throes will be unspeakably painful."
[snip]....
See
http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2010/02/07/the-answer-to-socialism/
Joanna