On: German government puts up $165 million to start Google competitor

[ivankirigin]

I would define "do socialism better", as programs that come closer to the intent, with successful deployment. A concrete example: Scandinavian heath care might fall apart in the US from corruption -- something that isn't a problem so much there.

I'm not saying socialism is a good idea, even in Europe.

[kf → ivankirigin]

There are degrees of socialism. What if the United States government took 1% of all new companies?

[pg → kf]

In effect it takes about a third of all companies, because corporate tax rates are about a third of earnings.

[kf → pg]

Right... you could say that the United States is 33% socialist, based on the tax rates. Is it inherently better for a government to tax corporations instead of owning them? I look at China, which owns 30% of Lenovo and has shares in many Chinese companies and wonder if a combination of taxing and partial state ownership is the way to go.