Socialism! - A Cartoon Primer

I rarely see so much stupidity in one post, even though it is a cartoon (but explecitely aimed at political theory). Apart of that I don't find it remotely funny, I think it illustrates a point. Here is the comic. It shows that because the other things (that were decried as communism) are now accepted and a good thing and thus the angst of socialism is idiotic.

However, they are wrong, even when this is directed at progressives/Democrats. Just look at the second picture: public waterways. Environmentalists amongst the progressives should now start yelling, because public water distribution systems lead to excess use of water especially in deserts (Phoenix anyone). It really helps waste precious ressources that could be better used in a market system. Unlike oil, we totally depend on water.

Now, this is even more ironic since they laude and actually believe that public schools are a good thing and a thing that is working. Well, it isn't America, just look at it. The US is losing ground to other industrial nations, they have the most uncompetitive schools of all developped countries. There is even more competition and a higher standard in France of all places.
Privately schooled children excels routinely and voucher programs prove it even more. So, I can't understand how they could use this one even remotely as a funny joke. Half the world ridiculs American public high schools.

Public highways are another subject that really isn't a good point for state ownership. Just compare US highways and its extensive system to France (again of all nations) which has a neatly maintained wide stretching private high way system. It leads all in all to a fairer distribution of traffic, if all modes of transportation reflect their costs in their prices. Just look at the nicely maintained toll-bridges!

The only thing that is really a good option is the idea of public parks, but even there we already have a lot of jobs that are outsourced to private enterprises. I think nothing would change if you'd sell the parks of New York to a citizen-owned Association that had to maintain it. Except, that it would be better maintained, because property spawns responsibility and self-interest in maintaining the property.
Just look at camp-sites or recreational parks, they are often in private hands and don't vanish because of capitalism. Property and towns get destroyed not by capitalism and free markets, but by eminent domain claims like that incident with the Pfizer company.

If you really find this cartoon funny, then you have to be libertarian because of its double irony. It really makes public options for anything ridiculous and the people writing the cartoon idiots. Though that seems funny, because of the unintenioned humour =)