why would we want to read the communist manifesto? 
I read it once in HS, wasn't impressed with the whole theory behind it. There is no such thing as a perfect communist society. The way we as people are made up makes it impossible. We are competitive beings, and being forced into a government that is based around complete equality is only destined to fail. It is that competitiveness that has made capitalism so great. The idea that something can come along, and someone says, "Hey, I can make that bigger, better, faster, etc." If no one got credit for their creations, or their ideas, then the system of invention, creativity, etc. would fall apart.
The idea of communism itself was manifested in that book by Carl Marx and Friedrich Engels, it did not really exist before then. In the times it was written were full of revolution and distrust of the government in Europe, I guess what i am trying to say is that pointing out that someone is a communist about the things you read on the net is naive and rather dumb.
Since when is it the Government's job to bail out struggling businesses? This is a big issue with our government, and one of the things that is causing some of the problems we face today. The government is stepping in to "rescue" the financial institutions that went against everything that they knew was right, over invested, gave loans away to people who had no business receiving them, etc. Now when the 
hits the fan, and they're left holding the bag, they cry to the government. Don't get me wrong, I have full sympathy for your Dad, who worked his entire career, and has nothing to show for it in retirement. The airlines are certainly struggling, there is no denying that. My dad has taken some big pay cuts and benny cuts recently (he's an Alaska Airlines pilot) so I know how its going.
I am not saying that is the responsibility of the government to bail any business out of economic trouble nor do i really think that they should have to. In this case though after Carter regularized the airline industry it became so competitive that it was hard for any airline to make money. After 9/11 there was an offer from the Bush administration to aide to them in he form of loans, out of all that applied very few were helped. United didn't get any, filed chapter 11, dissolved pensions, and cut thousands of jobs. I am not saying that if Bush came through that woulds have not happened, I just think that many would still have a retirement or a job.
Oh and i am a 19 year old bleeding heart liberal, but i think you knew that lol
