Steele's Take On Obama Speech: "Socialist Power Grab"

President Obama's Wednesday-night address to Congress yielded a wide range of responses, but few demonstrated the unique gift for rhetoric possessed by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele.

"Send a virtual post card[sic] to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid and let them know you won't tolerate their socialist power grab," Steele exhorted RNC donors in a Thursday fundraising e-mail obtained by the Huffington Post.

The fundraising letter characterizes Obama's proposed incremental reforms as "an unprecedented assault against the principles upon which America was built."

"Once again, President Obama stepped in front of the prime time TV cameras to attempt to sell the Democrats' leftist health care scheme to legislators and anyone else who might still be paying attention," the e-mail reads, in one of the few sentences without any bolded or italicized words. "You can feel the rising mood of freedom-loving Americans across this country. Not afraid, but incensed and determined, that their government not be a menace to our hard-earned liberty and prosperity."

The letter was accompanied by this graphic:

The full letter appears below:

Dear XX,

Once again, President Obama stepped in front of the prime time TV cameras to attempt to sell the Democrats' leftist health care scheme to legislators and anyone else who might still be paying attention.

The charm offensive isn't working. Americans no longer feel the need to give Barack Obama the benefit of the doubt.

They have seen through the hype and media adoration to understand that the Obama Democrats are determined to push their far-left agenda on our country whether the American people like it or not.

You can feel the rising mood of freedom-loving Americans across this country. Not afraid, but incensed and determined, that their government not be a menace to our hard-earned liberty and prosperity.

They are extremely concerned that the President and his congressional allies are launching an unprecedented assault against the principles upon which America was built.

At town hall meetings, Tea Party protests, and countless other gatherings of concerned patriots, Americans are saying enough is enough. Enough taxes. Enough spending. Enough debt. Enough entitlement. And enough arrogance. Enough.

Those running the Administration and Congress have never seen this kind of public outpouring of dissent. They alone who have the right to protest. They who "know best." They are wrong.

Our government is of the people, by the people, and for the people. Those aren't just fancy words. They are the bedrock upon which our republic was founded. Whether power hungry officials in the White House and on Capitol Hill like it or not, they are to serve the interests of the people -- not the other way around.

Well, the town halls are over, and Congress is back in session. That's why you still need to show your support for the principled position of fiscal restraint, personal responsibility, and unfettered liberty as opposed to the Obama Democrats in Washington who are trying to force leftist "change" upon our country.

Send a personalized e-postcard, your own "Declaration of Independence," to Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid who lead the elitist, "progressive" Democrats.

Let them know enough is enough -- you won't stand idly by while they threaten our livelihoods and liberty with their outrageous Washington power grab.

And when you send your virtual postcard, I hope you will also take this opportunity to make a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100 or whatever you can to the RNC today to help fund our efforts to recruit and support effective, principled Republican candidates who will know who they work for when they defeat the Democrats this fall and in 2010.

Let's hold the Obama Democrats accountable for their opportunistic, selfish power grab. Please send a strong message to the Obama Democrats today.

Sincerely,
Michael Steele
Chairman, Republican National Committee

P.S. XX, you can make the Obama Democrats in Washington know you mean business -- send them an e-card today. And when you do, please take this opportunity to make a secure online contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more to the RNC to support and elect Republicans who believe in the conservative principles America was founded on. Thank you.

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Comments

[phoenixbc]

12:22 AM on 09/16/2009

It is unfortunate that someone as educated as Michael Steele panders to the uneducated, by improperly using the terms "socialism" and "Socialist". Steele earned his B.A. in International Relations, so he certainly must know that a Socialist economy is one that subordinates the rights of its citizens to the rights of business and industry, "for the good of the government".

The GOP has done this over successive years, under a supply-side economic policy that the GOP maintains will result in a benefit "trickling down" to individuals. Now Steele and his Party want us to believe that protecting insurance companies from Americans with "pre-existing conditions" and preventing lower income families from obtaining health insurance will benefit the Nation as a whole.

It is time that we ask Chairman Steele, whose agenda is Socialist?

[CJWebber]

06:58 PM on 09/12/2009

'socialist power grab'

What in incredible idi0t. Steele doesn't know the meaning of 'socialist' and he and his ilk are the ones trying to grab power.

[mmgbizgirl]

05:57 PM on 09/11/2009

Spotlight Hog.

[IcemanXTS]

03:46 PM on 09/11/2009

All the name calling, fear-mongering, and mud-slinging the Republican Party does disgusts me. I know this went on after the Lewinsky incident as well for Clinton. But for someone kind of new into politics, can you tell me:

1. Have the Dems ever been this bad? Bush had name calling and whatnot. But it was never this bad and it was most always justified in my opinion. But what about prior?

2. I read that the 50's through 70's (roughly) were a period of much more bi-partisanship. Was this childishness still going on back then?

[CJWebber]

03:19 PM on 09/11/2009

What a hypocrit this guy is. Hype and media adoration doesn't seem to bother Steele when the subject is Palin.

Everything he says is goofy.

[jemiltd]

02:07 PM on 09/11/2009

Bears repeating...
Morning class! Our topic for today: how to know what you're talking about before saying it. Definitions: fascism: --a political philosophy, movement, or regime (as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. Virtually impossible to be one while trying to get two different parties to behave like adults and work as a team. socialism: 1 : any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.2 a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state. Virtually impossible to keep trying to make sure you keep the house you own right now, keep the banks from taking it away from you and be a socialist at the same time. That would be an oxymoron. Communism: 1) forced version of socialism OR as defined in Little Rock. Arkansas while Eisenhower was President and likely how the birthers and teabaggers define it today, which is their real issue: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/Little_Rock_integration_protest.jpg
Steele: remedial class is available, text me.

[Greg285]

01:48 PM on 09/11/2009

Why does the media continue to give the GOP a platform is beyond me! These people are so yesterday news, yet they still think they matter..Well at least they do to those true blue southerners who still think the 'South shall rise again'.....

[ampersand59]

01:41 PM on 09/11/2009

Mr. Steel can make as much noise as he likes and try to influence whomever wishes to listen to him--but I can assure him that when all these socialist third world countries change there reserve currency to some other currency and the free ride is over he will be singining a different tune and the IRS will be the conductor.

[ELDERWILLOW]

01:30 PM on 09/11/2009

Mr steele is as irrelevant, as has the Republican party become..sad we now have a two party system which is Democrats,so called Benevolent Capitalism, and the Republican Corporate Party run by 'paid off' representatives of Health, Insurance, Defense, in it for big personal bucks companies.

You are finished Republican..... too bad some of my friends Republicans who were 'thinking' people that I listened to with respect..now they are independents, and we can still be friends because they don't talk trash and nonsense -we differ but we can respect each other.

[Okieborn]

01:29 PM on 09/11/2009

Just Keep on Giving their Steele !!!!!!!!!
The Democrats really appreciate you !!!

[ikeyboy]

01:23 PM on 09/11/2009

Steele is about as relevant as Palin.

[IcemanXTS]

03:52 PM on 09/11/2009

As Hillary rose in popularity, they came out with Palin.

As Obama rose in popularity, they came out with Steele.

It was childish tit-for-tat. These two don't matter what-so-ever.

[Robt]

12:58 PM on 09/11/2009

For Steele and what seems like most of the GOP. That President Obama's agenda is like a 4 year old having its candy taken away after too many cavities and not brushing its teeth.

When conservative grab on to the swinging political pendulum and ride it to the extreme right and let go and hope off. Those the are still standing in themiddle look as if they are far to the left.

Which makes the far left even look "LEFTIER".

Obama seems to be attempting to call back those that have found themselves way far out on the right,
back somewhere toward the right of center at the least. WRep Wilson's tantrum displays his irratation with other Americans. Remember the, "your with us or against us" mentality of the Bush Adm and republican controlled House and Senate?

President Obama and the Dem majorities in the House and Senate have not drove down any path of pextreme political ideology that I can see as yet. Until then, The tantrums of just discovering now that republicans are not the majority and their with us or against us membership does not have the enthusiastic numbers of blind republican loyalty they thought it would produce. What it has givin them is some southern state that want to return to the days before the Civil War.

[Liberal2]

12:36 PM on 09/11/2009

Versus what? The rethug fascist power grab?

[zobzerto]

12:26 PM on 09/11/2009

You're right, Michael Steele: enough IS enough. We've had enough of your lies and scare tactics. Enough of your manipulation of those who you've somehow convinced to vote against their own self-interest. Enough labeling of everything your opposition does as socialist, selfish, or power-seeking. Enough of your attempts to derail honest discussion and debate over one of the most important issues of our time. Enough ignoring facts and spewing hatred.

Who is really being selfish here? Who is truly attempting a power grab? Because this administration is making a genuine effort to reform an awful health care system while you and the rest of the Republicans are desperately trying to use this situation solely for political gain in an attempt to grab the power that was taken from you by the American people in the last two election cycles--all at the expense of the millions of uninsured citizens of our great nation.

Shame on you.

[SeriousBlack]

02:19 PM on 09/11/2009

Well said!

[Littlewords]

12:25 PM on 09/11/2009

Corrected statement:

We apologize for the headline "Socialist Power Grab" we've corrected this to say...

"Leadership fights to reverse the right-wing fascist and corporate take over of our country"

Our apologies to all now; back to governing by and for the people.