The "S" Word and a Bankrupt GOP

One of the funnier moments of the 2008 campaign was the tongue lashing right wing talk show host Kevin James received from Chris Matthews for comparing then Senator Obama's willingness to negotiate with our rivals to pre-World War II appeasement of Hitler when it was evident that James had absolutely no clue about that era.

If only Matthews could speak to the rest of the far right who are equally clueless about their new smear word of choice -- socialist. The word echoes amongst Republicans in Washington, while National Review, the leading magazine of "conservative thought," ran a cover story on "Our Socialist Future" warning that Obama would lead the nation to European-styled socialism without ever bothering to explain how Obama's policies were socialist.

A simple visit to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary would reveal that Obama's policies have nothing to do with socialism, which is defined as a political theory advocating collective or governmental ownership of the means of production; a society in which there is no private property or the transition stage between capitalism and communism under Marxist theory.

Michelle Bachmann, the enlightened Congresswoman who called for an investigation of Obama's and Democratic members of Congress' anti-American bias, recently shed light on what the flat earth society is talking about in their recitation of the "S" word. According to Bachman, "if you look at FDR, LBJ, and Barack Obama, this is really the final leap to socialism."

So socialism to the right means New Deal and Great Society programs such as (i) Social Security which reduces poverty among seniors by 75 percent, (ii) Medicare which has increased seniors' access to health care and life expectancy; (iii) Medicaid which provides health care for half of the nation's low-income children and 60 percent of nursing home residents; and (iv) Head Start which increases the likelihood a low-income child will pursue college and not crime. This is the red menace that the right is fighting against in order to return us to the days of laissez faire capitalism that gave us the Great Depression and Hoovervilles.

Bachmann's next statement explained the true reason for the mass invocations of the "S" word, which is that Republicans "need to do everything we can to thwart [Democrats] at every turn to make sure that they aren't able to . . . secure a power base that for all time can never be defeated." Bachman's statement demonstrates that Republicans are motivated by politics not policy and they are prepared to call the President every name in the book -- the "S" word just happens to be the smear word of the hour

We saw the same thing in 1994 when Republicans, who had initially been inclined to work with the President Clinton in passing health care reform, instead followed the advice of William Kristol to reject the Clinton plan "sight unseen" and kill whatever plan was devised (including abandoning Republican alternatives) because it would revive the Democrats reputation as "the generous protector of middle-class interests" and thereby presented a "serious political threat to the Republican party; [while its defeat would be] a monumental setback for the President."

One Republican Senator conceded to President Clinton that "we just don't believe in government very much, but we love power." Power and politics trump policy and progress regardless of the costs. It matters little that 18,000 people die prematurely each year due to lack of health insurance, as that is mere collateral damage.

Kristol again is calling for Republicans to "obstruct and delay" because they cannot win politically. This time the stakes are much higher, but "Party First, Country Second," remains the creed of the GOP. So despite the fact that we stand on a financial precipice or that President Obama's stimulus plan included the largest tax cut in history, it was opposed by all but three Republicans.

While Republicans may think the "S" word is their magic weapon in stopping President Obama's momentum, they fail to recognize that the 2008 election was a mandate for more government.

Republicans already are paying a steep price for their hyperbolic distortions and obstructionism since it exposes the fact that they are ideologically bankrupt and have nothing else to offer. For example, a Google search of "Republicans" and "bankrupt" yields 4.8 million hits - substantially more than the results for "Obama" and "socialist." That may explain why Congressional Democrats have a 27 point favorability advantage over their GOP counterparts.

If the Republicans continue in this course, they may be using another "S" word on election night 2010 when they discover that Chris Matthews was gentle when compared to an angry electorate tired of Republican obstructionism.

(See the accompanying PowerPoint slides.)

Comments

[standard]

The newly re-cycled Republican tactic of calling any Democratic economic policy "socialist" is actually hurtful to them and helpful to the Democrats: If universal health care, a well-regulated banking system and a renewedly progressive national income tax are socialist, then who can be against socialism?

It's important to note, however, that universal health care actually IS a form of socialism--much as public higher education, public golf courses and Social Security are. None of those is a threat to capitalism in America; they actualy help to make capitalism in America more humane than otherwise.

Let the Republicans label as "socialists" anyone and everyone who favors universal health care and high taxes on the very richest among us. Our response should not be "How dare you!" but "So what?"
Seeing to the needs of the most vulnerable in society was a requirement set out by no less than that most prominent of all Republican icons: Jesus Christ. It seems to be a useful tenet of social organization where it's been implemented: in Western Europe, in Japan and New Zealand--and the free market seems to work well enough in tandem with democracy among those counries, our allies.

By calling any public policy (other than dismantling the civilian sectors of American government ) "socialist," Repubicans are merely hastening their own demise. Let's cheer them on.

[Bennet Kelley - Huffpost Blogger]

Thanks for all the comments. To overstate my case, it would seem that the GOP view is that if a proposal calls for tax cuts or less regulation for the elite it is a sacrament but if it helps working people it is socialism.

[seawolf77]

It was a mandate for better, more sensible government. From what I've seen we been had bad. Capitalism demands failure. It is necessary for creative destruction that brings in the constant flow of the new and youthful. The argument that the government needs to do more because when they did less we got the Great Depression is similar to the one being used now: give all the money to the people who caused the problem in the first place. I guess the thinking is they could not possibly screw it up this badly TWICE. You know all my life I've heard there must be order, there has to be rules, law and order must be maintained. You know what . Let's have a little chaos. I want to see what that's like because you guys and girls really stink at this.

[apoyo]

And surely William Kristol has and has had the best health care that money can buy.

[HMcFarlane]

If socialism means taking care of all your citizens, and not just the richest of them, then I say let's all become socialists! How can our country continue to call things like national health care an evil thing? When will our politicians fight for what's best for the whole country and not just those who fund their campaigns?

[kjstjohn]

I have French friends who are "conservatives." The funny thing is--they are for national health care. They believe that the American healthcare system is barbaric.

Republicans are not going to be a viable political force in this country again until the middle and working classes have healthcare. This is because the American healthcare system IS barbaric and political groups who oppose meaningful reform will be considered uncaring and inhumane.

[BethStuart]

Why is surprising that the "party of no" is playing the smear and fear game?

The "S" word is simply a repackaging of the republican "soft on communism" and "fellow traveler'"smears of the 1950's. Some things never change.

[LiteSleeper]

I thought this statement was particularly telling of the Repigs:

"William Kristol to reject the Clinton plan "sight unseen" and kill whatever plan was devised (including abandoning Republican alternatives) because it would revive the Democrats reputation as "the generous protector of middle-class interests"

So basically the Repigs are admitting that all of these "Socialist" programs work, contrary to their anti-government rhetoric.

[nhburdick]

Who was the republican with the quote on government vs. power? Pretty much dead on...

[veteran1964]

Everyone has to understand....The high majority of Republican pundits and elected officials have never studied history or economics, or even microeconomics in their life. They are able to speak because of what someone else writes for them. An example of this also is Palin's convention speech. Everyone on the right expounds on her speech and says it was the best of the best. This was written for her by others and if she would have written her own, it would have been more than sorry.....­..........­.....It would have been super chitty. So, the Republicans can only gripe and groan because they have no idea how to solve problems.....They can only beatch about someone else's.

[carolr51]

Bachmann is reprehensible. When do her remarks on "revolution" become treason?

[caphillprof]

"This is the red menace that the right is fighting against in order to return us to the days of laissez faire capitalism that gave us the Great Depression and Hoovervilles."

Didn't you mean to go on to say "sub-prime mortgages, credit default swaps and million dollar bonuses for corporate officers who perform badly"?

[an observer3]

Didn't Palin used that term repeatedly during the primaries? These republicans are a bunch of parrots.

[RedKnuckles]

That's an insult to all parrots nationwide..

[Freesia2]

Oh that interview on Chris Matthews was de -lightful. I even watched the broadcast to see it again. I laughed harder the 2nd time. It was was one of those moments that makes life worth living.

I don't know what they're up to Mr. Kelley. But I know the other "S" word of which you speak and have taken to doing 5 situps for everytime I slip and say it when they spout out more nonsense. Bachmann has been a big help with that lately and I'm thinking by June I'm going to be in shape for my bathing suit.

Awful people. They are.

[LeftRight]

Just remember, they don't really give a darn about socialism, they just want to regain power, and then hold it for all time. To be fair, the Democrats are ALSO trying to retain power and hold it for all time. The difference is in the details, in that the Republicans think the way to do it is to cozy up ONLY to the rich and powerful, while the Democrats ALSO cozy up to some others....

[peterg76]

They use "socialism" for anything less than anarchism.