Either McCain Is Lying Or He Doesn't Know What Socialism Is

One minute John McCain is calling Barack Obama a socialist. The next minute he's suggesting the federal government should buy up distressed mortgages at inflated prices to save home owners from their bad investments. Guess what John? That's a little bit of socialism right there.

None of the candidates is advocating literal socialism, a system whereby the government controls the basic means of production, least of all Obama, who is advised by Warren Buffett, one of the most successful capitalists of all time. If McCain were to suggest that, he should be disqualified from being president on the basis of mental deficiency.

On the other hand, as I pointed out in the opening paragraph, little bits of socialism can be found in policies espoused by all of the candidates. Sarah Palin's stump speech includes the line,"Now is not the time to experiment with socialism." The truth is we've been experimenting with socialism since the republic began.

Capitalism is our way of life. It's arguably the best economic system ever invented. But it's flawed. It needs help. Unchecked capitalism is subject to unchecked greed. And that can lead to problems, such as we experienced in 1929 and the 1980s and are experiencing now. So, over the years, we've built a few checks and balances into the system. Many of these checks and balances might be thought of as socialism but they are integral to the American way of life.

Start with the very idea of taxation. All taxation is redistribution of wealth. The government takes our money, then uses it as it sees fit for the betterment of our lives. The decision was made long ago that the free market could not adequately provide everything we need: defense, police, firefighters, bridges, roads, etc., So the government takes money from individuals and spreads it around society. McCain is proposing a tax break for rich people and a tax refund as part of his health insurance plan. Palin pushed for a windfall tax on oil companies that she then redistributed to the people of Alaska. So, while they attack Obama for proposing a tax cut for the middle class, they are both for redistribution of wealth.

We learned after the Great Depression that we needed to insure people's deposits in the bank. Everyone is happy about the FDIC insurance they get for free from the government. The government agreeing to replace your cash if the bank screws up? Not exactly free market capitalism. We also discovered that we needed to provide for the basic needs of our elderly. Social Security was born. And even though it has the word "social" right in it, very few people, other than folks on the fringe like Joe The Plumber, would like to face old age without it. Another safety net that most Americans would not like to live without is Medicare. Socialism! Wait until Rush Limbaugh realizes he can use his Medicare card to get cheaper pills than he does in the parking lot.

Anyone notice that tiny little bailout that President Bush spearheaded a few weeks ago? The one where the government committed $700 billion to buy up chunks of American companies? The one that both McCain and Obama supported? Yeah, some socialism in that one.

Our next venture into socialism will provide us with needed health care. We already spend more on health care than any nation in the world, yet 47 million people go without health insurance. In addition, insurance companies do not encourage preventative care and can choose to deny coverage even if you've paid your premiums. In 2000, The World Health Organization ranked the U.S. 37th in its list of health systems, behind Costa Rica, Morocco and Colombia, to name a few. That's a pretty low return for our money. When it comes to health care, capitalism needs a little bit of socialism.

More of my writing on the economy, taxes and "trickle down."

Abe The Accountant

McCain Is Not Bush? - The Failed Economics of Reagan, Bush and McCain

Comments

[havdreams1]

i lived in a socialist country for many years. thanks to US laws i came as a political refugee and now i am a proud american citizen. yes we are a capitalist country but you'll be surprised how fast that can be changed. socialism sneaks in without you noticing and once you realized you have lost all your rights and everything is government owned. they start little by little without you feeling the difference, new socialistics laws are made and soon you lose everything. you have to live it to beleive it. i believe in our country and hope that obama's socialistic ideas and changes are stopped by congress before they go out of hand. sorry to tell all obama's believers that this country needed an american hero like mccain to keep all those countries that hate us in shape. we needed another reagan and obama is not. God help us all.

[dutch163]

I think he is lying
he does it often now
just ask him if Palin was a good pick
he says YES
he is saying "socialist" to SCARE people
he would say "bogeyman" if he thought it would help!

[didlysquat]

Seems to me that McCain-Palin comments about "Joe the Plumber" and Obama's
"Spread the Wealth Around" are their best efforts to discredit Obama.

McCain's plan for the government to buy up the sub-prime mortgages as a "bail out"
so folks can keep their homes to stabilize the "Housing Market" is his best effort of
"Speading the DEBT Around"

To compare each of these plans: Obama wants the wealthy to help with bailing out
the failing economy.

McCain wants the middle class "Joe the Plumbers"
to "PAY" to bail out the failing economy.

Why should we "middle class folks" always get stuck paying for the "greedy folks" problems???

Which plan would you rather have in place??? I've made my choice.

[TLWright]

I was always thought that taxes was a way to raise revenue not to socially engineer. If you just want to raise money then a flat tax with ALL paying at the same rate is the only proper way to go. If you make more you pay more, but at the same rate. 17-18% would be all that is needed.
Remember, the United States government does not have an income problem, it has a spending problem.

[middleborn]

I wouldn't say that Obama wants Socialism, but I would say that he has some very Socialist views though.

Oh, and did I say how he also is rich, and thus will be spending some of his own money for poorer people than himself.

Do you actually think he's going to follow up on all this B S he's saying he's going to do? Wake up people! He's a politician, NOT a leader, and certainly NOT an American patriot. He's too privileged to know the difference.

He's not going to fight for the middle or lower classes. He's going to benefit from the power that the Office of Presidency of the USA brings. He may TRY to do SOME of the things he promises.

But, ultimately, it's the messed up Congress that's going to control and manipulate everything he wants or thinks he needs. I'd pay close attention to the local and state leaders we're voting for to help influence those decisions. No matter WHO becomes president.

Obviously, there are already corrupt people influencing BOTH of them right now. Let's pray for better congressional LEADERS!!!

[havdreams1]

i always knew americans were naive, but all this comments confirm that, as obama's pastor said, we deserve the bad things that happened to america. people wake up, go and live inside a socialist regimen like i did for 19 years before you comment about what socilism is

[DrPaulProteus]

Remember when Tom DeLay called Obama a "Marxist"? I still laugh when I think of his head exploding were he to ever meet a real Marxist. It was clear then that these guys have no idea as to the meaning of these terms, they just use them to stir up ill will. As if a "Marxist" could get anywhere near the office of presidency of the United States.

I've got news for John McCain: Public education is socialist. Public Libraries are socialist. Public Parks are socialist. Pretty much anything PUBLIC is socialist. Medicare is socialist. Social Security is socialist. Why don't you get up at rallies and say "My friends, my friends, Barack Obama is a Socialist... he even supports PUBLIC EDUCATION, LIBRARIES, MEDICARE AND SOCIAL SECURITY!"

[Jesster]

I'm sure you've noticed that after 40+ years of abusive use, the word "liberal" kind of lost it's stigma, so Rovian types came up with a new arsenal of "dirty words" like "Socialist," "Marxist" and of course, "Elitist." (So much for "No Child Left Behind"!!!) "

Elitist" is code for people who are genuinely well-educated (sometimes even self-educated) as opposed to people who get into Ivy League schools or receive special Military advancement solely because of the family name. "Elitist" means you maybe don't consider FREEDOM fries and ketchup to be their daily vegetable quota or prefer greens in their salad that aren't just iceberg lettuce or maybe lime Jello?

"Marxism" is a convenient word since although no one who uses the loaded term has actually read Karl Marx. The word "Commie" is rather passe and besides despite it's being shortrhand for Communist it also conjures up other associations, like say "community" or even "communion." And now "pink" belongs to breast cancer.

Even the best systems require checks and balances and "social programs" are the necessary counterweight to unbridled greed, er unrestrained capitalism. Besides, isn't the opposite of being "social" called being"anti-social?"

[secretpolitics]

Deregulation does not mean no regulation. The problem is that neither party wants the other to succeed therefore, if one party can watch the other sink, it will. My point is that problems were seen, and they choose not to act, and now we have to pay. This should be a crime and probably is. Why does EVERYONE in Washington want this mess to be blamed anyone but them. Where are the special prosecutors, I want names, and I don't care what party the names belong to, we, the people, have to get them out. McCain is old , his political career is coming to an end, and I think he is just the person to step hard on a few toes without having to worry about political backlash. Obama owes to much to many politically powerful people and will be nothing more than a mouth piece for their agenda. This is not what we need right now.

[DrPaulProteus]

Uh, becoming president is the end of anyone's political career, no matter their age. What's Obama going to do, run for city council after his term?

If anything, Obama's newness means he's less corrupt than McCain, he's had less time for the barnacles to grow on him.

(I don't support either of these guys or their parties, but McCain is the far more corrupt of the two by orders of magnitude. You don't survive in Washington for 30 years by being clean)

[secretpolitics]

Phil Gramm was a Democrat from 1978 to 1981 switched to republican 1981 to present. I can't help but wonder why he would have switched parties like that. On July 18, 2008 Gramm steped down from his position with the McCain campaign after making remarks that helped the Obama campaign and which McCain strongly denounced, but your probably aware of that.

[Jesster]

If, heaven forbid, McCain manages to gain access to the White House ( (via voter disenfranchisement (sp?) and latent/residual racism.) I think we can look forward to a pretty scary cabinet / advisory team (and I'm not even adding in the Palin factor/staff) Think Phil Gramm as Sec, of the Treasury. Joe Lieberman as Sec. of State, Tom Ridge Sec of Defense (or whatever fits best), the newly unemployed Liddy Dole can do "a heck of a good job" running FEMA,

There will be so many newly unemployed Rebublicans available to fill all of the positions! Just think of (or shudder at) the possibilities!

[wantafuture]

They are so busy calling Obama a socialist that they have forgetten the big checks Sara has had sent to all of Alaska's residents. You know the checks giving them "their share" of the big oil companies profits........ Ummmm shouldn't this be under her discription of socialism ??Take from the rich and distribute to the poorer??????? Just a thought I heard mentioned earlier today that made me think and question the hyporcricy of it, If she does it it's Ok , if Obama suggests anything like that it's socialism.­....HUMMMM­MMMMMMMM think about it

[Kim111]

Keywords in the article: All taxation is the redistribution of wealth.

Why tax more for those who work more? Why redistribute more to those who work less?
If everyone is going to contribute fairly, everyone should be subject to the same percentages, and redistribute that evenly. Going after people who have achieved the "American dream" is a ding to their hard work and effort. Do the math. 10, 20, 30 or 40% on 100% of the population is a huge chunk out of everyone's pocket. 33% of 10,000 is no harder a hit than 33% on 100,000 or 33% on 249,000... you are taking away incentive from everybody!!

[Bruce Tenenbaum - Huffpost Blogger]

"33% of 10,000 is no harder a hit than 33% on 100,000 or 33% on 249,000"

33% of $10,000 leaves a person $6700
33% of $100,000 leaves a person $67,000
33% of $249,000 leaves a person $166,830

I'd say there's considerable difference.

The incentive argument is a poor one. When you are making enormous sums of money, you don't quit because you have to pay taxes. You think you could find someone who was making $250k that wished they were making only $100k so they could pay less tax? Do you know of anyone who quit working their high paying, white collar job because they had to pay taxes?

"utopian socialism - an economic system based on the premise that if capital voluntarily surrendered its ownership of the means of production to the state or the workers, unemployment and poverty would be abolished...How far is Obama's plan from that?"

Incredibly far. Light years away. Step outside and look up at the stars. That far. He has not suggested that enterprise should be turned over to the government. He has suggested repealing Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy. He has suggested giving a tax break to working families (though the McCain campaign continues to leave out the word "working" so they can stir up class warfare). Obama is no more a socialist than John McCain is for pushing his own tax cuts, health plan and for backing the financial bailout. But then, you know that already from reading my article.

[rbwinn]

Obama and McCain are both socialists. Giving public revenues to mortgage bankers just because they overextended a Ponzi scheme is socialism. Promising working class people that money of the wealthy will be given to them is socialism. The idea behind socialism is that people give their money to the government, and the government re-distributes the money. That is why socialist governments in Europe have 70 to 80 percent taxes on wages. The people of the United States today want socialism. They want socialized medicine. They want socialized re-distribution of wealth. They want socialized taxation. This is a bad sign.
The idea of socialism was invented by European Communists in the 1800's as a way to change European governments from monarchies to communism thruogh a gradual process.
Socialism is irrelevant in the United States. The people were defined to be the government here from the beginning in this country. Implementation of socialist policies in the United States means that the two corrupt major parties have found themselves incapable of governing and are just copying what they see happening in Europe.

[DrPaulProteus]

"Going after people who have achieved the "American dream" is a ding to their hard work and effort."

Those in the higher brackets should feel honored to pay it. Asking those people to give back to the place that enabled them to do so well seems fair to me. When are these rich so-called patriots going to think of America, which has done so much for them, and allowed them to make so much money, as their business partner instead of their enemy? There's a reason they're in America, and that's because there is opportunity here.

[Kim111]

utopian socialism - 2 dictionary results
Sponsored Links Socialism
Get history Facts & Events On Your Desktop with Free Reference Toolbar
Reference.­alottoolba­rs.com
utopian socialism
–noun (sometimes initial capital letter) an economic system based on the premise that if capital voluntarily surrendered its ownership of the means of production to the state or the workers, unemployment and poverty would be abolished.

Compare socialism.
Perhaps if he added "Utopian" as a qualifier it would make more sense... he isn't crazy.

Look it up on Dictionary.com if you need to see it yourself. Or look up "socialism". How far is Obama's plan from that?

----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------

[Origin: 1920–25]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary
utopian socialism

noun
socialism achieved by voluntary sacrifice

[FreedomAgain]

I wonder if Sarah Palin would consider Jesus a Socialist as well?

All through the new testament it says to give to the poor and less fortunate. Here, for instance, Jesus says you will be cast into "everlasting fire" for not taking care of the poor. Seems pretty straight forward to me. You can't have it both ways.

For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. (40) And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.(41) Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: (42) For I was an hungred, and ya gave me no meat: i was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:(43) I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.” -Matthew 25 34-41

[SonofLiberty1]

As far as I can tell, socialism means sharing,which is exactly what Christ taught.

[rbwinn]

Jesus Christ taught that people should give of their own resources to help the poor and needy, not that it should all be done by the wealthy because they were not doing their part. The wealthy are never going to do their part.
The idea that all help for the poor should be done through the government is in opposition the Christ's teaching that help for the poor is a personal responsibility for everyone, including the poor.

[GonzoFactor]

"Either McCain Is Lying Or He Doesn't Know What Socialism Is"

Why not both?

[zanzig]

Exactly my thought - why is this an either/or proposition?

[Laura347]

You nailed it, Bruce! Maybe if Americans realized how our economic system works, they can see we have always lived in a United Semi-Socialism of America!

[elsells]

Capitalism needs a lot of socialism and not just in the health care field. The federal government needs to invest more in unemployment insurance, job training, education (especially in math and sciences where American students are falling behind the rest of the world), public transportation, and roads and bridges, to name a few other areas. If this means raising taxes on the Bill Gates' and Sam Walton's of America, so what? They should pay more than middle and lower income people. This is called social responsibility. Each person has a responsibility to the society in which they live and prosper. "Unchecked capitalism is subject to unchecked greed" is a fundamental social truth that Republicans are simply unwilling to acknowledge. The fact is that the Republicans have always supported the rich people at the expense of the middle class and the working class. If John Kerry had hammered at this point four years ago over and over and over instead of taking the defensive on the flip-flop issue, he would have defeated Bush easily. The Republicans simply have no defense against charges of supporting the arrogant rich no matter what the cost. Didn't the French aristocrats feel the same way in the late eighteenth century? Look what happened to them in 1789. They got the guillotine. I guess the greedy and arrogant rich really don't learn anything from history.