Trying to Help This Country Makes Obama a Good Candidate, Not a Socialist

Since the phrase "pals around with terrorists" didn't stick, the Republican campaign has now begun slinging a little "socialist" mud tinged with communist undertones. They throw words around like "Obama is a Marxist" and "Obama is a Socialist" as if they want you to believe that you're going to wake up November 5th on a collective farm somewhere on the outskirts of Kiev if you vote for him. Lately, during Sarah Palin's stump speeches, she accuses Obama of leading our country toward socialism, mud I suppose she hopes will stick to those who still remember the song "Duck... and Cover!" If Sarah Palin doesn't really know what a vice president does, how can we believe she even knows what a socialist is?

According to Wikipedia, socialism is an economic system based on cooperation rather than competition; a planned economy governed by the state. Socialists believe that capitalism unfairly concentrates power and wealth among a small segment of society that controls capital and creates an unequal society. There is revolutionary socialism - think Bolshevik Revolution - and then there's the electoral path toward socialism - think Benevolent Socialism or Norway's "spreading the wealth" with their oil dividend checks type. So I guess that oil money Gov. Palin's been doling out to Alaskans isn't really socialism. What the heck does she think it is then - an Amway pyramid incentive?

The term "socialism" is so vague, no one truly knows how to define it. But the Republicans would have you believe that it means only one thing, "communism" - Marxist, Leninist, Maoist communism and an end to capitalism, your jobs, your choice of healthcare and even your liberty. Talk about winning at any cost - Hey, isn't that what evil communist dictator's do? Hmmmm.

Canada has a form of democratic socialism yet I don't see them suddenly amassing an army and marching across the border to impose their health care system, crazy accents, and Moulson beer on us. Inflicting Celine Dion on us was enough. Capitalism in Canada is alive and well. They just have a lot of infrastructure that their tax dollars go to. I don't think communist country when I see a flag adorned with a maple leaf. Hockey, yes; Breadline, not so much.

But those of you who are still skeptical and believe that socialism is communism, I'll throw you a bone here. Red freakin' China. First off, they own our debt. That big screen TV, pair of Manolos in your closet, Trig Palin's Baby Gap jumpers - it all goes back to China. I'm not entirely sure what social programs the Chinese people have going for them but damn, that capitalism sure has run amuck in that country. Did you see the Olympics? But here is a country that not only owns our debt but can also demand payment of that debt in the form of military confrontation. Our industry and our education in America cannot keep up with theirs. If we keep going the way we are going now with the Republican policies of the last eight years and even beyond that still in place, we will be in serious trouble with this country. We need to think long and hard about that one. I mean really, do those Chinese symbols you have tattooed on your arm say "Faith, Love & Hope" or do they actually mean "Late Charges Now Due & Owing?"

My point is, Democratic socialism has been around for a long time, even in this country. The New Deal, Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, and President Bush's farm subsidies are social programs here in America. That $700 billion bailout with the government owning a stake in our banks that McCain and other Republicans voted for - Socialism. Those checks you Alaskans are getting back thanks to your non-socialist governor - Socialism. Vermont even has an independent socialist senator, Bernard Sanders, who won 65% of the vote. This isn't communism, folks. Communism is a totalitarian system of government in which a single authoritarian party controls state owned means of production. America, even with its social programs and controversial expansion of eminent domain law, isn't even close to becoming a Red Commie State.

We have serious problems in our country right now. Our infrastructure such as education and healthcare is falling apart. We have families without health insurance; graduating high school students who still can't read, write or do arithmetic; small businesses struggling to compete in this global based economy; and mothers and fathers watching their sons and daughters march off to die in an unpopular war. If solving these problems for the benefit of America is considered "socialist" then what the heck does keeping the same policies in affect for the next four years mean - "patriotism?" Please people, the only things Red in this election year are states (and that map is shrinking), McCain's face during a presidential debate, and Sarah Palin's red Valentino suit from Neiman Marcus.

Comments

[proreality]

charges of "socialism" coming from a bunch of fascists is a hoot. The only thing rich people create is false and inflated value on goods and services created by and on behalf of the rest of society. The upper classes are a parasites, a tape worm that feeds on the resources needed for the healthy functioning of society. For those who believe in the divine right of sovereigns, you are the anti-Americans. For those who believe in unquestioned allegiance to the nobility and the indentured servitude of man to an aristocracy, it is you who are deluded. A fair tax levied on corporations and a tax on all Wall St. trades, prosecution for off shoring, insider training and cronyism, and an end to excessive pay of executive's through a maximum compensation vs. worker's wage law would eliminate the tax burden of millions of Americans, would stem the greed that has destroyed this nation and would create opportunity for all American's. The rich would still live better than the rest of society and have more than everyone else. The difference would be more of society would have opportunity. Unfortunately there is 30% of America that is entirely to stupid to comprehend that and to utterly ignorant to recognize it.

[Ackerman]

The term "socialism" works kind of the same way as terms like "feminism" and "Christian". It means different things to different people. I'd like the McCain campaign to define this term when they use it.

If we're all Socialists up here in Canada, then long live "socialism"! Yeah, we have our problems, and we pay high taxes. But meanwhile, I enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world, I drive to work on a street sans potholes, if I get sick tomorrow I can sashay into my doc's office (without worry that I'm about to bankrupt myself or my family), and I can take a ride on the Capitalist Machine whenever the fancy takes me. And if Celine Dion's voice wafts through the air I either a) put on my earphones or b) change the channel. Hey, don't be so hard on us. I have 2 words for you: Backstreet Boys.

[Andy764383]

"My point is, Democratic socialism has been around for a long time, even in this country. The New Deal, Social Security, Medicaid/Medicare, and President Bush's farm subsidies are social programs here in America."

And those are the very things busting the government budget and national debt. That simple point totally eludes you.

How typical.

http://blog.topicaltopics.net

[zanzig]

The bailout of the Wall St financial firms, and the trillions given in corrupt contracts under military spending to mates of the ruling party had nothing to do with the deficit, of course.

[artbyruth]

Socialism is "enforced equality" where those in government do the enforcing. There is the lie. We cannot all be equal.

Americans have no problem giving to charity when it is their choice. But to suggest that a President is going to forcefully take money from those who are successful to give it to those who are not working or who have not been successful is ridiculous and goes against all that Americans believe:

Work hard get paid. Don't work...you don't eat.

Obama wants to punish those who are successful even though he has benefited greatly from capitalism. He is better off now than he was 4 years ago. He got rich during the Bush years!

But that's ok for him. He is above the rest of us. So, he knows what is best for us and how to handle our money better than we do.

NO THANKS! I do not want government to handle my money any longer nor my health records.

McCain/Palin 2008!!!!

[sarana]

The economic truth is that socialism does not work in a free market economy. Public schools are a good example, public housing is a better one. But that's the least of Obama's problems with disenchanted democrats.

http://tdg.typepad.com/heidi_lis_potpourri/2008/10/which-is-more-repugnant-the-misogyny-or-the-silence-about-the-misogny.html

[DorightWoman]

Thank you for addressing the biggest reason why so many are up in arms against Obama and for McCain...... the pro-McCain people keep talking about how Obama wants to socialize the U.S. I guess I didn't "get" that message at the debate like others did. I didn't hear Obama say that. Thanks for clarifying how I can express this to the other side.

Now, I know someone who lived in Canada for 4 yrs. and she was not impressed with how the heatlh care system worked there... and the lack of choice of food items and options for shopping compared to here.

[DallasMike]

Redistribution of wealth is Socialism.

[Willow712]

No, redistribution of wealth is called taxation. socialism is the country owning all of the utilities, railroads, etc. and using the profits from those companies it owns to help the lower classes get closer to the higher classes. "The Red Tide" anybody remember that movie? I used to have to watch it in school during the cold war. socialism is such a scarey word nowadays, in reality, its Sweden, Norway, Canada, France and England. The great majority of our allies are Socialist countries, and their standard of living far exceeds ours.

[CricketGirl]

I'm sorry? The lack of food choices? Where was your friend living? In the far north where trucking or flying in fresh produce and milk is horrendously expensive and thus limits the choices? Otherwise... not so much.

I've just finished dinner with friends. We started with a warm mushroom salad made with three different kinds of locally grown mushrooms served on focaccia made in a neighbourhood bakery with organic, and local, rosemary. Then grilled lamb, raised by my friend Susan on her farm just 20 minutes from my house, with roast potatoes, onions and turnip (the onions were the 'sweet' kind and from away, but the others, again locally grown. Dessert was peach pie (picked it up at the local farmers' market this morning when it was still hot out of the oven) and vanilla ice cream, made by a creamery 40 km from my front door, which supplies ice cream for about half the country.

And no, I don't live near any major urban areas. It's a 3 hour drive from here to Toronto.

Your friend sounds like a whiner who couldn't see the blessings and joys of living in a country where people don't have to declare bankruptcy because someone developed cancer, even if there are terribly long waits sometimes to see doctors. Universal medical care has problems, but it's much, much better than the alternative for most working people.

[JTCan]

Are you kidding me??? I am American...I've been living in Canada for over 20 yrs and the health care here is great. I would have been bankrupt with my kids sports injuries,my broken hip and my daughter's mulitple surgeries as a result of a car accident. Lack of food items??? HA...I used to live in the hills of Tennessee....only way I ate good was having my own large garden. The US could learn ALOT from their neighbor....like being automatically registered to vote when they turn 18...sure saves a bunch of voter registration fraud. Or saving tons of money on elections by only campaigning for about 5-6 weeks. You would never even have known there was an election here last week....people ONLY talk about Hoping Obama gets elected. Wake up.....

[canucklivinginUSA]

Btw, its Molson, not Moulson. Just thought I would correct you on that.

[MJinCanada]

Hi there! I'm writing this from Saskatchewan, the original hotbed of democratic socialism in Canada, and part of the true North strong and free.

Sorry about Celine Dion. There are hundreds of other Canadian entertainers to make up for her though"Mike Myers, Sarah Oh, Carrie Ann Moss, Paul Schaffer...

Hey, did you know that it was it was Kiefer Sutherland's granddad who founded Medicare in Saskatchewan? Yep. Look up Tommy Douglas in Wikipedia.

It bugs me every time the Republicans bring up the socialism thing. It makes them sound so old. And insular. Look out your window and see Canada, eh?

Our provincial governments generally run health care more or less directly, and auto insurance and utilities like natural gas, electricity and telephone, at arm's length through "crown corporations." All citizens are theoretically shareholders in these crowns, which are sort of responsible to us. They maintain the infrastructure well and profits are reinvested into the system.

All sectors are open to free enterprise. There is even competition with government services. To be honest, I, like many Canadians, feel the real threat to free enterprise and competition are the big box stores and mega-corporations that drive out small businesses and suck the diversity out of communities.

Sorry for the long post, but I just want to get the point across that socialism isn't a real threat. It's just another way of doing things.

[AngryCenter]

Not to mention Canada's banking system, which is HEAVILY regulated and - surprise, surprise - holding up better than any other G8 country's right now.

In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of them coming down here and gobbling up our banks on the cheap. Toronto-Dominion WaMu anyone?

[JTCan]

great post...thanks for putting my thoughts into words.