Obama's No Socialist. I Should Know

[trickblue]

Link

Obama's No Socialist. I Should Know.

“The funny thing is, of course, that socialists know that Barack Obama is not one of us. Not only is he not a socialist, he may in fact not even be a liberal. Socialists understand him more as a hedge-fund Democrat -- one of a generation of neoliberal politicians firmly committed to free-market policies.”

-Billy Wharton

By Richard Ivory

Some years ago I attended a lecture on Constitutional Law sponsored by the Republican Club of Columbia University. The speaker, a Republican held certain legal theories considered Fascists to others. As a result many student groups showed up to protest the entire event.

After the event a few of us invited the speaker to join us for dinner to discuss the speech further. In attendance was a certain gentlemen who announced to the group that he was the President of Columbia University's Fascist Student Association on campus. After nearly choking on my sandwich I watched with awe as he explained how the ideals of Fascism could save America. He stated that the only real problem with Fascism was that it was (and I quote) “greatly misunderstood”.

Now, at first we were all convinced that this was some joke but after a while we realized that the guy was serious; he was, indeed, a Fascist! What made all of this ironic was that prior to the speech there were signs in front of the auditorium calling the Republican speaker a Fascist who by now was arguing with a true Fascist.

I mention this only to say that while President Obama has many policies we Republicans disagree with it does not make him a Socialist. He may be many things but Socialist is not one of them. In truth if the prerequisite for being a Socialist is the taking over of and regulation of banks and out of hand spending then surely Bush fits this definition.

The Washington Post, however, has a great piece on a person who can claim fame for actually being a true Socialist and has sought to set the record straight. Some how reading this article reminded me of the situation at Columbia University some years back. The article entitled “Obama’s No Socialist. I Should Know” is by Billy Wharton a New Yorker and a proud member of the Socialist Party USA. His article is an eye opener as he seeks to separates myth from fact in his defence of pure Socialism.

In mentioning this article I hope to help folks see the difference between Obama's economic policies and that of a true die hard Socialist. I recall many a day shaking my head as liberals unfairly and viciously taunted President Bush with terms like Fascist and Nazi. Of course now that Obama is in office these same folks are "shocked" that there candidate is also being called similar things.

In a free and open society we are all entitled to passionately critique and protest any Presidents policies. Never the less we should be equally as passionate in making sure that such critique's are justified. I would encourage anyone to read this article to see whether or not Obama is truly a Socialist and not what Billy Wharton referenced him as "Nothing more than "a hedge-fund Democrat -- one of a generation of neoliberal politicians firmly committed to free-market policies.”

[Temo]

The most interesting articlese on this forum often get the least attention :p

[WoodysGirl]

Originally Posted by Temo

The most interesting articlese on this forum often get the least attention :p

Well if the thread title was, Obama's a socialist, then we're talking 5 pager.. (that's with 40 posts per page)

[Hoofbite]

Originally Posted by WoodysGirl

Well if the thread title was, Obama's a socialist, then we're talking 5 pager.. (that's with 40 posts per page)

You should change the title to "Proof Obama is a Socialist" and see how many people come in here posing without even reading the article.

[trickblue]

Originally Posted by Hoofbite

You should change the title to "Proof Obama is a Socialist" and see how many people come in here posing without even reading the article.

lol foxnews lol...

[arglebargle]

Trick's on a roll with his interesting article posting.

Some good stuff.

[Temo]

Originally Posted by WoodysGirl

Well if the thread title was, Obama's a socialist, then we're talking 5 pager.. (that's with 40 posts per page)

True on any forum, anywhere on the internet. True of media in general, actually (not just anti-Obama, anti-Conservative as well)

[SuspectCorner]

Originally Posted by trickblue

lol foxnews lol...

It's too soon to let that one go, huh?

[Jordan55]

Good thing that Government jobs are on the way!


California's unemployment rate soared to its highest level in more than 30 years in March, climbing to 11.2 percent as 62,100 jobs vanished, official figures showed Friday.
US Department of Labor figures showed the number of unemployed increased sharply from 10.6 percent in February, giving California the highest jobless rate in the nation behind Michigan, Oregon and South Carolina.

The California figures contrasted with a national jobless rate of 8.5 percent in March. The new jobless figures are the highest since records first began to be released in 1976.


In the 12 months since March 2008, California has shed a total of 637,400 jobs, the figures showed.

[Common Sense]

Psh. I'll believe the words of Glenn Beck over some socialist any day!

[SuspectCorner]

Originally Posted by Common Sense

Psh. I'll believe the words of Glenn Beck over some socialist any day!

"I see a new username in your future..."

[burmafrd]

Does not matter what he is its what he does. And if he acts like a socialist and does like a socialist then he is one. I would love to know where the term"walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then its a duck" came from.
Have to laugh at those that claim he is not liberal. OF course many somehow became persuaded that Hilary was not liberal as well.....

[sbark]

and we acuse Jerry Jones of throwing out smokescreens near draft day.......

Depends what your definition of "is".......is........

http://www.answers.com/topic/socialism

Political Dictionary: socialism Top
Home > Library > History, Politics & Society > Political Dictionary



A political and economic theory or system of social organization based on collective or state ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Like capitalism, it takes many and diverse forms.

[arglebargle]

Originally Posted by burmafrd

Does not matter what he is its what he does. And if he acts like a socialist and does like a socialist then he is one. I would love to know where the term"walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, then its a duck" came from.
Have to laugh at those that claim he is not liberal. OF course many somehow became persuaded that Hilary was not liberal as well.....

Well, the duck thing may come from this... going to have to continue checking though. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/32573

I think the whole point of the article was that he didn't walk or govern like a socialist. And they got a bona fide socialist to explain it.

But then, to paraphrase the comment on Adolph Coors; You think that anyone to the left of Attila the Hun is a liberal, ie, hard core socialist.

[arglebargle]

Originally Posted by sbark

and we acuse Jerry Jones of throwing out smokescreens near draft day.......

Depends what your definition of "is".......is........

http://www.answers.com/topic/socialism

Political Dictionary: socialism Top
Home > Library > History, Politics & Society > Political Dictionary



[View Full Quote]A political and economic theory or system of social organization based on collective or state ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange. Like capitalism, it takes many and diverse forms.

According to that broad stripe, there isn't a government in the world that isn't somewhat 'socialist'. And there probably hasn't ever been one.....