The 'Socialism' attack on President Obama

[ChaosInTheSky]

Lately, many have accused the President Obama of embracing Socialism . As someone who was once a member of the Communist Party, I have researched Socialism/Communism for years. I think this quote best sums up my feelings about it now:

"How do you tell a Communist? It's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. How do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who UNDERSTANDS Marx and Lenin." -Ronald Reagan.

Having said that, after I did my research, I understood how unfair, and how damaging the idea of Socialism/Communism is. I now consider myself a proud Libertarian, and am a huge opponent of gigantic government.

My question is: if Obama is 'the farthest thing from a Socialist' as some of his supporters claim, how do you explain this?
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/1054/1/157/

As a former member of this party, I can attest that most of it's members were ECSTATIC when Obama won the Presidency, and some called him "The best chance our party has".


If Obama does not hold Socialist ideals, why did he say this?

"One of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still suffer from that." -Barack Obama


Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

[Ban my account ffs!]

Lately, many have accused the President Obama of embracing Socialism . As someone who was once a member of the Communist Party, I have researched Socialism/Communism for years. I think this quote best sums up my feelings about it now:

"How do you tell a Communist? It's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. How do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who UNDERSTANDS Marx and Lenin." -Ronald Reagan.

Having said that, after I did my research, I understood how unfair, and how damaging the idea of Socialism/Communism is. I now consider myself a proud Libertarian, and am a huge opponent of gigantic government.

My question is: if Obama is 'the farthest thing from a Socialist' as some of his supporters claim, how do you explain this?
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/1054/1/157/

As a former member of this party, I can attest that most of it's members were ECSTATIC when Obama won the Presidency, and some called him "The best chance our party has".


If Obama does not hold Socialist ideals, why did he say this?

"One of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still suffer from that." -Barack Obama


Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

As opposed to authoritarian and overtly religious corporatist ideals?

Hell yes.. I prefer socialism over that any day.

[ChaosInTheSky]

Lately, many have accused the President Obama of embracing Socialism . As someone who was once a member of the Communist Party, I have researched Socialism/Communism for years. I think this quote best sums up my feelings about it now:

"How do you tell a Communist? It's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. How do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who UNDERSTANDS Marx and Lenin." -Ronald Reagan.

Having said that, after I did my research, I understood how unfair, and how damaging the idea of Socialism/Communism is. I now consider myself a proud Libertarian, and am a huge opponent of gigantic government.

My question is: if Obama is 'the farthest thing from a Socialist' as some of his supporters claim, how do you explain this?
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/1054/1/157/

As a former member of this party, I can attest that most of it's members were ECSTATIC when Obama won the Presidency, and some called him "The best chance our party has".


If Obama does not hold Socialist ideals, why did he say this?

"One of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still suffer from that." -Barack Obama


Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

As opposed to authoritarian and overtly religious corporatist ideals?

Hell yes.. I prefer socialism over that any day.

Could you please explain yourself a little better and maybe provide a source?

[Franzl]

Lately, many have accused the President Obama of embracing Socialism . As someone who was once a member of the Communist Party, I have researched Socialism/Communism for years. I think this quote best sums up my feelings about it now:

"How do you tell a Communist? It's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. How do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who UNDERSTANDS Marx and Lenin." -Ronald Reagan.

Having said that, after I did my research, I understood how unfair, and how damaging the idea of Socialism/Communism is. I now consider myself a proud Libertarian, and am a huge opponent of gigantic government.

My question is: if Obama is 'the farthest thing from a Socialist' as some of his supporters claim, how do you explain this?
http://www.cpusa.org/article/articleview/1054/1/157/

As a former member of this party, I can attest that most of it's members were ECSTATIC when Obama won the Presidency, and some called him "The best chance our party has".


If Obama does not hold Socialist ideals, why did he say this?

"One of the, I think, the tragedies of the civil rights movement, was because the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change, and in some ways we still suffer from that." -Barack Obama


Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

Well obviously Obama is closer to being a communist than McCain. The Communist Party approving of his election doesn't mean anything.

I bet you anything the Nazi Party (or whatever they call themselves) prefered McCain to Obama....does that make McCain a Nazi?

[ChaosInTheSky]

Very good point, their support of him means not much. But did you actually read the article? They support him because of his Socialist ideals.

And by the way, the Nazis were far more liberal than conservative. Hence the term: National SOCIALIST Party.

For more on this: I suggest you check out Liberal Fascism by Jonah Goldberg. Before those accuse him of being a Republican propaganda lunatic, he lists all his sources in the end of his book. None of it is false.

[Franzl]

Nazism has absolutely nothing to do with modern liberalism, nothing at all.

[ChaosInTheSky]

Nazism has absolutely nothing to do with modern liberalism, nothing at all.

Well duh, modern liberalism doesn't support the mass murder of ethnic groups. Or war mongering. Or even nationalism. Of course it doesn't support that.

But the Nazis weren't all about that. Go research some of their policies and then come back to me and tell me the same thing. Nazism is rooted in Liberalism. Again, National SOCIALIST party. Socialism is LEFT of the political spectrum. The Nazis took over every private industry in Germany. Does that sound like anything Conservative to you? It sounds like Socialism to me.

[Franzl]

Nazism has absolutely nothing to do with modern liberalism, nothing at all.

Well duh, modern liberalism doesn't support the mass murder of ethnic groups. Or war mongering. Or even nationalism. Of course it doesn't support that.

But the Nazis weren't all about that. Go research some of their policies and then come back to me and tell me the same thing. Nazism is rooted in Liberalism. Again, National SOCIALIST party. Socialism is LEFT of the political spectrum.

Does that mean the Democratic Republic of North Korea is a democracy?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

First of all, learn a differences between communism and socialism, man

[Franzl]

First of all, learn a differences between communism and socialism, man

I don't see much difference, but it doesn't have anything to do with Nazism

[ChaosInTheSky]

First of all, learn a differences between communism and socialism, man

Well gee, since you're so informed, why don't you explain them to us?

Marx stated that Socialism is a stepping stone to Communism. This in in the Communist Manifesto.

[ChaosInTheSky]

First of all, learn a differences between communism and socialism, man

I don't see much difference, but it doesn't have anything to do with Nazism

Again, the Nazis took over all the industry in the private sector. THAT WOULD BE SOCIALISM, would it not?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Hence the term: National SOCIALIST Party.

No. No. No. Not this again.

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No. No. No. Not this again.

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lol

Even first year undergraduates do that.

[ChaosInTheSky]

Hence the term: National SOCIALIST Party.

No. No. No. Not this again.

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No. No. No. Not this again.

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lol

Even first year undergraduates do that.

And if you check the source, it's credible.
Why don't you explain yourself a bit more instead of just disageeing?

[Franzl]

First of all, learn a differences between communism and socialism, man

I don't see much difference, but it doesn't have anything to do with Nazism

Again, the Nazis took over all the industry in the private sector. THAT WOULD BE SOCIALISM, would it not?

Sharing certain traits doesn't make ideologies have anything to do with each other. The intention was obviously very different, and it seems obvious that Nazis never intended for their state controlled businesses to "serve the people" (or insert random socialist phrase).

Again, are tough-on-terrorist conservative Republicans fascists for adovacting indefinite detention at Guantanamo? Your answer might be yes, but I would also disagree with that. Merely sharing a certain point of view doesn't indicate actual similarity.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Again, the Nazis took over all the industry in the private sector.

Don't think that IG Farben was ever nationalised.

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Well, no actually (was de Gaulle a Socialist?) but that's for another day.

[ChaosInTheSky]

Nazism has absolutely nothing to do with modern liberalism, nothing at all.

Well duh, modern liberalism doesn't support the mass murder of ethnic groups. Or war mongering. Or even nationalism. Of course it doesn't support that.

But the Nazis weren't all about that. Go research some of their policies and then come back to me and tell me the same thing. Nazism is rooted in Liberalism. Again, National SOCIALIST party. Socialism is LEFT of the political spectrum.

Does that mean the Democratic Republic of North Korea is a democracy?

Kudos on that, very good point.

[Vepres]

Obama's a liberal with socialist tendencies, but he is far from the stereotypical western European socialist. Sure, he's a socialist relative to our country's political center, but that isn't really that scary, unlike real socialism.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

Yes.

But Obama's certainly no Socialist.

[ChaosInTheSky]

Again, the Nazis took over all the industry in the private sector.

Don't think that IG Farben was ever nationalised.

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Well, no actually (was de Gaulle a Socialist?) but that's for another day.

Dude, your answers aren't providing to any side of this. Could you maybe say a little more than two lines worth? And then maybe give us some proof as to what you are saying?

[ChaosInTheSky]

Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

Yes.

But Obama's certainly no Socialist.

How on earth do you think Socialism is good for a nation that was founded on Capitalist belifes? Please explain.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

And if you check the source, it's credible.

Umm... yes, I would certainly hope so. This is also true of the work of (most) first year undergraduates. I do hope that he didn't just cite secondary material.

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Because the Nazis = Socialist canard isn't worth wasting much time dismissing. No one (no one honest anyway) with a basic knowledge of early 20th century German history takes it seriously.

[Franzl]

Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

Yes.

But Obama's certainly no Socialist.

How on earth do you think Socialism is good for a nation that was founded on Capitalist belifes? Please explain.

I'm by no means a socialist, but what do the beliefs upon which the nation was founded have to do with what's "good for the nation"?

[Marokai Backbeat]

Basically what I'm asking is, to those of you on the left: do you really think that Socialist ideals are a good thing for America?

Yes.

But Obama's certainly no Socialist.

How on earth do you think Socialism is good for a nation that was founded on Capitalist belifes? Please explain.

Because I happen to like a basic social safety net, the post office, the fire department, financial assistance to the elderly and disabled, a highway system, Medicare & Medicaid, public education.. among other things.

I'm by no means a socialist, but what do the beliefs upon which the nation was founded have to do with what's "good for the nation"?

Yeah, that too.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Dude, your answers aren't providing to any side of this. Could you maybe say a little more than two lines worth? And then maybe give us some proof as to what you are saying?

I like to assume a certain (pretty basic, actually) level of knowledge from other people. I assume that anyone writing about the Nazis knows what IG Farben was, for example. I also assume that anyone who posts on a political board knows who de Gaulle was.