The problem with calling Obama a socialist.

[Adam Griffin]

For all practical purposes, I consider all countries 'socialist' as there is always a mixture of public and private influence over the economy. It's all shades of gray, with capitalism and communism never actually existing in the history of the world. Even in countries like Somalia and North Korea, you see elements of both public and private influence.

Hard-line socialists would say that ownership and regulation are two very different things and that regulation does not constitute socialism. As someone who considers himself a socialist (based on my above definition), I would like to see less regulation and more direct competition through the government in areas such as energy and other utilities. It would keep markets competitive by allowing government to directly compete through production as opposed to regulation.