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Obama is constrained by political realities that 'real' socialists dont have to contend with. No matter how far to the left he is in reality, he can only govern as far left as he can gain a majority. So while socialists may condemn him for not being socialist enough, he can only be as socialist as the voters allow him to be.
If Obama is not a Socialist then you can be relatively certain that he is not a Communist either. That aside, I'd be more likely to trust a devout Socialist to identify fellow Socialists then a disgruntled Conservative who is prone to believe that there is a monster in his closest called 'Socialism.' And that is exactly what calling Obama a Socialist (or a Communist) is: a myth conjured in the imagination of the Far Right, which is unsurprising... after-all, when you're so Far Right it's not hard to see Communists everywhere.
If Obama is not a Socialist then you can be relatively certain that he is not a Communist either. That aside, I'd be more likely to trust a devout Socialist to identify fellow Socialists then a disgruntled Conservative who is prone to believe that there is a monster in his closest called 'Socialism.' And that is exactly what calling Obama a Socialist (or a Communist) is: a myth conjured in the imagination of the Far Right, which is unsurprising... after-all, when you're so Far Right it's not hard to see Communists everywhere.
Support your statement, or sit back down Potsy.
I don't like playing this game either but I will answer your question. The first example is getting national healthcare forced down the american citizens throats when most don't want it. This what communism is about in my circles.
I don't use the word socialism always because people will make these statements and say well, what about soc. security, etc. etc. Which is totally different from a national healthcare system. I'm always against bigger government.
http://www.historicalchristianity.com/my_weblog/2009/11/how-to-brainwash-a-nation.htm
　
Here are the four steps:
Demoralization (immorality, basically getting everyone used to it, thinking it's normal, and moral people are the bad folks)
Destabilization (of the economy, politics, etc.)
Crisis (caused by immorality and destabilization, which replaces the old government with a new controlling regime)
Normalization (as everyone gets used to the new regime)
http://www.hermes_press.com/brainwash1.htm
***The term communist is not defined as an unhappy conservative.
People use the word Communism more and more these days, and every time they do, all they are really saying is "I don't know what to say, so I am going to say something wild to hide my ignorance."
So to all those terrified of the coming Red Revolution, let's see the evidence. What is actually Communist in the US. Keep in mind your examples will be subjected to actual definitions of Communism. If you are wrong, it will be pointed out, people will talk about how you do not know what you are talking about, you will probably feel bad, and you will look foolish. This is the price of an opinion.
So where are the examples...?
I don't use the word socialism always because people will make these statements and say well, what about soc. security, etc. etc. Which is totally different from a national healthcare system. I'm always against bigger government.
It just seems to me that you laid a trap for those unsuspecting or without a clear understanding of what Communism is. The question, "What is Communist in the US?", is a bit unfair to ask.
Nothing in the US today is what anyone could actually call Communist.
Are some of the policies proposed by the current administration Socialistic in nature? Yes.
Could some of these policies create an economic crisis in the not-too-distant future? You bet.
It just seems you have presented a sort of "loaded" question, here.
Not really. Communism has some set definitional precepts. Expecting people to know the definition of a word before using it is hardly unfair.
Completely agreed. So why do people use the word when it does not apply?
Not at all. Very, very, very, very little in the US is Socialist. It is simply a word people like to use.
Potentially. This is not a characteristic of Communism or Socialism, however.
They are only loaded if the person has no idea what they are talking about before talking.
No, it's not unfair to expect people to know what Communism is.
Probably to make a point using the most distasteful word they can think of. Kind of like calling conservatives Nazis, I guess. It is not the proper meaning of the word, but people use words like these to make their point in the most emphatic way they can, even though it's wrong. Once in a while someone, like yourself, calls them on it.
As things sit today, you could say very little in the US is, in fact, Socialist. The Health Care program as proposed by the current administration as it is today, is not Socialist. In 2014 when the entire program kicks in, that would be as close as you can get to Socialized Medicine as you can get. I would say it would then be a Socialistic program.
The welfare program is somewhat socialistic, though not entirely.
Some would make a case that 'cap and trade' is somewhat socialistic.
That has yet to pass, so we can't say it exists at this point. If that were to get through congress, I'd bet my bottom dollar that Obama would sign it into law.
What many people are afraid of, is that we are headed down a path that embraces Socialistic ideals. Not all are bad, necessarily, but when a nation gets too far down that path it's difficult to do a U-turn and get back out of it.
True, it isn't a characteristic of either. By getting to that point, however, with no way to cover the costs, it could result in hyperinflation. When that happens, it would seem the next likely steps would be toward more Socialism.
It just seemed that if anyone tried to actually "answer" your challenge, they were doomed before they got started.
I agree with you that people throw around these words too easily. Many do it purposely. Many more do it because they don't see the subtle differences between the two systems.
The article has statements from socialists that "Obama is no socialist". They may be right. He could still be a Communist. I'm not saying he is, just pointing out that just because a Socialist denies that Obama is one of their own, means littl
For the "far right" to say Obama acts like a socialist is really not too far off. Most of his policies are pretty far "left". Like the old saying, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck,......". What makes the "right" nervous is more than just Obama being some kind of "closet Socialist", it's also the fact that many in Congress share the same opinions. Things look to them like the "closet" door is now open and many of these left leaning politicians are more open with their Utopian vision.
So you are telling me that the only thing Communist is the actual Communist Party, which has no power, holds no authority, and is an insignificant movement, but THIS is what has so many pseudo-Republicans terrified of a Red Revolution?
If holding power and authority and being a signficant number is what's required in order to need to be concerned about something then why the concern over racism? After all The KKK and other white supremicist groups have no power or authority and are insignficant numbers.
Now, I suspect you'll say "but that's different because many who identify with some racist ideas ARE in power". Which is exactly the point when it comes to communism.
Are people claiming Communists are taking over Washington politics? Yes.
Why is communism so bad? Its just another political ideology. Seems like communism now is like calling someone a satanist. The only reason I see that we hate communism is because Russia was communist, and because they liked it, we must hate it. Its like two brothers disliking the others likes, just because the other brothers likes. Like because my enemy loves vanilla, I hate vanilla, chocolate is better.
I am no communist, or even close to that ideology. I have studied communism, but I reject the idea intellectually for logical reasons.
My question is why the stigmatization against communism in the culture at this day and age when Russia is no longer a treat?
Go live in North Korea for a couple of years, come back, and ask again.
Or even easier, go find some people who came here from Soviet Russia, Eastern Europe, Cuba, Maoist China, or North Vietnam, and ask them why they left there to come here. Ask them if there's any difference between living there and living here, or if it's "just another political ideology".
I think it actually says a lot. And quite frankly, I'd be more likely to trust Socialists to identify other Socialists then I would Conservatives. It hardly seems fair to offend Socialists, even if you disagree with them, by portraying Obama, a person who does not represent them, as a prominent figure in modern Socialism. It's not just unfair, it's dishonest.
His policies only seem far left to those who are too far on the right. In reality, there is very little 'Socialism' in Obama's healthcare policy as it currently stands. What's more, he's done little to nothing that we'd expect an actual Socialist to do: like nationalising all major industries or otherwise turning them over to the workers.
He hasn't abolished the Capitalist class. In fact, he's coddled them while attempting to appear like the champion of the ordinary man. You watch, the Obama Administration will come and go and nothing truly Socialist will have been implemented. Calling Obama a Socialist is nothing more than a dishonest ploy to devastate his reputation and portray him as the 'enemy of America's values'. There are better reasons to scrutinize the President than for political beliefs that people imagine he has.
I've actually met devout Marxists; the very same people that were planning to protest Obama's arrival in Australia, and their opinion of him is only subtly better than that of Bush! They still think he is yet another 'gear in the system', another 'Capitalist thug'.
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