Comments on: Republicans Make Socialism Appealing

By: r€nato

r€nato — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:51:39 +0000

If Republicans really mean what they say about the evils of socialism, then they need to make the following part of their platform:

abolish Social Security
abolish Medicare
abolish the VA medical system

all of these are socialism in action. Most Americans will look at you like you are crazy if you tell them that, but it is the stone cold truth. We have socialism in America, not much of it but it is there.

And we like it, so long as you don’t tell us what it really is…

By: Von Cracker

Von Cracker — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:31:53 +0000

Jason is soooooo correct. The venom in which the Right/GOP uses the word ’socialism’ is no different than any racial slur commonly used by its supporters.

Obama’s a socialist!

Why is that? Didn’t he just bail out all the big banks, etc, and gave up the chance of nationalizing them in the process?

No! He’s taking money from the rich and giving it to the lazy socialists who hate this country!

Ah, I see…you just want to call Obama a ni**er but are too afraid to do it. It’s all clear now.

By: jason330

jason330 — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:20:53 +0000

Not knowing what “socialism” means, and considering the fact that no white Democratic President has ever been accused of being a “socialist” has led some to concluded that the conservatives are simply using it as an epithet in place the N word.

By: Perry

Perry — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 17:11:39 +0000

Good point, and I agree.

Their meaningless buzzword approach is finally failing the GOP, because their present audience, a tense and struggling American populace, no longer responds to them. On the contrary, the polls show a strong response to Obama, who uses the simple tactic of explaining, which he did very well yesterday at Georgetown.

It seems that the GOP is afraid to change in spite of the obvious need for it.

Instead, they gamble that their buzzword approach, together with No, No, No, will work for them in 2010. Party over country, that’s what it is. It will not work, even if the outcomes of the Obama policies have left some holes by then.

By: pandora

pandora — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:47:14 +0000

True enough, Perry. My point is that Republicans – through all their screaming – have made socialism appealing. They are the ones responsible for results of this poll – which, btw, doesn’t really prove anyone actually knows what socialism is. What it does show is that a lot of Americans no longer view socialism as a bad thing.

Which, given all the attention the GOP has placed on the term, equals an epic fail. I say that because it’s only the Republicans invoking and defining the word.

By: Perry

Perry — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:39:38 +0000

Well spoken, Pandora!

It’s called the politics of polarization and fear, which makes use of certain buzzwords, like “socialism”, and “evil”, to scare people, as per Repub pioneers like Lee Atwater and Karl Rove, followed like lemmings by today’s GOP.

Their power has evaporated, but they still don’t know it, as they have not changed, only worsened.

You are so right, Pandora, their mantra still is not working, especially with the younger folks.

If Obama and the Dems were socialists, they would have long ago nationalized the banks as a start, and would be working on nationalizing other means of production and service.

In truth, Obama is far from being a socialist. I would classify him as a centrist who has committed himself not only to reinvigorate free enterprise capitalism, but to address and control their excesses that have led us into our current economic crisis.

For now, it looks like the policy debates will occur with the Dems in Congress, because the Repubs have pretty much opted out!