Will Barack Obama Turn the US into a Socialist Country?
62What Obama wants to do.
No, Obama will not turn the U.S. into a socialist country. He is too smart and too ambitious to try such a thing. First of all, he will naturally want to win re-election, and any socialist policies would be unpopular with the people. Also, he cannot pass any laws without a majority of the Senate and House of Representatives passing them, and all those members of Congress also have to face the people to get re-elected. So the idea that Obama could single-handedly make America communist or socialist is just not possible.
The reason for your question is probably a comment Obama made some time ago about wanting to "spread the wealth." However, his policies are intended to help middle class people have better paying jobs and less of a tax burden. They are not intended for the government to take over the "means of production," which is the classic definition of a socialist government.
Worried about the economy? Find out how to Survive the Recession Now..
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Whilst I agree with your logic, your definition is incorrect. The state owning the means of production is the definition of Communism. Socialism, whilst the two are frequently conflated by the more strident voices on the extremes of American politics, is not Communism, just as Capitalism is not Fascism.
The fundamental principle of Socialism is the viewpoint that the government must provide some kind of "social safety net" to prevent its citizens falling below a certain standard of living, no matter how they got into the mess they are in or whether or not they somehow "deserve" that help.
That being the case and America being largely a Centerist nation, I suspect this country is already more "Socialist" then its right wing is ever likely to acknowledge.
There may be no precise, universally accepted definition of socialism. My dictionary defines it thusly:
1. POLITICAL SYSTEMS OF COMMUNAL OWNERSHIP a political theory or system in which the means of production and distribution are controlled by the people and operated according to equity and fairness rather than market principles
2. MOVEMENT BASED ON SOCIALISM any of several movements or theories of the 19th and 20th centuries, typically advocating an end to pribate property and the exploitation of workers.
As I said, Obama doesn't fit the above definitions of socialism. Plenty of Republicans as well as Democrats support various "social safety nets" such as Social Security, Unemployment Compensation, Medicare, Medicaid and the like which do not qualify in the strict sense as the term is used by most economists. Others do use the term more loosely to include social safety net programs most of which have been in effect and supported by Republicans and Democrats since the 1930s. However, despite these widely supported programs the United States has never been considered a "socialist" state, welfare capitalist, yes, but not socialist.
Most people today agree that the market system works better than a socialist centrally planned and regulated economy. Neither Obama nor any of his advisers can accurately be called socialists in the sense of the word as used by most economists or political scientists.
I agree with you 110% it is amazing that people tend to state issues that in some many ways are complete nonsense. They should do their homework. Good Article~~
Obama's ideas of "spreading the wealth" are clearly socialistic. These are the ideas that sprung up about this time 100 years ago that lead to the formation of the Soviet Union.
It a reaction to an equally bad idea of unregulated finanical dealings. Each idea is dangerous. The problem with his tax plans is that they punish success.
My 20th centry hero is Nelson Mandella. (See my Jesus hero post someplace around her.) Mandella had the opportunity to punish the people who persecuted him for 25 years. But he knew that it would be better for everyone to have true equality of opportunity. Many people expected Mandella to punish the "rich", but he did not, because he knew it would ultimately hurt everyone. That takes uncommonly strong character.
Despite his skin color, Obama does not have the historical bonds of slavery to overcome the way Martin Luther King dreamed. He is not the decendant of slaves who finally made it to the top. So, I can only hope he is truly sincere when he references Mandella and King.
Hating wealthy sucessful white people is just as wrong as hating poor people of color. It would be better to provide opprotunties for people to succeed equally rather than making people equal by punishing success. Nobody can force anyone to fulfil their potential. But the potential can be stolen. That's a sad way to be "equal". I hope Obama is truly like Mandella.
thanks great discussion
Thanks for your thoughtful comments and civil discussion, everyone. I want to address one comment by BDazzler, who said "The problem with his tax plans is that they punish success."
Obama wants to roll back Bush's tax cuts on those making over $250,000/year to their levels under Ronald Reagan. Does this make Reagan a socialist too? Did Reagan punish success?
It astonishes me that people think Obama is a socialist because he wants to return taxes to Reagan-era levels--when our country's most significant move toward socialism is the $700 billion bailout taking place right now. Our government is taking an OWNERSHIP stake in the companies it is bailing out! That is far, far more socialist than anything Obama has proposed to do (although, to be fair, Obama and McCain both voted in favor of the bailout). If you oppose socialism, call Congress and President Bush and tell them to stop it already.
you mentioned that Obama wants to work in a bipartison manner. How does selecting the notoriously non bipartisan Rahmbo Emmanuel as his first appointment fit in with your assessment and his promise?
Rahm's job as Chief of Staff is to make sure the internal workings of the White House run smoothly, not to negotiate with Republicans on policy matters.
Besides that, Emmanuel's instincts were centrist in the Clinton administration. He does have a reputation of being a tough guy, but not a leftist, let alone a socialist.
Barack Obama runs a tight ship, and he hates leaks, rumors, infighting, and anything else that shows a lack of discipline among his team. I think choosing Emanuel as Chief of Staff was to help keep Obama's own administration in line. I agree that he isn't really an idealogue; he just has a very strong personality. Perfect for keeping order among the staff.
"Obama wants to roll back Bush's tax cuts on those making over $250,000/year to their levels under Ronald Reagan. Does this make Reagan a socialist too? Did Reagan punish success?" Regan did not cut taxes enough. I admit, Regan was a little too liberal for my taste sometimes. ;-) (j/k) ... Do you remember what it was like under Carter? Double digit inflation and double digit unemployment? Regan had a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.
I don't know about you but I LIKE the fact that the man who owns my company is making a lot of money. That means he can afford to pay my salary and not lay me off.
If Obama raises his taxes, where do you think he's gonna go to get the money? He might just lay me off.
" our country's most significant move toward socialism is the $700 billion bailout taking place right now. "
Yeah, that was a pretty bad plan. Not thrilled with that at all.
Obama won't have to roll back anything. Most of the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2% of Americans will expire automatically in 2010. Then we will be back to where we were under Reagan, Bush I and Clinton, more or less. However, once the recession is over other tax increases may be necessary to continue funding the two foolish wars we are in and the increasing cost of Medicare and other programs which appear to be supported by a majority of Americans.
andryia says:
14 months ago
He also has talked at length about wanting to work in a bipartisan manner, and will likely include Republicans in his cabinet. That doesn't sound very socialist to me!