Unfortunately, Barack is no Socialist
During this campaign season which resulted in a victory for Obama, (and in my estimation a victory for America as well) certain words were used (or implied) to describe Obama, both by the McCain campaign and its supporters. Words such as, Arab, (apparently according to McCain you can’t be a decent family guy and an Arab too), Elitist (apparently spending 250k on a wardrobe for a couple months is something normal folk do), “Associates-With-Domestic-Terrorists” (though only one supposed domestic-terrorist was ever named), Unpatriotic (because those who vote him aren’t from REAL America, and he doesn’t wear a lapel on every damn suit he puts on)…though I suppose John McCain making propaganda tapes for the Viet Cong is very patriotic. However, the one word or label that couldn’t quite apply to either candidate, though used quite freely by the McCain supporters and campaign was “Socialist.”
The word socialist is loaded will all sorts of connotations (and none of them are good in America), but mainly the images drawn up in American minds are…something foreign, un-American, godless, and also related to Soviet style Communism. This a very interesting technique, they used a word that most Americans don’t really understand what it REALLY means. So, in order to help Americans (manufacturing consent) they associated it with “spread-the-wealth” and so, the Republican right ate this up and used this phrase more than “Maverick” and “Joe the Plumber.” What I suppose the first question to ask is, whats so wrong about spreading the wealth?
According to statistics, the top one percent owns about 38 percent of the Wealth. So, about 3 million people in America own 38 percent, while the remaining 302 million people own just the remaining 62 percent. That is misleading to a certain extent because the top 20 percent owns over 80 percent of the wealth. So technically 80 percent of America owns 20 percent of the wealth. Currently the wealth distribution divide is the largest since 1929 (that wonderful year). Clearly something is wrong with this, as 58 million Americans voted for John McCain…now, unless all of them are in this top 20 percent (which would be roughly 60 million people)…or these people are voting for an economic system that keeps them within a significant majority that owns an alarmingly small amount of the wealth. How can they possibly defend such a system while it clearly is counterproductive to their own existence?
Well, after searching and asking quite a few Republicans, (some of those were amongst that 80 percent) there are two reasons, one, if we change this system it would be “Anti-American/Capitalism” and secondly (related to the first) it would end the American dream of being filthy rich. Let us explore both of these answers, first up…spreading the wealth is “Anti-American/Capitalism.” Some use the words American and Capitalism interchangebly, and well…that is flat out wrong. Ok, for starters, what does it mean to be American? Personally, I think Jefferson hit on the head with one statement; “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” I would argue that defending the principles of, equality, liberty and the ability to pursue happiness are what it means to be American. I cannot see anyone really disagreeing with that. As Jefferson goes on to say, governments are created by men in order to protect these principles. Now, let us apply such a definition of American to the current wealth distribution, and the desire to conserve the status quo (aka the goal of the modern Republican party.) The wish to conserve this unequal distribution is not American, it is quite frankly the antithesis of what it means to be an American. Supporting an inherent inequality within any system that results therefore in an inequality of opportunity is simply un-American. Secondly, what about Capitalism, isn’t that as American as Chuck Norris? Well, taken literally and without any nonsense involved, capitalism does not, has never, and will never exist. It is just as idealistic as Communism, (perhaps even more, as it assumes we all live in a vacuum.) Capitalism is guided by the self-interest of a select few, and it assumes that whats better for the rich will somehow become whats good for the poor as well. The events of the past few weeks make the case far better than I can. Capitalism is plagued with violent swings, and the people who lose both times are the common people (80 percent of America.) Unregulated capitalism fails horribly, and a quick look at the latest Wall Street Journal or CNBC will make that case convincingly. America does not stand for exploitation, because, to put it bluntly, America does not stand for exploitation. Voting for an imaginary future is beyond absurd.
So what can we take from that? Well, the main thing I was hoping for is, an improved system of taxation is not un-American. Spreading the wealth around a bit more is not just a stance of radical Socialists, but it is the stance of any sane-minded person who realizes that creating such a rigid class structure based on purely economics is an unhealthy activity. We simply cannot sustain a system like the one we have created, and we now have two options. Either we let it crumble, or we repair it with a little reform, and much of that reform requires a smarter tax plan and more regulation of business.
Now, with that spread-the-wealth charge out of the way, lets explore this Obama = Socialist charge. I think a good modern Socialist Party is the current one that exists in America, the SPUSA. Lets just compare their stances on International Policy with Barack’s and see where there is any agreement.
The SPUSA wishes to shut down all military training in the US, the removal of all troops in the Middle East, ending US foreign relations with Israel and also destruction of all weapons. What does Obama want? Well, he wants to continue the war in Afghanistan, simply moving troops from Iraq to Afghanistan, increasing the military budget, and heavily supports Israel as well as keeping America as the most powerful military in the world. There is absolutely no overlap in the international policy whatsoever.
That of course is just the most profound difference, but feel free to head over to their website: SP-USA and also to Obama’s and just check how much overlap there is. Or you can save yourself the time and I’ll just tell you…there is no overlap.
Ignorance and Naivety; Those are the only ways to associate Obama with Socialism, and likewise, it is the only way for one to vote Republican.
Tags: american, barack obama, capitalism, capitalist, john mccain, patriotism, president, socialism, socialist, united states
I am a Secular Leftist and Anti-Theist with a goal to explore and discuss any topic or person which is interesting and relates to politics or religion in a modern world. For a longer about me, click on the about me.