americans voted for socialism when voting for Obama

[grantt]

Good old Al.....tell it like it is. Amen!

 

[andysayshi]

Americans have a bizarre and unfounded fear of words like "socialism", despite a reliance on socialized programs that provide police, fire brigades, the military, roads and other civil works, education, Medicare, Medicaid etc etc.

Obama is so far from a Socialist relative to global politics that the inference is laughable.

 

[JB3]

Americans have a bizarre and unfounded fear of words like "socialism", despite a reliance on socialized programs that provide police, fire brigades, the military, roads and other civil works, education, Medicare, Medicaid etc etc.

Obama is so far from a Socialist relative to global politics that the inference is laughable.

It doesn't matter what he is in reference to global politics. What matters is what he is to Americans, and whether his politics are moving america further to the left than previous leaders. To put it frankly, we don't give two shits about whether you think he's a socialist, because you're viewing it from the outside and not from within. (and without the experience of what it was like with previous presidents)

And just for the record, I don't think Obama is socialist either. Its just laughable to me to see non-americans trying to tell Americans what their politicians are or are not.

 

[SoulSearcher]

the cat is out of the bag. liberals have ran away from being labeled "liberal" for years. now they run from "socialism"

good for rev al Be proud and upfront as to who you really are

btw-- i'm not anti-socialist. most things are good in moderation

Anyone who has any knowledge of the world knows that Obama and his party is anything but Socialist, not even close. I think a lot of kookoos are still stuck in the days of the fear mongering and witch hunts of the Cold War.

 

[desmond]

Thanks, I thought I knew what I had voted for. Funny that Repubs are the antigov subversives now?

 

[opinterph]

… To put it frankly, we don't give two shits about whether you think …

Its just laughable to me to see non-americans trying to tell Americans what their politicians are or are not.

Laugh if you must, but I dare say that andysayshi is better informed about American politics than most Americans.

 

[andysayshi]

^ Thanks Opinterph! I'll just add for the record that I've lived and worked in the US, have plenty of friends living there, and visit as often as I can - usually once a year or so. My work requires communication with the US daily. Political discussion is often on the agenda with my American friends, so I'd like to think I have more than a casual bystander's insight into US politics.

 

[Sausy]

many of his policies are rooted in socialism however

if i had to label him i would say he is a statist but it is really hard to pigeonhole anyone

Social democrat,socialist lite whatever have you...America is more center right in its politics compared to Europe,but Obama clearly seems to be a very comfortable activist social democrat.He does see unlike those more head on socialists/progressives or whatever they call themselves that he has to take a step back to get two steps forward.But no doubt if the country were more apt to turn sharp left he would be far more openly aggressive in enacting his agenda.

He listened to Nancy Pelosi who of course would have supported a more government centered health policy but at least reads the tea leaves(and adamantly wanted Obama to get as much as he could on this attempt),not Rahm Emmanuel ,his own chief of staff who wanted the president to focus on targeted,achievable but less broadly ambitious programs including health care.He's simply going as left as he canas is his nature until(a huge if)it is more palatable politically to go full tilt.

As much as we Americans should appreciate understanding other nations systems it would be equally important for foreigners trying to understand America to appreciate our experience as independent and unique from a purely European experience.So when one outside America critiques America from their own perspective,realize you need to learn the dynamic of what makes America.Good and bad...like your own national/cultural dynamics.Our individualistic ethic is far from perfect but underscores why we tend to lean center/right and distrust socialism.

 

[Sausy]

^ Thanks Opinterph! I'll just add for the record that I've lived and worked in the US, have plenty of friends living there, and visit as often as I can - usually once a year or so. My work requires communication with the US daily. Political discussion is often on the agenda with my American friends, so I'd like to think I have more than a casual bystander's insight into US politics.

All good,but your perspective as well as your friends may illuminate your overall take on American politics...why we aren't like like the rest of the West.You know Americans,and you discuss the issues of the day but do you know America?

 

[desmond]

His agenda? Sorry, again I say maybe we knew what we were voting for?

 

[Kulindahr]

I see a trend here toward a problem that occurred in another thread: the gap between those who use terms in relative manners and those who stick with dictionary definitions.

By the first measure, Obama is about as socialist as the Doberman down the street. By the second, he's mildly socialist.

But then, by the second, anyone willing to take a Social Security check come retirement is a mild socialist.

 

[Sausy]

I see a trend here toward a problem that occurred in another thread: the gap between those who use terms in relative manners and those who stick with dictionary definitions.

By the first measure, Obama is about as socialist as the Doberman down the street. By the second, he's mildly socialist.

But then, by the second, anyone willing to take a Social Security check come retirement is a mild socialist.

Oh,his instincts are more than that of an retired pensioner.Of course we aren't as institutionally socialistic as Canada or Europe is,or as Labor wants to take Australia.But please Kuli,Obama is not just a social democrat dilettante.Red Rubber Ball may be the most accurate of all in terming Obama a statist.Too many of the things Obama supports have a top down,federal government centered bias...he can't get what the far left wants but coopts corporations and other interests to gain a strong federal foothold.Cap and trade,green jobs,a wasteful stimulus package,health care...he's going for as much as he can get.This forum being more leftward oriented obviously is going to think me misguided at best and a damn fool idiot more likely but the truth is Obama is a pragmatic social democrat whose more leftward base wishes he would get a spine and govern full tilt left.He goes for what he can get,and I believe he sincerely thinks he is doing the right thing for everyone.

I just happen to think as a more moderate/conservative Democrat(who indeed voted for Obama proudly and was moved and jubilant over the first scenes shown from Grant Park in Chicago when the election was called for him)Obama is not what we voted for.He had alot of support from moderates and independents(indeed he couldn't have won without them)who took him at his word as a true reformer,change agent,beyond the petty partisanship of old.Instead,he is more of the same,but on a grandiose scale.His big government slip,call it statist or social democrat or socialist lite is showing.

 

[Telstra]

Americans have a bizarre and unfounded fear of words like "socialism", despite a reliance on socialized programs that provide police, fire brigades, the military, roads and other civil works, education, Medicare, Medicaid etc etc.

Obama is so far from a Socialist relative to global politics that the inference is laughable.

they fear the word "social" LOL
they love "anti-social" then ............

 

[desmond]

Be social in your community. Sorry you didn't know what you were voting for.

 

[JB3]

For Droid800:



Also, I don't encounter too many people who understand the distinction between communism and socialism.

There ya go

Oh I know what socialism and communism are and how they're different. I also know that Obama is nothing approaching a socialist. Statist maybe, but even that would be a stretch. The cold war pretty much destroyed any meaning that the term had in the US, which is why we're where we are today.

 

[MystikWizard]

Is Joe McCarthy still living and I just wasn't aware of it? His politics are certainly back in play once again, regardless.

No different than McCarthyism.

Hell, it's no different than the Salem Witch Trials.

Just call everyone a Socialist and just hope it sticks by taking advantage of people's irrational fear of the word "Socialism". I dare say half the people who utter this garbage can't even provide an intellectual response as to why they are so opposed to Socialism that they come across like a bunch of frenzied lunatics.

But Glenn Beck and Hannity will do that to those that solely rely on FOX for their "news coverage" and Rush for their radio listening.

 

[MystikWizard]

I never knew Al Sharpton was now a spokesperson for ALL the Democrat voters. He must have been appointed that when he was "appointed" to be the spokesperson for all Blacks living in the country.

dude, you didnt even read the OP muchless watch the video

you are equating rev al to joe mcCarthy

and on edit you're saying rev al been watching too much hannity, beck & limbaugh . too funny

Very mature there, RedRubberBall. You are pretty swift, gotta give you credit.

Sorry, I don't respond to trolls. Ask Nick Cole.


EDIT: After your comments below, yeah you are now on Ignore, too. Congrats.

Calling me on my shit? LOL.

 

[Seasoned]

Fear of labels, fear of policies, fear of being out of power--where does any of it get us? If someone doesn't like the socialist features of the US, then they ought not cash in on them. PS Elections have consequences.

 

[JB3]

I never knew Al Sharpton was now a spokesperson for ALL the Democrat voters. He must have been appointed that when he was "appointed" to be the spokesperson for all Blacks living in the country.




Very mature there, RedRubberBall. You are pretty swift, gotta give you credit.

Sorry, I don't respond to trolls. Ask Nick Cole.


EDIT: After your comments below, yeah you are now on Ignore, too. Congrats.

Calling me on my shit? LOL.

RRB is far from a troll. You just call him one because he posted something you disagree with.

 

[construct]

Pres. Obama is far from being a Socialist. We do not have a viable Socialist party in America. By viable, I mean one that can actually win anything. I wish we did. I'd probably join it.