Socialist is an Ugly Word

This week on the Fox cable news show "The O'Reilly Factor", Bill took what I consider to be a bold move by asking his viewers to answer the question of whether they thought that President Obama was a socialist. The response was decidedly in agreement with the question. It is a fair question that many citizens of our nation are beginning to ask. It has absolutely nothing to do with the Presidents ethic background but everything to do with political and economical theories.

In an article entitled "Why Do We Fear Calling Obama a Socialist?, noted author, columnist and former speech writer for Senator Bob Dole, Douglas MacKinnon presents the argument that there is nothing wrong with the identification of the Presidents political persuasion and questions why the media wants to dodge the question. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "socialism" as "Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods".

It would be in total denial not to recognize that the current administration has exhibited these traits by taking over the supervision of some of our largest banks; by completely taking over the administration of two of the three largest automobile companies in the United States by "saving them" from collapse. The administration wants to take over one fifth of our economy by passing legislation for a government-run national health care system, and certainly made it quite clear that redistribution of wealth from the "elite" to the poor levels the playing field for all.

Fortunately, our Republic allows everyone the freedom of speech and President Obama has every right to call himself a Socialist. However, the President has not been forthright with the American people and resists any attempt to be called a "socialist" or "ideologue". Most likely because of the negative labels. Stalin of the Soviet Union and Hugo Chavez of Venezuela come to mind. As Douglas MacKinnon points out, it is a matter of political survival and "the same reason the far-left duplicitously runs from the word "liberal" and now substitutes "progressive." Marxism has been characterized as the overthrow of a country through revolution whereas Progressivism is done through small incremental steps. President Obama and the progressives of this nation might very well succeed but it would be proper to call them what they are... Socialists. The American people need to know the truth.