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Not a Socialist

Here is another small entry.  This is solely to debunk the silly notion that President Obama is a socialist.  It is made again and again by those on the radical right.  Unfortunately, others keep buying in, I fear because they do not pay attention to any outlet that doesn't spew conservative dogma.

So, here are the basics.  Socialism means to advocate government or employee ownership of industries. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism )  If the steel worker gets his paycheck from the state, and not from a private owner, that is socialism for steel production.  If all hospitals are run by the government (see England), that is social medicine.  If, on the other hand, doctors work for private hospitals who are paid for their services by various customers, including the state, this is not socialism.  If everyone received health insurance through the state, we would have socialized health insurance (but not socialized medicine).  Of course, we don't even do that.

What it appears people do is hear "more government" and use "socialist" as a shorthand term for that.  That might be fine as a redefinition if they didn't try to keep all the old baggage from the original definition, including its links to communism and to failed government policies.

The funny thing, of course, is that the Socialists say that President Obama is not a Socialist. (http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2009-11-01/news/chi-perspec1101socialismnov01_1_countercyclical-policies-moderate-democratic-president-inequality-and-insecurity )  He's way too capitalist for them to consider that he is even close to being a socialist.  But somehow the Sarah Palins and Rush Limbaughs of the world know better.  It reminds me of those arch-conservatives that say that Islam is a violent religion, then when practicing Muslims say it is not, the right winger will say, "Well, they aren't a real Muslim then."  One of the things I'm pretty sure about Islam is that the Quran says that it must be read in the original (not in translation) to be understood -- I'm guessing, though, because I haven't read it in the original Arabic.

Anyway, the President is a capitalist.  He has suggested some increases in government, such as the Affordable Care Act.  That doesn't make him a socialist.  Going to a socialist conference in college doesn't make him one, either.

For grins, here are a few other links on the subject:

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