Do you believe there are socialists in Washington?

[StorminNorman]

Done and done.

 

[Star]

No.

#1 Athiests are pure evil.

#2 Mexicans are pure evil.

Then its socialists, communists and hippies.

*

I fit this description almost perfectly! Except Canadians are probably seen as even WORSE then Mexicans

 

[Schlosser85]

I'm not sure whether to feel offended or proud that StorminNorman deems me to be pure evil.

 

[Jack O Lantern]

Are you now or have you ever been...

What's the big deal with this "news?" Socialism is not evil, it is not Communism. Great Britian is a socialist state to certain degree. How is this any more important or discussion worthy than finding out there is a Republican or Democrat in Washington?

 

[bell110]

Are you now or have you ever been...

What's the big deal with this "news?" Socialism is not evil, it is not Communism. Great Britian is a socialist state to certain degree. How is this any more important or discussion worthy than finding out there is a Republican or Democrat in Washington?

It really isn't. Labeling things just makes it easier to vilify something or someone.

 

[Kelly]

It is a question being asked by many Americans, written about in many magazines, and reported on by many news organizations....so why wouldn't we discuss it here?

 

[The Major]

I don't care what the motive is, it's wrong. I don't think the American taxpayer should be bailing out these companies.

You'd rather risk the American economy becoming a third world country over it?

When companies become "too big to fail", we are all hurt.

True. Which is why they never should have been able to get that size in the first place. Now we have save them or we go down with them.

Wall Street didn't balk about getting bail-outs until Obama started enforcing rules on it.

 

[The Major]

It really isn't. Labeling things just makes it easier to vilify something or someone.

That depends on many things. People do have labels they choose to have. Political parties do this to distinguish between each other. Villifying comes into context. Calling someone a liberal can be a slur, but if they are a proud liberal they will wear it as a badge of honor. The problem comes when people don't understand what they're saying. This is seen in the documentary Right America Feeling Wronged.

 

[Jack O Lantern]

It is a question being asked by many Americans, written about in many magazines, and reported on by many news organizations....so why wouldn't we discuss it here?

It's not so much we're discussing that there are socialists in Washington, it's that people are acting like Socialism is an evil ideology. The impression I get is that some people would like a witch hunt.

 

[The Major]

It's not so much we're discussing that there are socialists in Washington, it's that people are acting like Socialism is an evil ideology. The impression I get is that some people would like a witch hunt.

Many people not understanding socialism is another factor. It's just a buzz word to use against liberals and Democrats for them.

 

[MaskedManJRK]

I see what he means, but I think we have different interpetations of what the socialist's intentions are.

When the more right-wing people think of "socialist," they seem to think of some Dr. Evil type person, who wants to take over the world because they are evil. If anything, I think of "socialists" more like the modern interpetation of Lex Luthor that thinks that the bad things he does is for a "greater good" that doesn't really exist.

And don't act like there aren't any socialists in the Republican party. They just give their handouts to their friends and campaign contributions.

 

[Kelly]

Well, a friend of mine moved here from France, and the main reason was the direction of their government. So he's not happy right now with what he's seeing here....

 

[Jack O Lantern]

Proof enough I guess

 

[Kelly]

Nah, not proof....he's just seeing something building that he left, and its kinda disconcerting...

 

[Kelly]

Nah, not proof....he's just seeing something building that he left, and its kinda disconcerting...

 

[The Major]

Nah, not proof....he's just seeing something building that he left, and its kinda disconcerting...

What's building? From what I've seen from Sarcozy he's the French Obama. Sarcozy is a socialist for those who don't know.

 

[Kelly]

What's building? From what I've seen from Sarcozy he's the French Obama. Sarcozy is a socialist for those who don't know.

My friend has been here for 10+ years, he wasn't there under Sarcozy.

And that's weird, because I've heard that Sarcozy is the French Bush....

His actions during the Algerian Immigrant problem a few summers ago, had Bush written all over it.

 

[The Major]

My friend has been here for 10+ years, he wasn't there under Sarcozy.

And that's weird, because I've heard that Sarcozy is the French Bush....

He didn't give that impression at the U.N. speeches on C-Span a few weeks ago.

His actions during the Algerian Immigrant problem a few summers ago, had Bush written all over it.

I'll have to look into that.

 

[Kelly]

He didn't give that impression at the U.N. speeches on C-Span a few weeks ago.


I'll have to look into that.

Source: New York Times (2005)

The violence has isolated the country's tough-talking, anticrime interior minister, Nicolas Sarkozy, whom some people blame for having worsened the situation with his blunt statements about ''cleaning out'' the ''thugs'' from those neighborhoods.

France has been grappling for years with growing unrest among its second- and third-generation immigrants, mostly North African Arabs, who have faced decades of high unemployment and marginalization. Critics say Mr. Sarkozy's confrontational approach has polarized the communities and the government.

 

[The Major]

It was, I believe Summer of 2007??? I could be wrong, but he was very much shoot from the hip. I'll look for some sources.

Thank you, Kel.

 

[voyzovrezon]

The term socialism was thrown around a lot during the McCain/Palin campaign. It was a good scare tactic to use to convince people that because Obama supported a decrease in taxes for the middle class by raising them for the rich, that he was acting like a man who wanted to take over all private corporations and institutions and put everything under government control---like Stalin and Hitler. Soon afterward, people were comparing Obama's speeches to Hitlers. Then they started stock piling guns because the NRA started a campaign warning that Obama would take away your guns---like Pol Pot.

That's what "socialism" means to right wing conservatives. Am I right?

 

[psychocheeseman]

I'm sure there are a few socialists in the White house, just as i'm sure there's a few fascists around as well. But that's not necessarily a bad thing, we live in democratic nations after all and all people have the right to their own political beliefs. Problems do arise depending on the strength and substance of these beliefs (i.e extreme socialists of merely democratic socialists, or conversely full on fascists compared to those who merely believe one group ruling may be more efficient...okay i'll admit it the fascist example isn't so good - as even a fairly moderate fascist can be pretty scary)


The real question should be, is there anything wrong with socialists, providing they're respecting democracy how could having a few around hurt?

a bit of variation helps the political dialogue continue, raises questions others might not have thought of, look out for the interests others may have forgotten etc. If anything a little variation can only enhance the development of public policy.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Socialism isn't that bad.

I think the closet fascists in Washington are much greater threat to freedom and American ideals. Higher taxes on the rich to increase health care benefits and education is not a threat to freedom.

The red scare in Washington is just the republicans using fear tactics yet again to discredit the president's policies.

Bush spent like there was no tomorrow. He got a free pass because because he lowered taxes on the rich instead of raising them. So as long as you spend without taxing the rich it's ok to spend like crazy. Who cares if if doing so boost the deficit and indebted your grandchildren? As long as you don't tax the rich it's ok to overspend.

That's no better than socialism. In fact it's worst.

 

[Malice]

As long as you don't tax the rich it's ok to overspend.

Um no.
Everyone is so wrapped up in iraq.,..I don't think anyone is trully paying attention.

By Obama's plan, I am probably getting a tax cut....for a year...but then it will have to go back up...I just think Obama is full of it and don't trust a damn thing coming out of his mouth. He is a socialist...lets admit it a move on.

 

[Malice]

The term socialism was thrown around a lot during the McCain/Palin campaign. It was a good scare tactic to use to convince people that because Obama supported a decrease in taxes for the middle class by raising them for the rich, that he was acting like a man who wanted to take over all private corporations and institutions and put everything under government control---like Stalin and Hitler. Soon afterward, people were comparing Obama's speeches to Hitlers. Then they started stock piling guns because the NRA started a campaign warning that Obama would take away your guns---like Pol Pot.

That's what "socialism" means to right wing conservatives. Am I right?

Yes and no....its a label used to scare conservatives...yes...because the point of socialism is that the rights of the community are more important than the rights of the individual.......
some conservatives really like their hunting...guns...and personal freedoms.

Its an election ploy to get someone even more fired up.