Obama as a socialist?

[superborys]

I used the search function and none of the results for "Obama" jumped out as asking that question, so I guess I'll ask it.


Once again the American public, used to having their idiot politics fed to them in a spoon by foolish, unintelligent figureheads, have resorted to bashing their new president, because he's not a 60-something white republican.

One of the trends that I'm seeing catch on is that Obama is a socialist, plain and simple, but I am seeing nothing that even remotely reminds me of socialism, other than his forced healthcare bill. He won't repudiate that insane AZ immigration law, he's driving the economy into the ground, and he's trying to promote a capitalist-alliance with China.

However, there are some things that make me think this is true: I recently had someone tell me that Obama has said one of his favorite 'philosophers' was Mao Zedong. I parody the word philosopher because he wasn't, he was a revolutionary. Regardless of his classification, I do think that having a Communist leader whose ideals were so groundshaking a large part of Communism is named after him merits a degree of socialism.

So, the question remains: Is Obama a socialist, or is he putting on that moniker for another purpose?

[Crux]

Just because he hung out with the CPUSA in college that doesn't make him a socialist. I mean there are examples of people who were actually members of socialist organizations that have spun much farther to the right than Obama. Also I seriously doubt that he, today at least, would say that his favorite philosopher is Mao. What's your source on that one? Even if it is it doesn't really make much difference, obviously.

[Rusty Shackleford]

Just because he hung out with the CPUSA in college that doesn't make him a socialist. I mean there are examples of people who were actually members of socialist organizations that have spun much farther to the right than Obama. Also I seriously doubt that he, today at least, would say that his favorite philosopher is Mao. What's your source on that one? Even if it is it doesn't really make much difference, obviously.

i know this is kind of off topic but there is no law for mentioning mussolini (socialist turned fascist) like there is that other law about mentionig a certain other european ww2 head of state who happened to be one of the founders of the axis, right?

[The Vegan Marxist]

http://www.revleft.com/vb/showpost.php?p=1666434&postcount=1

[NoOneIsIllegal]

Hedge-fund capitalist, supports troop increases in Afghanistan, weak on health care, not fully supportive of LBGT, doesn't support workers taking over factories or even nationalizing main industries, and the list just drags on.

It's a compliment to even call him a liberal...

[RadioRaheem84]

Jeanne Kirkpatrick and Elliot Abrams were part of some youth socialist league, then they turned into unapologetic neo-cons. What does that say about former "socialists" in office today?

Obama is barely a liberal. He is a New Democrat Clintonian type.

[Crux]

i know this is kind of off topic but there is no law for mentioning mussolini (socialist turned fascist) like there is that other law about mentionig a certain other european ww2 head of state who happened to be one of the founders of the axis, right?
Haha, I wasn't even thinking of Mussolini, but good point. Those poor swiss socialists that saved his ass back in the day must have felt some regret a couple of years later. But I was thinking more like guys like say David Horowitz, or that former RAF member that's now in the NPD, his name eludes me. The point is whetever Obama had sound political views back in college is pretty irrelevant looking at his present day record

[The Vegan Marxist]

Haha, I wasn't even thinking of Mussolini, but good point. Those poor swiss socialists that saved his ass back in the day must have felt some regret a couple of years later. But I was thinking more like guys like say David Horowitz, or that former RAF member that's now in the NPD, his name eludes me. The point is whetever Obama had sound political views back in college is pretty irrelevant looking at his present day record

I think his past is still with him. But to me, it doesn't matter what your views is, once you come into power within the State we have now, you play by their rules, not yours. The reason I say he probably still thinks a little bit from his past is because this is the man who at least allowed a Communist in his cabinet to help bring about more environmental homes, & this is the man who has a Che Guevara flag in his office. :thumbup1:

But yes, definitely not a socialist when it comes to his rulings while in office.

[9]

Obama is not a socialist at all; he is the head of the most powerful capitalist state on the planet - that should tell you all you need to know. He represents a greater enemy and a greater threat to the working class than every living 'Tea Partier' and middle class fascist and bigot in the country combined.

As for this:



Originally Posted by superborys
I am seeing nothing that even remotely reminds me of socialism, other than his forced healthcare billI would suggest that you are very misinformed about the meaning of the word 'socialism' if you think the 'healthcare' bill has anything at all to do with it.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

One of the trends that I'm seeing catch on is that Obama is a socialist, plain and simple, but I am seeing nothing that even remotely reminds me of socialism, other than his forced healthcare bill.

The health care bill is not even a single payer system. It simply mandates that people have private health insurance. Really, it shouldn't remind you of socialism.


So, the question remains: Is Obama a socialist, or is he putting on that moniker for another purpose? I don't think Obama is trying to make himself look socialist at all. The notion that Obama is a socialist is coming from right-wing anticommunists. Groups like the Tea Party, Fox News "journalists", and Republicans call Obama a socialist or a Marxist to scare people and continue the charade where we let the other capitalist party (the Republicans) govern us, as if they were any different. And of course, the ruling class has been misinforming people about socialism for a very long time, so we get people who don't understand a thing about socialism or class analysis, they just think it means Hitler and gulags.


I think his past is still with him. But to me, it doesn't matter what your views is, once you come into power within the State we have now, you play by their rules, not yours. The reason I say he probably still thinks a little bit from his past is because this is the man who at least allowed a Communist in his cabinet to help bring about more environmental homes, & this is the man who has a Che Guevara flag in his office. :thumbup1:

Van Jones, while he might be progressive in linking the struggle of the poor with the environment, is no communist, even if he was before. Check out this article: Van Jones: "Indeed, we are witnessing the slow death of the Earth-devouring, suicidal version of capitalism. We’re even seeing the birth of some form of “eco-capitalism.”" (http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=230)

[ed miliband]

His favourite philosopher is not Mao - it's Reinhold Niebuhr, and that should completely answer your question as to whether he is a socialist or not.

[The Vegan Marxist]

Van Jones, while he might be progressive in linking the struggle of the poor with the environment, is no communist, even if he was before. Check out this article: Van Jones: "Indeed, we are witnessing the slow death of the Earth-devouring, suicidal version of capitalism. We’re even seeing the birth of some form of “eco-capitalism.”" (http://www.colorlines.com/article.php?ID=230)

Actually, it seems as if he's implying that this new "eco-capitalism" is coming about in our time & age, which is only coming as that slow devourment takes place on the environment. He even attacks the cap-n-trade on that article.

[9]

@ Fly Pan Dulce:

I agree with your comment in general but I don't think you are entirely correct about this:

The notion that Obama is a socialist is coming from right-wing anticommunists. Groups like the Tea Party, Fox News "journalists", and Republicans call Obama a socialist or a Marxist to scare people...There are certainly organizations which pose as "socialist" or "communist" but which, in reality, serve as the far left base of the Democratic Party and as such, have been publicly supportive of Obama in various ways.
An example would be the Democratic Socialists of America which, though adopting a more negative view of Obama since, initially supported his candidacy, albeit 'critically' (whatever that means).
Then you have e.g. some of the leadership of the Communist Party USA who are very soft on Obama and in general seem to have a quite positive view of him and who defend him from his critics, who are denounced as "ultra-lefts" for criticizing him*.

Its probable that the far right would portray Obama as a socialist regardless, because that is how the far right in the US tends to portray most 'socially moderate' bourgeois politicians. But there are most certainly self-proclaimed "socialists", who are not actually socialists but who identify themselves as such, who either are presently or were initially supportive of Obama or who advocated voting for him in some capacity (idiots like Chomsky, for example) who add a whole other dimension to the confusion over this matter.


*lol

[RadioRaheem84]

I think the right wing confuses social democrat with socialist and even then they're way off linking it to Obama.

[Lacrimi de Chiciură]

But there are most certainly self-proclaimed "socialists", who are not actually socialists but who identify themselves as such, who either are presently or were initially supportive of Obama or who advocated voting for him in some capacity (idiots like Chomsky, for example) who add a whole other dimension to the confusion over this matter.

That is a good point. But has the CPUSA or Democratic Socialists ever actually claimed that Obama was/is a socialist? I think for them he was just the "lesser of two evils" or that he would allow for more room for change than say, John McCain, and that that somehow warrants voting for him.

[ed miliband]

I think the right wing confuses social democrat with socialist and even then they're way off linking it to Obama.

I started a topic about how (in the UK at least) social democracy = socialism in the eyes of both the right and the establishment left.

[GPDP]

I think the right wing confuses social democrat with socialist and even then they're way off linking it to Obama.

Unfortunately, it's worse than that. It's not even about a confusion with social-democracy with these goons. Truth is, the "right-wing" in this country (which doesn't say much, as most politicians here are right of center, so when we say "right-wing" we usually mean the far-right lunatic wingnuts who are so prevalent in the Republican party these days) considers anything to the left of them as socialist. I've even heard the likes of Bush and McCain referred to as socialists by these crazies.

So it's not about a confusion of terms. It's simple irrational fear-mongering and shrewd propaganda for the purposes of taking down a political enemy.

[KurtFF8]

I think his past is still with him. But to me, it doesn't matter what your views is, once you come into power within the State we have now, you play by their rules, not yours. The reason I say he probably still thinks a little bit from his past is because this is the man who at least allowed a Communist in his cabinet to help bring about more environmental homes, & this is the man who has a Che Guevara flag in his office. :thumbup1:

But yes, definitely not a socialist when it comes to his rulings while in office.

Obama's past was hardly a leftist one. In law school I believe he was considered quite conservative for example.

I have seen absolutely no evidence to point that Obama was even a reformist social democrat in his past.

And as for the "Communist in his cabinet," I'm assuming you're talking about Van Jones, who used to be a leftist, and later advocated "eco-capitalism" and maybe even turned into a 9/11 truther? Hardly evidence of Obama's secret plan to bring socialism to the United States

[The Vegan Marxist]

Obama's past was hardly a leftist one. In law school I believe he was considered quite conservative for example.

I have seen absolutely no evidence to point that Obama was even a reformist social democrat in his past.

And as for the "Communist in his cabinet," I'm assuming you're talking about Van Jones, who used to be a leftist, and later advocated "eco-capitalism" and maybe even turned into a 9/11 truther? Hardly evidence of Obama's secret plan to bring socialism to the United States

Oh I know he brings nothing socialist. That's why I provided the link as my first answer to this thread.

[28350]

Obama, if viewed only by his actions, is an American centrist - ie. he is more conservative than plenty of 'democrats'.

[Antifa94]

@ superborys
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!:mad::mad::mad::mad: OBAMA IS NOT A SOCIALIST/LEFTIST.

hope that answered your question.