Newspaper shows Obama belonged to Socialist Party

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


Hang on, BH. The information you presented leaves out some important facts.

Source: en.wikipedia.org...(United_States)

As for your definition of Social Democratic, there is this:

The party could best be described as social democratic in orientation, although party statements almost invariably used the terms "small-d democratic" or "progressive" instead. Its founders chose the name "New Party" in an effort to strike a fresh tone, free of associations with dogmas and ideological debates.

So if we look up "Progressivism" in Wikipedia (same source you cited) we see:

Progressivism is a term that refers to a broad school of international social and political philosophies. Politically speaking, progressivisms can be described as being socially liberal. The term progressive entered the lexicon of liberal thinking in late 19th century America, in reference to a more general response to the vast changes wrought by industrialization: an alternative to both the traditional conservative response to social and economic issues and to the various more radical streams of socialism and anarchism which opposed them.

Some other facts about the New Party include:

The New Party was founded in the early 1990s by Daniel Cantor, a former staffer for Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential campaign, and by sociology and law professor Joel Rogers as an effort to break with the largely unsuccessful history of left-leaning third parties in the United States.

There's your link to Jesse Jackson.

After a false start in New York, the New Party built modestly successful chapters in several states. Some of these chapters — such as those in Chicago and Little Rock — had their main bases of support in the low-income community organizing group ACORN, along with some support from various labor unions (especially ACORN-allied locals of the Service Employees International Union).

There's your direct link to Obama and ACORN through the New Party, ACORN of course now being investigated by the FBI for voter fraud.

reply to post by sos37

I think the closest link(in literal terms) is that all of the above champion civil rights...and...helping the lower classes. Helping the poor, who are looking for a hand-up and not a hand-out does just what you want anyways.....puts an end to the "welfare state". These people they are helping....need help to get that done.
I seriously don't see how these people are so terrible?

reply to post by Grafilthy

I see everyday all around me, people are struggling. All of the people I know are working class.....hard working people. They work their 40+ every week. I see people losing their cars, houses, and jobs.... I place blame on corporate America for their greed.

I know people are struggling grafilthy. I'm one of them. My company is in a major slowdown. My job is also in jeapordy. I feel the owner of the small company i work is keeping us for as long as he can...even though there isn't enough work for all of us to do. Half the days i go to work...i have no work. He's losing money and i generally think he's a good man. I've been losing a few hours a week..and i've been able to stay afloat. I live paycheck to paycheck just like so many of us do. I can't afford to miss a single day of work or i'm in huge trouble with my bills.

I'm not one of those people who have credit card debt...i don't even have a card. I don't own a house...i have to rent. It's not even an option for me right now. I have a truck payment and that's about it...and i struggle. I can barely afford my truck payment...why? Because my former employer...a larger company...relocated to Mexico. I made good money there...and i was fine moneywise. Why did they relocate? Cheaper taxes and salary.

I am know significantly underpaid based on my profession...but i have to stick with it because there is nothing else out there.

I don't agree with you at all on pretty much everything it seems...and i definitely do not agree with you on this issue.

The reason why people have a difficult time defining what socialism is...it's shown on the link to dictionary.com.

There are many different variations on the definition of the word. Many people view it in different ways. I haven't seen many people that have used the word on ATS that didn't at least comply with one of those definitions.

I just wanted to state that because i've seen numerous times people posting that someone else didn't know what the world Socialism meant.

I don't blame all of our situation on corporate greed. It's almost everyone. People getting into mortgages they couldn't afford...buying things instead of paying their bills and debt....our government (Rep and Dem) mostly corrupt and taking money from these businesses that were secretly failing. There is blame to go everywhere man. Our government puts the blame on corporate businesses to help take the heat off themselves.

reply to post by Grafilthy

Helping the poor, who are looking for a hand-up and not a hand-out does just what you want anyways.....puts an end to the "welfare state". These people they are helping....need help to get that done. I seriously don't see how these people are so terrible?

This is partly right. There are people out there who have been screwed by the system and are having a hard time....it's not their fault, but there are some that are the opposite. Lazy people are out there...and there are more than you think. I've known people like this. They sit on their ass and do nothing. If they need money they'll come running to you.

I've always believed that life is what you make of it. Sometimes you are down...sometimes you are up...but if you keep fighting...for the most part...you'll end up where you want to be. Some just don't have that...some are content with their lifestyle even though it pales in comparison.

I just don't think that hitting a certain threshold on your salary should dictate you paying more taxes based on your success...i've always believed that. I don't know anyone that looks at their check each week and says....Cool! Government took 1/3 or 1/4 of my check for taxes!! Worked some overtime? Government takes more. Oh...and here's some more money for social security that i'll never receive...and lets throw in alittle money for medicaid as well. I don't mind the medicaid though as often it is used for children of parents who can't afford insurance....for that i think it's good.

Oh my mother of god, Obama is NOT a socialist.


This site is so damn ignorant.

reply to post by Merriman Weir


But you can buy "socialist" costumes for Halloween. Plenty of stores sell Obama masks.

Edited to say, "Uh, oh!" It was a one line post and now it's not. Nanner nanner nanner!

[edit on 24-10-2008 by kyred]

What I am have been reading from all these posts, is that everyone wants the Truth but we consistently turn to the sources that are fabricating the lies in the first place. First of all: TURN OFF YOUR TVs!!!!!!! 'THE TV IS A LOADED GUN POINTED AT THE VIEWER'....one of the most alarming and awakening quotes I have ever read. What are we doing watching FOX of all outlets!! and MSNBC and CNN, AS WELL as every other media outlet you can think of, as they are all owned by FOUR CORPORATIONS. and WHO RULES the Economy, the World, OUR LIVES??? ....CORPORATIONS, and BANKS. Have we not noticed what has happened in the financial sector over recent months? Are we truly blind to the fact that we HAVE BEEN USED AS A PEOPLE? If we finally allowed ourselves to process, to learn, to EXIST FROM, TO BE FROM.... the Wisdom and Intuition of OUR HEARTS, rather our minds... There would be greater discussion and exchange about what we can do EVERYDAY, STARTING NOW, to create a different reality from what has been unfolding.. We would not have these doubts, fueled by our own personal fears, about WHICH Presidential Candidate is more qualified to heal our nation, and aid in the healing of our planet... YOU WOULD FEEL HIM!!! Because from my heart, only one exudes any resemblance to HUMANITY, INTEGRITY, and INTELLIGENCE... (and he doesn't twitch and blink spastically) [sidenote: having a BA and studying for MA in psych, let me me share, that behavior represents deceit, uncertainty, manipulation]
As NOV 4th approaches, please allow yourself TO BE, TO LET GO, TO RELEASE EMOTIONAL 'ROCKS', OF YOUR ENTIRE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. LET GO OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS OF YOURSELF, OTHERS, and LIFE. AND BEGIN A NEW. even if for a few hours, LET GO the fears, disappointments and anger, that hold you and each one of us in PROTECTION, which leads us to question... our true desires, to love and be loved. We fear of not having that Love, that 'Security' and another quote 'We have nothing to fear, but FEAR ITSELF' Let us turn to GROWTH for this one day, and asks ourselves to remember the time when we were young, we were NEVER TOLD TO SURRENDER. DO WE WANT THAT MAGIC BACK FOR OUR SELVES AND OUR CHILDREN? LET US OPEN OUR HEARTS. I INVITE YOU TO REMEMBER THE LOVE OF WHICH YOU ARE MADE. I Honor the Dvine in Each of You. Blessings.

Originally posted by Grafilthy

Sounds rather nice to me (personally). I am not sold on the the ills of cooperation very easily. I see everyday all around me, people are struggling.
All of the people I know are working class.....hard working people. They work their 40+ every week. I see people losing their cars, houses, and jobs....

I place blame on corporate America for their greed.

I agree. I think the vast majority of Americans also place the blame on corporate greed, including many people that instinctively flinch when they hear the word 'socialism'. But all they hear is McCarthy's 'reds under the bed' whispering and that's all they need to hear.

What has happened.....is there is no more blood they can squeeze out of a stone.
Middle class America is broke.
We didn't lose billions on Wall St....
We didn't start wars of aggression to raise the price of gas.
We didn't make banks do ANYTHING the didn't WANT to do out of their own greed....

Corporations did. They robbed us blind in the name of "free enterprise". We are nothing but fodder for their machine.....running 24/7.

They own us.

The least we can do is own them.

That's right. For years, the American public have been sold into the idea of a 'trickle-down pyramid scheme' where "you too can make good just like us gazillionaires" and you can if you have the right family connections and belong to the right clubs and went to the right universities &c.

Whilst people are being blinded by all this and the promise of the trickle down goodness, in the other ear, they're being told "not to listen to anyone else, all those bearded foreigners across the Atlantic are unGodly and not like 'you and me'. They have ridiculous ideas about taking away my God-given right to screw you into the ground whilst I add a couple of more zeros onto my projection for the final quarter. Now we don't want that to happen do we? I mean, if you roll that dice often enough, manage to hold down 4 jobs, pray to God you never get sick enough to have to spend what little you have on medical care you might - and I say might - end-up a few levels higher up the 'American dream pyramid scheme'. There's no guarantee though, and whilst I'm shaking your hand and saying 'well done!' I'm of course still emptying your wallet with the other hand".

Best of all, if Americans threaten to not play this game, the corporations and their friends have a fantastic trump card to play. They do this thing where they encourage everyone to think everyone is in it together, to nurture a love for a flag and for an idealisation of a country. So, if you dare to actually ask 'WTF?' you become unAmerican.

[edit on 25-10-2008 by Merriman Weir]

reply to post by TheAgentNineteen


Well, if American capitalism is what we are seeing right now, welcome socialism (which is not comunism)!!

The problem, at the end, is that they change words but the results are always the same.

reply to post by TheAgentNineteen


Everyone collecting Social Security is a "Socialist", benefiting from a Socialist program.

Better start watching those dens of Socialism, Nursing Homes, a lot closer, eh boob?

Originally posted by Marcus Calpurnius

Originally posted by budski
Given a choice between a candidate who recognises that government has a social responsibility to the electorate and one whose only loyalty is to maintain the status quo so that future bankers can mess up the world again, I know which one I'd choose.

Unable to win debates, present a coherent platform or appoint a VP with half a brain (going strictly for the womens vote in the hope of picking up some billary supporters) has the McCain campaign now resorted to more scare tactics and innuendo?

IMO the alleged capitalist nature of governance is now dead, and in the hard times ahead there has to be a sense of social responsibility - not capitalist socialism which is where bush is heading, but socialism with an emphasis on social responsibility.

I cant help but get annoyed at people who aren't American, declaring that we are and should turn to socialism. You guys have no idea what you're talking about. There will be civil war in this country, before we convert to socialism.

No doubt, Bush's bill to save our economy was pretty socialist, but that doesn't mean we should vote in a REAL socialist as president.

The United States will institute socialist policies without fanfare, and most citizens will never really notice - or care. There will be some who will jump on nationally irrelevant websites and scream and yell, but no one will hear you except the others who think like you do. The right-wing pundits cropping up on Townhall and other websites are correct: after the socialist policies are enacted, succeeding consertative administrations will never be able to undo them.