Socialism as the New Black Bogeyman

[Rogers]

The right have always gained by pushing the politics of fear. Reds under the bed, weapons of mass destruction, "45 minutes", blah, blah, blah. This is just another example. And to those who say that race isn't a large part of what is currently going on, then what is all this birther shit about?

Socialism as the New Black Bogeyman
Red-Baiting and Racism
By TIM WISE
August 11, 2009

"By allowing the right to throw around terms like socialist to describe the President and socialism to describe his incredibly watered-down, generally big business friendly approach to health care, while not recognizing the memetic purpose of such arguments is to ensure that the right will succeed in their demonization campaign. To respond by pointing out how the plan really isn't socialist, or how Obama really isn't a socialist misses the point, which was never, in the end, about economic systems or philosophies: none of which the folks on the right raising the most hell show any signs of understanding anyway. This noise is about race. It is about "othering" a President who is seen as a symbol of white dispossession: dispossession of white hegemony, white entitlement, white expectation, and white power, unquestioned and unchallenged from the darker skinned other. This is what animates the every move of the angry masses, individual exceptions notwithstanding. Unless the left begins pushing back, and insisting that yes, the old days are gone, white hegemony is dead, and deserved its demise, and that we will all be better off for it, the chorus of white backlash will only grow louder. So too will it grow more effective at dividing and conquering the working people who would benefit--all of them--from a new direction."
http://www.counterpunch.org/wise08112009.html

[Rogers]

Republican Accidentally Admits They're Wrong on Healthcare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NpTumjHylw&NR=1

If 100 million people want to join the Public Option, what's the problem?
http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/if-100-million-people-want-join-public

Sen. Grassley Misrepresents Insurance Company-Funded Study
"The Lewin Group Is Funded By Health Insurance Giant UnitedHealth
The Lewin Group Is Owned By Ingenix. NPR reported that "the Lewin Group, [is] a number-crunching consulting group owned by Ingenix, which is a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group." [NPR, All Things Considered, 6/10/09]

•UnitedHealth And Ingenix Used Skewed "Data To Under-Reimburse Its Own Policyholders." During testimony given during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, John D. Rockefeller, IVA said: "Everywhere experts have looked at this data, they have found what statisticians call a 'downward skew' in the numbers. For ten years or even longer, this skewed data was used to stick consumers with billions of dollars that the insurance industry should have been paying. Ingenix markets two 'usual and customary' database products that every major payer in the health insurance industry used to calculate their reimbursement payments. Ingenix is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mr. Hemsley's company, UnitedHealth Group. UnitedHealth not only owns Ingenix, but it also used the skewed Ingenix data to under-reimburse its own policyholders." [Commerce.Senate.gov, 3/31/09]"
http://www.mccainsfreeride.com/factcheck/200907160004

[notdrunk]

It isn't racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FzNTB1qtFA <--Ronald Reagan railing against socialized medicine (Medicare in this case). The recording is from 1961. Sounds very familiar...no?

Birthers are just like those individuals that still bitch and moan about the 2000 election. They are sore losers.

[q1a2z3]

It isn't racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FzNTB1qtFA <--Ronald Reagan railing against socialized medicine (Medicare in this case). The recording is from 1961. Sounds very familiar...no?

Birthers are just like those individuals that still bitch and moan about the 2000 election. They are sore losers.

MEGA dittos!!!

Blacks have been pro-socialist back when organizing unions were considered socialist. MLK was a communist sympathizer - hanging out in the Bahamas with commies. obama comes along and proves the theory correct not to mention the welfare recipients across the US waiting for that government check!

[fitz207]

It isn't racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FzNTB1qtFA <--Ronald Reagan railing against socialized medicine (Medicare in this case). The recording is from 1961. Sounds very familiar...no?

Birthers are just like those individuals that still bitch and moan about the 2000 election. They are sore losers.

MEGA dittos!!!

Blacks have been pro-socialist back when organizing unions were considered socialist. MLK was a communist sympathizer - hanging out in the Bahamas with commies. obama comes along and proves the theory correct not to mention the welfare recipients across the US waiting for that government check!
You are a moron.

[q1a2z3]

It isn't racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FzNTB1qtFA <--Ronald Reagan railing against socialized medicine (Medicare in this case). The recording is from 1961. Sounds very familiar...no?

Birthers are just like those individuals that still bitch and moan about the 2000 election. They are sore losers.

MEGA dittos!!!

Blacks have been pro-socialist back when organizing unions were considered socialist. MLK was a communist sympathizer - hanging out in the Bahamas with commies. obama comes along and proves the theory correct not to mention the welfare recipients across the US waiting for that government check!
You are my hero.


When the sun goes down and tide goes out the obamabots gather round and they sing and shout, "Hey, hey uncle fuzzie won't you beat your feet on the Mississippi mud!" What a dance they all do... ALERT!!! get out of entertainment mode and get an education in science and engineering.

America's original contract labor force arrives in America in the 1700's and starts working hard. They later receive contract concessions from management and Abraham Lincoln bestows standard employee rights and privileges. Next comes the many waves of additional contractors to America. They strike it rich and rise above the original contractors in wealth. For some reason living in poor housing in decrepit democrat controlled cities seems to be the alternative to hard work and success.
Working with additional employees the terrorism of Jim Crow is over come only to be replaced with The Great Society program, which destroys their corporate structure. Learning and excelling at work makes one look like an "employee!" The solution is to get on the government gravy train, create a culture of "employee guilt" and vote for the democrats.

Hey fitz, read history...

[techi]

And to those who say that race isn't a large part of what is currently going on, then what is all this birther shit about?


Heh, I'd bet that a good number of racist people have jumped on the birther boat simply due to rascism. But I wouldn't simplify it as far as: birther=racist or racist=birther. Some folks are simply crazy while others may simply have an anti-Obama political agenda. :shock:

Some are pointing fingers at Netanyahu for his close relationship to birther leader Orly Taitz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEijTFJP02g

Or maybe it's just a matter of Wallstreet giving it's victims a black man to misdirect thier anger onto.

Shrug.

[hippifried]

Or maybe it's because they're just pissant parrots who mindlessly repeat anything that comes out of a lardass loudmouth.

[BigTime]

Some are pointing fingers at Netanyahu for his close relationship to birther leader Orly Taitz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEijTFJP02g

I hadn't heard this before, I was wondering what was motivating this dingbat to continue her rants.

Here she goes again... http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/08/13/orly_taitz/index.html

[Rogers]

It isn't racism.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FzNTB1qtFA <--Ronald Reagan railing against socialized medicine (Medicare in this case). The recording is from 1961. Sounds very familiar...no?

Birthers are just like those individuals that still bitch and moan about the 2000 election. They are sore losers.

Think you've missed the point of the article. Did you even read it before commenting? 1961 was at the height of the Cold War, with the Cuban Missle Crisis the following year. The year is now 2009, nearly half a century later!

"Even when President Clinton proposed health care reform, those who opposed his efforts, though vociferous in their critique, rarely trotted out the dreaded s-word as part of their arsenal. They prattled on about "big government," yes, but not socialism as such. Likewise, when Ronald Reagan helped craft the huge FICA tax hike in 1983, in a bipartisan attempt to save Social Security, few stalwart conservatives thought to call America's cowboy-in-chief a closet communist."

The trend is developing. Maybe you'll see it after the next trick the right pulls.

"It is about "othering" a President..."

Othering based on his parentage and ethnicity. And the racist undertone is most definitely there. Just look at what your fellow conservative (the gift that keeps giving :lol: ) has said on this thread. :wink:

[Rogers]

Some are pointing fingers at Netanyahu for his close relationship to birther leader Orly Taitz.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEijTFJP02g

Netanyahu should not throw stones in his glasshouse.

Spook, Terrorist or Criminal? America’s Mysterious Files on Netanyahu
"According to Israeli law, a person who runs for the Knesset (the Israeli parliament) cannot hold dual citizenship. Netanyahu claims that in 1982 he gave up his U.S. citizenship, yet he is unwilling to grant the press access to his file located in the U.S. Embassy in Tel-Aviv—the file which holds information regarding his citizenship. Interestingly, the status of his files in the U.S. has not changed, so according to U.S. law Netanyahu remains a U.S. citizen."
http://www.wrmea.com/backissues/1096/9610011.htm

But I guess it's the mark of the man.

Police move to charge Netanyahu
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/693396.stm

[techi]

I think Netanyahu is dirty as all hell but keep in mind that the story I posted is from a muckracker..... not someone who's word I'd trust as gospel.

Imo, there's going to be racist tag alongs joining just about an anti-Obama movement/issue. It's always gonna be something... if not the birthers then something else.

And there's no question that the Republicans are going to focus on demonizing Obama because that's all they are capable of doing atm. They have a shattered party with no coherent platform.

Right wing attack groups have been around for a long time. Back in the New Deal era there was the "Liberty League". But guess what, FDR still passed a ton of progressive reforms despite Wallstreet funded right wing attack groups. Obama has the house and senate stacked with Democrats, he's gotta move beyond the right wing noise and get things done. No excuses.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Liberty_League

[notdrunk]

Think you've missed the point of the article. Did you even read it before commenting? 1961 was at the height of the Cold War, with the Cuban Missle Crisis the following year. The year is now 2009, nearly half a century later!

"Even when President Clinton proposed health care reform, those who opposed his efforts, though vociferous in their critique, rarely trotted out the dreaded s-word as part of their arsenal. They prattled on about "big government," yes, but not socialism as such. Likewise, when Ronald Reagan helped craft the huge FICA tax hike in 1983, in a bipartisan attempt to save Social Security, few stalwart conservatives thought to call America's cowboy-in-chief a closet communist."

The trend is developing. Maybe you'll see it after the next trick the right pulls.

"It is about "othering" a President..."

Othering based on his parentage and ethnicity. And the racist undertone is most definitely there. Just look at what your fellow conservative (the gift that keeps giving :lol: ) has said on this thread. :wink:

Conservatives quietly groaned because Reagan was their boy. On Clinton's health care plan, Hillarycare was an pretty effective name used by conservatives and others against the plan.

Anyway, my point is that "Socialist"/"Socialism" has been used before in our history. It isn't racially exclusive. In American politics, the word is used to attack someone. White people have used that term against white people before (and I am talking about recent).

I don't consider myself to be a conservative. I consider myself to be moderate to right.

[q1a2z3]

Or maybe it's because they're just pissant parrots who mindlessly repeat anything that comes out of a lardass loudmouth while I sit here with a stiff dick up my ass wanting desperately to eat more Obama shit .

Or maybe it's all about some hippi somewhere that he knows everything!!! SOCIALISM is the PROBLEM. obama is a SOCIALIST. His social promotion from Harvard, having his "education" paid for my muslems and many other sins are irrelevant at the moment.

If obama came out tomorrow on television and told us he was wrong and that he was going to stop fucking America and that he was adopting the free market and recanted his NAZI approach to economics it would be great, but for now It's like watching Hitler in 1932 to 1945.

Have another fit and conniption hippi. They are fun to watch.

[techi]

SOCIALISM is the PROBLEM. obama is a SOCIALIST.

Corporate welfare(bailouts) is NOT SOCIALISM, but it could potentially be called fascism. It really depends on the size and nature of said bailouts.

Government ownership of corporations can be called socialism, but government and big business getting in bed together is called fascism, not socialism.

And Obama is hardly doing anything that hasn't been done before. If anything, Bush would be more open to charges of fascism than Obama.

That said, Larry Summers and Timmy Geithner are both rotten and need to be given the boot! I accuse them both of suckyism.... they suck.

[q1a2z3]

SOCIALISM is the PROBLEM. obama is a SOCIALIST.

Corporate welfare(bailouts) is NOT SOCIALISM, but it could potentially be called fascism. It really depends on the size and nature of said bailouts.

Government ownership of corporations can be called socialism, but government and big business getting in bed together is called fascism, not socialism.

And Obama is hardly doing anything that hasn't been done before. If anything, Bush would be more open to charges of fascism than Obama.

That said, Larry Summers and Timmy Geithner are both rotten and need to be given the boot! I accuse them both of suckyism.... they suck.

Hitler did both and so is obama. bush is a dumb ass like his daddy. He pissed away all that money in the middle east and did not get the job done. Don't bail out any company ever!!! When they die someone will buy their assets.

obama-witch-doctor-care is SOCIALISM!!!


Most of all nuke the enemy when you have a chance. If mecca disappeared in September 2001 along with tora bora and Riyadh
the muslems would have figured out they need to kill their own terrorists be for we spray them with RAID!!! - nothing more than a simple bug infestation.

[techi]

obama-witch-doctor-care is SOCIALISM!!!


I disagree and for good reason.

1) Single payer is off the table.

2) A public option is looking like it's in jeopardy of being bargained away.

So what's left that looks Socialist about his healthcare policy? NOTHING

What we'd be left with is the government FORCING you to buy a rippoff private healthcare plan and using the IRS to enforce your purchase of said private healthcare. That fits the definition of fascism to a tee. Government and big business in bed together.

And even if a public option does stay on the table, you'd have a choice between public and private.... pretty much a mixed system. It'd be pretty hard to call that pure socialism.

[q1a2z3]

obama-witch-doctor-care is SOCIALISM!!!


I disagree and for good reason.

1) Single payer is off the table.

2) A public option is looking like it's in jeopardy of being bargained away.

So what's left that looks Socialist about his healthcare policy? NOTHING

What we'd be left with is the government FORCING you to buy a rippoff private healthcare plan and using the IRS to enforce your purchase of said private healthcare. That fits the definition of fascism to a tee. Government and big business in bed together.

And even if a public option does stay on the table, you'd have a choice between public and private.... pretty much a mixed system. It'd be pretty hard to call that pure socialism.

I'll believe your comments AFTER I see obama lose on health care. He will most likely break out in assholes and shit himself to death.

[hippifried]

More confused rantings from the prissy pissant...

[Nalos6]

Corporate bailouts, let the govt take care you mentality, cult like following, calling people criticizing Obama's views unpatriotic, turning the police into a paramilitary force (for the impending swine flu "epidemic"), and the list goes on and on; definitely a form of fascism my friends.

This entire idea that it's a racial issue, is far from the truth, it's about us losing our sovereignty to a fascist government by the govt' for the corporations, away from a constitutional republic government ruled by the people and for the people.

An article on the 14 points of fascism.
http://www.rense.com/general37/char.htm

[trish]

I do believe you have your “facts” ass-backwards. You’re the one calling Obama and his supporters unpatriotic (unless you believe fascism is consistent with being a patriotic American). Now I’m not saying you’re patriotic for calling Obama supporters fascists. I’m just saying that you’re the one screaming the other guy’s unpatriotic. I will say the town-hall conservatives have no respect for the First Amendment. They don’t want anyone but themselves to be heard. Everyone else, in their view, is a socialist or a fascist (depending on which side of crazy you happen to be on). I believe it was republican Michele Bachmann who was accusing her colleagues of being unpatriotic and un-American. I don’t recall any democrats making charges like that.

Moreover it’s not necessarily fascist to save an important industry along with its long established labor unions. It may or may not have been ill advised. Time will tell. It’s not fascist to buck the insurance companies and call for a public option in the national healthcare program. Saving the auto unions and calling for a public option doesn’t quite square with the notion that the current government is teaming up with industry.

Happy swine flu season: I hope you pull through.

[techi]

Regarding bailouts, it really depends on thier nature.

1. Is top management replaced?
2. Is the shareholder wiped out?
3. Are the bond holders taking a haircut?
4. Is there a mechanism for the taxpayer to get thier money back if the bailout works?

The bailout that I have big problems with is the bank bailouts. I do think that something needed to be done but I do not think that the solution provided was even remotely acceptable. There were acceptable solutions, they were not chosen or even discussed.

William Black did a good job of explaining it in an interview with Bill Moyers on PBS. And the solution that William Black presented would be totally acceptable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz1b__MdtHY
Simon Johnson's interview was also decent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YEvwhqoUjMI

And Elizabeth Warren(TARP Congressional Oversight Panel) has recently expressed concerns that we are only getting back 66 cents on the dollar in some of the TARP repayments.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe2R2OiHeNg

And back to the points on rascism/socialism etc... The right wing noise machine will always be around, always has been and always will be. They'll call just about anything socialism and it's mostly nonsense. And even if some policys are socialist... so what? In some situations socialism works just fine(we do have public libraries don't we?). Race probably makes it easier for the right wing to rally a base of support but I think the tactics and are mostly the same regardless.

Paulson and Geithner's bank bailouts are completely fascist. A completely corrupt relationship between wallstreet and washington.

Healthcare? If the public option is bargained away... what's left is sounding pretty fascist. If a full public option remains intact then we might have a plan worthy of being called a New Deal style plan. And despite what the Wallstreet Journal may claim, the New Deal was very much a fair compromise in the large grey area between the left and the right extremes.

Obama's supporters are gonna need to be a lot more active, drowned out the meager right wing noise machine.... or we are going to see a continuing stream of needless right wing appeasement. And yes, I do mean meager. The Bush years have completely discredited the right wing, there's no reason to treat them like a ten ton giant when in reality they are the size of a mouse.

Is Obama a fascist? I'd say no based on his stated opinions. But at the end of the day, if extreme right wing policies continue to be implemented then there's only one way he's going to be remembered.