Comrades, we’re making inroads!
Posted by: Donna
I’m not easily shocked by anything these days but some of the findings in Gallup’s latest poll have me floored. They asked Americans to indicate approval for broad political and economic themes. Many of the responses were predictable – “small business” enjoys near unanimous approval, for example – but other responses, well, take a look for yourself: 
36% of Americans have a positive view of socialism?
OMGWTF??!!!
Moreover, 20% of self-identified conservatives like them some socialism!
OMGWTFBBQ??!!!
Hmm, how could that have happened? You think maybe the endless drumbeat from Fox News decrying everything Obama does and any kind of government spending that benefits people as “socialism” might have something to do with it? Gallup says they didn’t give definitions or description of the terms they used, so it’s reasonable to conclude that most of the respondents aren’t operating from a strict “government controls the means of production” definition of socialism. It appears that the vast majority of Americans still embrace rock-ribbed notions of the goodness of free enterprise and entrepreneurship but are increasingly warming to the idea that private industry isn’t necessarily the optimal delivery mechanism of things like health care and other needed services.
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“Comrade”
Not to be pedantic, but I believe there is a huge disparity in in this country between the haves and the needs. Your post reminded me of this. An AIG trader getting a bonus after losing millions versus a family in foreclosure. We’d best be careful, the anger is out there. Just hasn’t turned too much… yet.
OMGWTFBBQ??!!!
Ok, I’m so stealing this after another month of a week.
Oh my, yes i am a cat but this is too easy This Friday started last week. I’m in a mood.
but no one calls me honey. I don’t get the walgreens and cable reference
Alan SWEETY it’s pretty much a given nobody calls you honey . I geuss you get your tissue at Walgreens. Don’t go blind.
Oops, Walmart.. Ah well.
What I find interesting is how Alan wants to impress us with how much smarter and more rational he is than the average wingnut, while claiming that we’re “Bolsheviks” and that Trotsky, Lenin, and Stalin are our “heroes”. Since there’s Godwin’s Law that deals with hyperbolic Hitler or Nazi references, I think it might be time to come up with a corollary for these incessant accusations of communism and socialism. And frankly, anyone who conflates socialism, communism, and fascism without a logical explanation of why should be barred from the internet, and polite society, for life.
Donna,
” And frankly, anyone who conflates socialism, communism, and fascism without a logical explanation of why should be barred from the internet, and polite society, for life. ” :)
So I should be barred for LIFE from the internet. The people I associate with, do not qualify as your polite society, so a lifetime exclusion is a welcome blessing. In fact my friends tend to go to church, support their wives and kids, cling to their guns and Bibles, and kill a beer or two watching the super bowl. You know the type, real riff raff.
But, seriously what is the difference between President Obama and a Socialist ?
Please tell me a good punch line.
OHH!,,,,,, to change the subject. I know you guys are big Global warming nuts,,,sorry,, Climate Change Believers. I spent the weekend helping a bunch of nice folks dig out their cars in State College, Pa, from Friday night’s blizzard. South of us it was much worse. Just when the heck is this here global warmin supposed to kick in, cause up here in red neck country, we need a break ? So far our Groundhog is smarter than your idiot Al Gore.
To quote a friend who is a socialist:
“a socialist is in favour of political equality of human beings, workers’ control of industry, etc, and Obama is not.”
Last I checked, Obama was not handing the car industry over to the workers (although they might not screw it up as badly as the management did…)
Appleblossom,
” “a socialist is in favour of political equality of human beings, workers’ control of industry, etc, and Obama is not.”
Last I checked, Obama was not handing the car industry over to the workers (although they might not screw it up as badly as the management did…) ”
Thank you for your most excellent comment, because actually Obama did hand over management to the workers. At Obama Motors, I mean Government Motors, I mean GM, the UAW I believe indirectly owns GM stock and has a guy on the board.
Saving GM and Chrysler had a lot to do with getting taxpayers to save the UAW’s generous pension plans.
http://www.businessweek.com/autos/autobeat/archives/2009/06/uaw_sends_girsk.html
Gee, sure does look like UAW does not own any stock. Or have an actual person from the union on the board. Just sayin’
Appleblossom,
” Gee, sure does look like UAW does not own any stock. Or have an actual person from the union on the board. Just sayin’ ”
You are correct. However, through their VEBA trust they have indirect power. Much more important, is Obama’s control over Government Motors. Obama is in the UAW’s back pocket.
If you add the two factors together, as of now, the UAW controls GM.