There seems to be this common topic lately on the part of the right-wingers, complaining that with Obama we are headed toward socialism. They whine about Obama wanting to "spread the wealth" around. This is all meant to scare voters.
But please check this out from an article in The New Yorker in 2000.
This is from John McCain:
McCain replied that "wealthy people can afford more" and that "the very wealthy, because they can afford tax lawyers and all kinds of loopholes, really don't pay nearly as much as you think they do."
The exchange continued:
YOUNG WOMAN: Are we getting closer and closer to, like, socialism and stuff?. . .
MCCAIN: Here's what I really believe: That when you reach a certain level of comfort, there's nothing wrong with paying somewhat more.
If you want to read more, here is a link:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/comment/2008/11/03/081103taco_talk_hertzberg
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Comments: 19
Socialism, is not communism.
Windfall profit tax, people making $250,000 paying 39% of taxes, affirmative action, housing subsidies, food stamps, medicare, ... the list goes on. Many social programs. Government policies designed to lift people not from poverty, but to help people climb up the social economic ladder.
Folks, that's socialism. Nothing really wrong with it. Republicans practice it when they want votes in some parts of the country. Let's just call it what it is.
The republicans like McCain are joining the ranks of the socialists. McCain wanted to play in the center. Who is there? Socialist and moderate republicans. That's why he comes off socialist.
I think McCain's plan to bailout the mortgages is socialist. Taxes aren't socialism!
You really are amazing. Obama's campaign ought to have you for a researcher.
"The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of evil." (Albert Einstein, 1949)
"Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of the smaller ones. The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organised political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature. The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights." (Albert Einstein, 1949)
"This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career.
I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by a educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilised in a planned fashion. A planned economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community, would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman and child. The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow-men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society." (Albert Einstein, 1949)
Brilliant, isn't it?
"What has happened to him? He is not the same good guy. There comes a time in every man's life when it should be hung up -- the mind is tired."
He puts it his way, and I put it MY way: McCain needs to rest.
I was inspired by the humor of that phrase. I wrote and recorded a song about it, found two other artists to record their own versions of the song, and then set up a SPREAD THE WEALTH STRUT CONTEST with videos all over the internet.
I had been receiving e-mails from banks and individuals in Nigeria saying that I was selected to receive someone’s “family valuables”. I thought that I should mention these fantastic opportunities within the lyrics of my song.
This was great. Potential stimulus package donors were sitting in internet cafés and,
wanting to help out us Americans to “spread the wealth”, were e-mailing me their economic recovery opportunities.
Paris Hilton decided she wanted to help out the President by her high-value shopping sprees. What a great contribution by a private citizen.
She enters the scene in this video parody:
http://blip.tv/file/1770305
Fox News commentator, Glenn Beck also joins in the fun:
http://blip.tv/file/1785260
My very first video that started it all is here:
http://sandandpalms.blip.tv/#1662927
and here:
http://www.imeem.com/sandandpalms/video/iWFW3cnn/swamp_water_films_spread_the_wealth_strut_contest_dance_vide/