If Barack Obama's a socialist, what's George W. Bush?

Today Republican John McCain dropped the word "socialism" from his attacks on Democrat Barack Obama, telling a crowd in St. Charles, Mo., only that his opponent wants to "spread the wealth around" but resisting the "S" word.

He believes in redistributing wealth -- not in policies that grow our economy and create jobs and opportunities for all Americans. Sen. Obama is more interested in controlling who gets your piece of the pie than in growing the pie.

Ditto the GOP's vice presidential candidate, Sarah Palin, who told a crowd in Colorado Springs, Colo., that Obama favors tax hikes to redistribute wealth. Sort of a reprise of the argument Obama heard from Joe the Plumber.

Our opponent's plan is just more big government, and John and I think that that is the problem, not the solution. Instead of taking your hard-earned money and spreading your wealth, we want to spread opportunity so people like you and Joe the Plumber can create new wealth.

Why the change in tone?

First, Obama has been shredding the charge by reminding voters, in an incredulous tone of voice, that he has been endorsed by such Titans of the Establishment as Warren Buffett and Colin Powell.

But the larger problem for the McCain-Palin ticket's attempt to tie Obama to socialism is ... George W. Bush.

In the last four weeks, President Bush has proposed a $700-billion bailout of the financial sector, pressed his Treasury secretary to push equity into the system and met with key world leaders on how to regulate the global markets.

"The fly in the ointment for this socialism argument is the recent bank bailout," Larry Sabato, who heads the University of Virginia's nonpartisan Center for Politics, told CNN. "That's probably the most egregious example of socialism in American history."

As Countdown to Crawford noted in an earlier post, London's Telegraph captured this shift with its headline: "We're All Socialists Now, Comrade."

On Sunday, Fox News' Chris Wallace asked McCain about whether he's as much a socialist as the rest of us. Here's their exchange.

WALLACE: But, Senator, you voted for the $700-billion bailout that's being used partially to nationalize American banks. Isn't that socialism?

MCCAIN: That is reacting to a crisis that's due to greed and excess in Washington. And what this administration is doing wrong, and what Paulson is doing wrong, is not going out and buying up home loan mortgages, home mortgages, and giving people new mortgages at the new value of their home so they can stay in their home. They're bailing out the banks. They're bailing out these institutions.

WALLACE: But you voted for that.

MCCAIN: Of course. It was a package that had to be enacted because the economy was about to go into the tank.... That's the reason why we have governments, to help those who need help, who can't help themselves, and when time of crisis to step in and do what's necessary to preserve the lives and futures of innocent people. It wasn't Main Street America that caused this. It was Washington and Wall Street.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo: Tom Uhlman / Associated Press

Comments

[Linda]

We have to remember last week when Barack Obama candidly stated on camera to a man who dreamed of being a small business owner and who asked if he did, would Obama raise his taxes. Obama stated he would and that if the man became successful, he would need to give a larger proportion of his money so others could be successful with him....."You've got to share the wealth." This is a very socialistic practice.

Basically, Obama is stating that everyone work and those who work harder should pay more taxes to give to those who don't work, or work as hard, or aren't as resourceful.

That isn't America. America is the land where people work hard and acheive success. Has anyone found it interesting that very few of the Democrats have ancestors or family members that go back further than the Civil War? Perhaps thats why they share socialism because it was a standard in many of their native countries. You think?

Can anyone explain how Obama intends to give 95% of the nation a tax decrease (stated by experts to throw the U.S. into depression) when 40% of the nation doesn't pay taxes.......still confused by that one.

[Heather]

Are you reporting on Barack Obama or campaigning for him?

[Stephen A. Ballas]

George Bush just like his father is an "Internationalist". A person who beleives that there are a few chosen individuals and or groups that should and have the right to determine the situation and application of resources for everyone in the world. They do not believe in the soverignty of any country or the rights of indidviduals if either impedes or effects their agenda or plan for the economic distribution of wealth. They are neither on the right or left side of the political spectrum but are only concerned with the accumulation of power and money within the group they believe deserve to control all aspects of the worlds future.

[mccain voter in ohio]

attacking the 2nd amendment, glorified progressive taxation, widespread pro- abortion (abolishing family values); exactly how is obama not socialist?

[Zlato]

No offense to Warren Buffett, but the decendents of nobelity in Euroland do not mind Socialism because they still have their wealth (too much to ever take away in taxes) and control of the serfs. So for someone that is in his position, Buffett is merely reinforcing the concept of European Socialism so that people like him and his heirs can retain their control and power.

Now I like Buffett but he is not trying to gain a financial footing for he alreay has a huge finanical footing. His support of BO keeps people like me down.

[Loren Crow]

The idea that the $700B "bailout" is an instance of socialism is silly. Socialism redistributes the wealth of the wealthy to those who have none. The "bailout" redistributes the wealth from those who have little to those who have so much that they could afford to gamble it. This is not socialism; it is theft, pure and simple. Marx noted that the wealthy are quite adept at stealing from the poor, and proposed revolution (either violent or political) as a way to cure that ill. To confuse this bailout with a socialist practice is only possible if one focuses only on means with no consideration for ends.

[Charles]

The answer to the title of this article is simple:
Obamunism is socialism and Bush was a Demand sider who didnt have the balls to stand up for supply side economics in the face of political correctness and its idiotic discrimination against half of all economic thought.

[Kate]

Palin & McCain: Obama wants to redistribute wealth, so he's a Socialist!!
Wallace: But didn't you vote for the bailout? In essence, a resolution to redistribute tax payers' money to financial institutions and for government to take ownerships of some banks? Isn't that Socialism?
McCain: Yeah, but I HAD to. There was a crisis. We need government to help those who can't help themselves!
Joe Taxpayer: By redistributing my tax dollars to give to banks who are under NO obligation to start lending again? Didn't you say they are the greedy ones who started all this?
McCain: Um, yeah. But Obama wants to change tax laws for the wealthy and redistribute their money for poor people!
Joe Taxpayer: Isn't Obama trying to change the tax laws that allowed corporations to get rich while working families lost their homes?
McCain: I want the government to buy people's homes! That will solve it!
Joe Taxpayer: Government ownership of citizens' homes. Is that considered Socialism?
McCain: Um.... did I say Socialist? I meant... um... Obama is WRONG! And I don't have to explain why! You people with your questions....!

[B RUBIN]

AS USUAL MCSHAME WOULD NOT ANSWER THE QUESTION! HIS BUDDY BUSH HAS INSTIGATED THE LARGEST SOCIALIST MOVEMENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.BUT WHO IS THE SICALIST? IT MUST BE OBAMA! MCSHAME HAS SOLD HIS SOUL TO BECOME THE PRES.BY THE WAY-WHY IS "ICE COLD BARBIE"(CINDY ALWAYS ON STAGE WITH MCSHAME?NONE OF THE OTHER CANDIDATES WIVES OR HUSBANDS DO THE SAME.WHATS UP WITH THIS?

[CF]

"If Barack Obama's a socialist, what's George W. Bush?"

Here's some news for you Johanna: Barack Obama is running against John McCain not George Bush.

[Charles]

The answer to the title of this article is simple:
Obamunism is socialism and Bush was a Demand sider who didnt have the courage to stand up for supply side economics in the face of political correctness and its idiotic discrimination against half of all economic thought.

[jim]

Spreading wealth, as Sarah Palin calls it, sounds an awful lot like the socialist concept of redistribution of wealth -- which makes me think she may not actually know what socialism is about. This would not be inconsistent with everything else we've learned about her.

[Benjamin]

Let's not forget that another thing McCain keeps whining about is socialist... "Public finance". That word "public" in "public finance" means the exact same thing it means when you see it in "public housing". It means wealth is redistributed from the taxpayers to fund a campaign. McCain seems to be a huge proponent of socialism when it serves his purpose, as are all Republicans.

[dmw]

McCain was for socialism before he was against it.

But more importantly, we still haven't gotten the final word on whether Joe the P is actually a relative of Charles Keating. The left-wing media establishment really ought to get out there and dig on that one, because if it is true, it confirms three disturbing facts:
1) the McCain campaign set this whole thing up to con the American people,
2) once AGAIN they did an amateur job of vetting a "major player" (already the case, either way), and the BIGGY
3) McCain is still palling around with his old buddy Charles Keating--which leads to
THE 700 BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION: Is McCain still using Keating as a sounding board for his economic thinking?

Inquiring minds, and economic refugees, would love to know.

[thekid]

He's a socialist as well. I'm a former republican and laugh when people try to counter criticism about Obama with "well what is Bush if Obama is ....." We are all headed for a socialist society under a Democrat presidency or Republican. The only difference is Obama will be more efficient and will come up against less resistance than McCain when pushing for socialism..... Who is John Galt????

[Frank Volgezaing]

That's a good point, L.A. Times. Obama and Bush - two people will little federal experience and both now talking in the same terms. We are now heading down a Socialist path and McCain is looking better to me by the day. I saw a rerun of an old Bush/Kerry debate on CSPAN and I was stunned by how Obama really reminds me of Bush, ever since he slipped and said $5 a gall gas is good for the country, I've begun to notice it. Somebody should do one of those Lincoln/JFK comparison lists on how similar Obama is in experience and personality to George W. Bush.

[Buster]

How is it that everyone seems to forget about the Bush family ties to Nazi's before and during World War II. I think what Bush is, is obvious.

[Doug Gambrell]

Uh, yeah, that would be correct, John. You just gave a concise summary of Obama's program. Socialism indeed. How's that campaign message going for you, John?

[MAURICIO]

A DICTATOR!

[Obama - the Socialists' puppet]

The left is one laugh after another. Every ignorant, Starbucks regular, 60's wanna-be has referred to GWB as a fascist a million times - now suddenly he is a socialist- Is flipping inbred in you guys (not meant in a gay way)?

[james pattercom]

If Barack Obama's a socialist, what's George W. Bush?

Didn't know Bush was running again.

[wally lodato]

Well, there are Socialists of the Left and there are Socialists of the Right--and you could barely squeeze a dime in between them! I guess the world is run by Socilaists, and they foist that two-dimensional world on most of the population. However, I decline to accept it--I will vote for the free-market, capitalist, non-Govt interventionst alternative.

[james pattercom]

If Barack Obama's a socialist, what's George W. Bush?

Didn't know Bush was running again.

[Dink McDinkus]

Last time I checked, W wasn't running for president. Shut it liberal media.

[Kathy]

Whatever Bush is, just what the hell does that have to do with Obama's Marxist mindset?