The Big Question
By Robert Ringer
After more than a year of lies, deception, corruption, heavy-handed tactics, bribes, threats, bailouts for privileged corporations, government takeover of two of the three largest automakers, and nonstop attempts to force government-controlled health care on people who don’t want it - among other abominable actions – The Big Question about the Duplicitous Despot has become: “Do you believe Barack Obama is a socialist?”
Gosh, that’s a real toughie. You’ll have to give me a couple of seconds to think about it. Whenever I hear this question posed on television, I wonder to myself, “Are you asking if the person thinks he’s a socialist as opposed to a communist? You certainly couldn’t be asking whether he’s a socialist or just a misguided moderate.” Please, let’s get real here.
I would say that the squirming in response to this absurd question would be humorous if it did not have such far-reaching implications. When confronted with The Big Question, it’s fascinating to watch people become tongue-tied and incapable of uttering a straightforward response.
As is only fitting, Mush McCain’s recent reaction The Big Question reinforces his claim to the title of Liberal Democrats’ Favorite Republican. With that sly little grin and “Aw shucks” chuckle of his, McCain coyly muttered : “That’s for others to decide.”
Huh? You wanted to be president of the United States, and you want to leave it up to others to decide? Have you no thoughts of your own? Your hero, Teddy Roosevelt, would be very disappointed in your lack of courage. As one of the elder statesmen of the Republican Party, when someone asks for your opinion, for goodness sakes, man, speak up and tell them what you think.
The phenomenon of conservative politicians and media types becoming tongue-tied over an easy-pitch question like this has broader implications than most people might suspect. What it demonstrates is (1) how intimidating the far-left has become over the years and (2) how lacking in courage and candor so-called conservative politicians and media pundits are.
If a conservative politician doesn’t have the courage and honesty to define what his opponent stands for, how can anyone possibly believe that he’ll fight to overturn that opponent’s socialist policies? It’s not surprising, then, that so many conservative politicians repeatedly say things like, “We all agree that health-care reform is needed” or, worse, “Let’s slow down and work on fixing health care one step at a time.”
Once and for all, let’s get this straight: Everyone doesn’t agree that health-care reform is needed – unless by reform one means getting the government totally out of the health-care business. Which, of course, would include the removal of state borders as a barrier to free competition.
The only crisis in health care is government’s current involvement. Instead of giving government more power, we need to take away the unconstitutional powers it has already grabbed for itself.
When conservative politicians talk about solving a nonexistent problem one step at a time, it’s code for, “We’ll continue to move the marker to the left. We just want to do it more slowly than the progressives.”
Hey, if your intention is to continue to aid the progressives’ hundred-year march to fundamentally change the face of America, why drag things out? If socialism is a good thing, let’s bring it on quickly. I can’t wait to enjoy the benefits.
I rarely compliment BHO, but I’m obliged to say that I respect him for his unwavering Marxist beliefs. His nonstop lying about those beliefs should not be held against him. It’s just part of the Marx-Lenin-Alinsky “ends-justifies-the-means” philosophy of bringing about the loss of liberty that all of them sincerely believed was a moral objective.
I know, I know … it sounds crazy. But that’s what they truly believed, and, giving BHO his due credit, I have no doubts that he, too, sincerely believes this stuff. Even with his college papers sealed, the man’s public statements (and his own books) make it clear that he has been consistent in his Marxist beliefs. You don’t hang out with Marxist professors in college if you’re a believer in freedom and free markets and love the American way of life.
So, yes, I’m sticking up for the Duplicitous Despot: He is consistent. When he told Joe the Plumber that he thought the wealth should be “spread around” more, he was merely echoing his on-record complaints that the Constitution doesn’t provide for “redistributive change.”
I mean, how dumb could the Founding Fathers have been not to have thought about redistribution of the wealth? Isn’t that what liberty is all about? Where’s the “social justice?” Where’s the “shared prosperity?” And how about “the common good.” Don’t these phrases just make your leg want to tingle?
If you’re perplexed as to how BHO can still have a 44 percent approval rating after the most cataclysmic one year in office for a president, the answer lies in the same mind-set that causes media pundits to ask, “Do you believe Barack Obama is a socialist?” Both items underscore the reality that people do not love truth; instead, they try to make true that which they love.
My estimate is that about 30 percent of the population wants the U.S to be completely transformed into a socialist country, and that’s fine. They’re honest about it, so they’re easy to identify as the enemy. In the words of John Stossel, they like free stuff! I get it. I get it.
But the other 15 percent or so who still view BHO favorably are simply self-delusive folks who refuse to let go of their fairy tale that a black family in the White House is, of and by itself, a great thing for America. That kind of thinking is what got us into this mess in the first place.
Geraldine Ferraro had it right when she opined that BHO never would have been in a position to run for president had he not been black. More than anything else, white guilt is what landed him in the White House.
No, of and by itself, a black family in the White House is not a great thing. What would be great is to have a family – black … or white … or Asian … or Latino – in the White House that believes in freedom, free enterprise, and Western values. And that is not the family that now resides there.
It’s really not that hard to answer The Big Question once you get the hang of it. All together now … one, two, three: SOCIALIST!
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Copyright © 2012 Robert Ringer
ROBERT RINGER is a New York Times #1 bestselling author and host of the highly acclaimed Liberty Education Interview Series, which features interviews with top political, economic, and social leaders. He has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, The Tonight Show, Today, The Dennis Miller Show, Good Morning America, The Lars Larson Show, ABC Nightline, and The Charlie Rose Show, and has been the subject of feature articles in such major publications as Time, People, The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Barron's, and The New York Times.
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I, too, have to agree with Mr. Ringer’s underlying premise that it is utterly absurd that anybody—especially the political pundits, politicians, news-people and those who are in the know— could, at this point, even be asking such silly questions such as this one: “Do you believe Barack Obama is a socialist?”
I just finished watching the movie Alice In Wonderland starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter, and I must tell you something: As I followed Alice down the Rabbit Hole, I felt as if I entered a world more sane than the one that I left behind me. Without a doubt, the politicos of Washington D.C. could teach those who inhabit Wonderland a thing or two about crazy. You want crazy? We got your crazy right here in Washington—starring you know whom.
Asking if you know whom is a socialist is like asking if the Mad Hatter is ….MAD!
The biggest problem I’ve had with being a full supporters of the Republican Party is that they have NO SPINE! The Democrats are willing to fight and often lose because they stick with their socialist agenda, but the Republicans just can’t seem to articulate a firm and no comprise message and then STICK WITH IT when they are in power.
Until they do, the Republican Party will flounder and will be defined by inconsistencies and lack of credibility. They will continue to be seen as the “lesser of two evils” instead of the clear and reasonable choice for a stronger and more free United States.
If it is so obvious our President is a “Socialist,” why is he referred to, by the likes of O’Reilly and Glen Beck as a “Progressive.” Blowing up your own country – economically, socially, spiritually, and morally is “progress.” McCain is not the only jellyfish spine ameoba out there.
The really simple (and self-evident answer is no. He’s not a Socialist, HE’S A COMMUNIST! Some people are afraid of the word. It’s been conditioned out of them (hey, you must be one of them conspiracy nuts). I’m not a conspiracy nut, just a student of history. A lot can be learned from Victoria Jackson’s song on YouTube if you really listen to the lyrics instead of laughing at the “ditzy blonde” singing it. it is actually quite thoughtful.
Here is the url if you want to be entertained AND educated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWi182CMJY8
In a socialist system, the government owns all means of production. Contrast that definition with that of the Fascist. Fascists advocate the creation of a single-party state. Fascist governments forbid and suppress openness and opposition to the fascist state and the fascist movement. Fascists oppose capitalism and the democratic concept of individualism.
In the economic sphere, fascist leaders support a “Third Way” in economic policy, which they believe to be superior to both the rampant individualism of unrestrained capitalism and the severe control of state socialism. This is achieved by establishing significant government control over business and labor.
Obama is not a socialist – he is a fascist.
Definition of a word is imperative. Republican, democrat, liberal and conservative have no political meaning except when used by those who want more central power and control by means of redistribution of the wealth or by those who understand little if anything.
The question is (We may even need to define what is…is), “Are you a socialist?” needs to be qualified by “By what definition of Socialist are you referring to and hammering at the question until it is answered. If a question is not answered then it should be followed by a statement such as then it is true you are a “whatever” by my definition. Then we may do surgery on the word “progressive” to state Progressive is the new socialist Nom de guerre.
Several days of congressional hearings and volumes of transcript will provide repeated questions without answers. So, by their deeds shall you know them.
The Words Constitution, democracy and republic are Noms de guerre. I know by the usage and the lumping together in linkage tactics, the obfuscation and lack of discernment that an issue is framed and the controversy is orchestrated by the Maestro.
In linkage we do ourselves harm if we do not understand if the words of a Glen Beck and a Bill O’Reilly ( “likes of O’Reilly and Glen Beck as a “Progressive.”) are not in deed and in fact different by degree. The question then: “is the degree enough leaven to the argument to affect the entire loaf?” In other words, WE WHO LOVE FREEDOM, as an “Austrian School Economist and Libertarian would define it, need to know how to win! We win by inclusion of the like minded (or close enough ) and shaping the argument! Because, I can tell you those of the opposing ilk most certainly know how to ban together and use words to shape the argument to win.
Mr. Paul Anthony raises a valid point that I’ve heard numerous times before. I man that I deeply respect, Gerald Celente, first made that very same point to me years ago when I called you know whom a socialist.
My response was and still is that all roads lead to collectivism. Whether you want to call you know whom a fascist, socialist, communist, progressive, or a hybrid of all of the above, it doesn’t make a significant difference that pertains to the final outcome which is serfdom. They are all COLLECTIVISTS who want to strip the individual NAKED and centralize power so that an OLIGARCHY can RULE. There is nothing wrong with attempting to precisely define just what you know whom is, however……. But lets not waste time nor become divided over semantics. We can argue over our differences and kill each other later. Right now, the larger enemy and the bigger threat that threatens all of us is you know whom.
I believe that Barack Obama is a socialist. But the only reason I believe he is a socialist is that he advocates socialism and promotes socialism. If the massive push for expanded government control of the means of production and distribution in the health care industry and not so massive but still massive pushes for greater control over production and distribution in other industries is not socialism, what is socialism? But be fare to Obama. He pretends to be in favor of markets also.
Well, I dislike follow-up messages that retract typos. But I’m going to retract “fare” anyway and say I meant “fair.”