Much has been made of late by accusing Barack Obama of being (gasp!) a socialist. But has anyone asked a real socialist?

Progressive income tax, and social welfare programs to take care of the poorest in our society are not socialism (as a side note, they seem to me to be pretty Christian, in fact). They (and the US tax code) are, effectively, spreading the wealth, for all sorts of causes — investments, protecting the poor, giving to charity, home ownership, tax credits and refunds galore. Some individual are good, some less so, but the principle is hardly anything so outre as to warrant all the name-calling.  They are and have been mainstream US politics for the last seventy years, and beyond, and any candidate who seriously suggested dismantling the arrangement outright (rather than incrementally tinking with it to death with reducing both aspects by bits and pieces) would never stand a chance for the White House. 

So, instead, it’s easier just to dredge up old Red-baiting techniques of calling people “Socialist.” It’s very … well, it’s very 50s.

Hmmmmm ….

Note: On the Colorado ballot, there three “actual” socialist presidential candidates, running for the Socialist party, the Socialist & Liberation party, and the Socialist Workers. (More about their candidates here.) Those are like, real socialist parties, guys.

Here’s a list of other famous “socialists” in US history …