Since the early beginning of the 2008 Election, there have been speculations, accusations, and comments made about Obama being socialist. By Googling “Obama Socialism”, about 5,370,000 article results and 6,927 news articles will appear on your screen. Articles like, “The Rush Toward Socialism—and How to Stop It”, or “Obama Socialism will Wreck the Nation”. Personally, I see many of Obama's plans as plans of redistribution. I think that, if implemented correctly, redistribution could be the remedy that America's economy is in desperate need of. The controversy of Obama's recent raise in tax rates on the richest Americans can be interpreted in many different ways. Transferring money from the rich to the poor, redistributing wealth, or taxing according to one's ability to pay. As seen from a McCain spokesman's point of view, "Barack Obama wants to increase taxes on small business, the one current bright spot in the economy," said Tucker Bounds, "only to issue handouts to Americans who don't pay income taxes in the first place." Socialism seems to be seen in a negative light, but it's important to think about what would happen if there were no ideas even remotely related to the concept of socialism. A successful government with certain socialistic ideas doesn't have to be completely controlled by the government. If there were no policies that supported the ideas of rehabilitating low-income communities or creating jobs for people in need, what would America be like?
Many past presidents had ideas similar to President Obama's. Both Obama and Ronald Reagan were sworn in as president during an economic recession. By February 1981, less than one month after being sworn in, Reagan unveiled his "Program for Economic Recovery". Similarly, in February of 2009, President Obama announced that he had put a limit on the amount of bailout money large companies can receive. A few days later, Obama created the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Both Reagan and Obama worked quickly to implement new ideas in hopes to fix the broken economy. In a 2004 article, Paul Krugman explained, "Ronald Reagan does hold a special place in the annals of tax policy, and not just as the patron saint of tax cuts. To his credit, he was more pragmatic and responsible than that; he followed his huge 1981 tax cut with two large tax increases. In fact, no peacetime president has raised taxes so much on so many people."
Many past presidents had ideas similar to President Obama's. Both Obama and Ronald Reagan were sworn in as president during an economic recession. By February 1981, less than one month after being sworn in, Reagan unveiled his "Program for Economic Recovery". Similarly, in February of 2009, President Obama announced that he had put a limit on the amount of bailout money large companies can receive. A few days later, Obama created the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board. Both Reagan and Obama worked quickly to implement new ideas in hopes to fix the broken economy. In a 2004 article, Paul Krugman explained, "Ronald Reagan does hold a special place in the annals of tax policy, and not just as the patron saint of tax cuts. To his credit, he was more pragmatic and responsible than that; he followed his huge 1981 tax cut with two large tax increases. In fact, no peacetime president has raised taxes so much on so many people."
Sources Cited:
- Dave Michaels and Todd J. Gillman, Dallas Morning News, McCain Remarks on Obama 'Socialism' Viewed as a Stretch, 19 October 2008, Link, Accessed 21 April 2009.
- PBS, The American Experience, "Timeline of Ronald Reagan's Life", Link, Accessed 22 April 2009.
- Paul Krugman, The New York Times, "The Great Taxer", Published 8 June 2004, Link, Accessed 23 April 2009.
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