So it would be more accurate to say that she has international ties, which is really what gets the right wing in a twist anyway these days when they talk about "socialism."

After all, didn't he give $350 billion to Wall Street (with nothing to show for it, I might add)?

The American people -- especially conservatives -- need to get comfortable with the idea of Socialism. There's nothing inherently wrong with it. Instead of an "every man for himself" mentality, Socialism is "let's share some of our wealth for the good of all." What's wrong with that?

Oh wait, it's because the wealth would go to those who actually need it -- the poor and middle class.

Can't have that. Nevermind.

I see the so-called capitalists have been so good for the environment. It's not like we have any environmental issues to confront now, do we?

Oh, if only!

But this is the usual tactic of the fascist media - dig deep and well into the past for any reason, any flimsy pretext at all, to wrap yourself in the flag and scream 'un-American!' or 'Socialist!'

Good Goddess we just can't have ANY threat, however minuscule, to the natural rights of the capitalist class to rape the planet for profit.

You know what? Conservatives are allowed to belong to all sort of crazed, nit-wit societies. They can be ex-members (or even current members) of everything from the Federalist society to the KKK to whites-only clubs, and God help the mainstream media if they point that out. But let a person on the left is a member of anything that can in any way be derided, the Right jumps all over it.

To which I say: screw 'em. Ignore them. The American people spoke in the last election, and relegated these racist, isolationist, alarmist, fear-mongering jerks to the Outer Darkness. Time to treat their mindless bleatings for what they are--equivalent to the complaints of tiny kittens in the basket, trying to get out. They are powerless, their "base" is shrinking, their power is waning. Let them holler at the dark rather than light a candle.

But for God's sake, don't give them the danegeld they demand, or we'll never be rid of them.

That socialism is "UnAmerican." Creating an economic system which moves us back to the days when the incomes between American workers, managers, and CEO's were far more equal, when the purchasing power of America's middle class shaped the production of the entire world market; back to the days when a single worker, working a 40-hour week, could afford a house, a car, health care for a family of four and a healthy, defined-benefit pension plan which, added to social security and medicare made sure he or she could enjoy a few years of retirement, in other words a society whose systems served the vast majority of its citizens instead of just the fortunate few (and I mean that in terms of good luck and random chance, NOT hard work); all of this is the only way of saving this country from become just another third world nation. If it takes a good bit of "socialism" and "socialized medicine" to get this country to the point where it works for all its citizens, then so be it.

The Fascist/Capitalists who don't like it when what they regard to be the "lazy poor" rise up and demand fair wages and benefits, can bloody well move off shore to follow their money to their foreign bank accounts and the labor being done by their companies to the places where their workers live. We won't miss them! They have been draining our society of it's lifeblood in the name of "free market capitalism" since the Reagan Administration.

There's nothing inherently wrong with it. Instead of an "every man for himself" mentality, Socialism is "let's share some of our wealth for the good of all." What's wrong with that?

If you don't view stealing as inherently wrong, then maybe Socialism is ok.

Personally, I think stealing is wrong.

The problem with "let's share some of our wealth for the good of all" is that it doesn't benefit everyone nearly as much as people spending what they earn as they see fit.

I learned the evils of socialism during Jr. High. Two of my friends and I were spending the day together. I had save a few dollars and divided it up evenly. We each had $1 (this was long ago). We went to a local store, they spent all they money, I spent none. Later at the end of the day we went to the store again. I wanted to get something to eat, remember I hadn't spent any of my money, and gave them two thirds of my money.

They threw a fit because I didn't want to split my remaining dollar three ways. I tried to explain to them that we all had equal money this morning, my money in fact.

That didn't matter, all they cared about was that I know had money, they didn't, so it was unfair not to split it evenly.

As I've gotten older, watched people work, and interacted with the World, I've seen nothing that changes that dynamic.

People want what others have, and are often not willing to work for it.

We call that theft.

There was a time when what people who didn't like me, whom I didn't like, and whose views were stupid mattered to me. But after a while I began to realized that those are the very last people who should shape what I think.

As adults we understand that not everyone will approve of what we think or do. We develop the ability to continue in the direction we believe is best, despite objections. We seek counsel with those whom we respect.

Democrats and most especially Obama must be very adult now, lest they be deterred from actually doing something useful.

Oh, and government buy-in on large banks; is that different from socialism?

... and evidently, the ghost of really weak socialism is still haunting American reactionaries.

Only in America.