Why is 'Socialism' such a dirty word in the USA?

[Welshcookie 17]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

Not surprising, since most liberals don't like that word either. There has always been a degree of confrontation when you are challenging the status quo, and I don't think the left has come to terms with victory yet. They feel comfort in numbers, and anything that would marginalize their ideas frightens them. Even now that the left is firmly in charge, they are frightened by any confrontation coming from the right, that perhaps the Rethuglicans will come out from the woodwork, and take it all away from them again.

Edited August 12, 2009 by Mister_Bill

[Dakine 26]

Simple. Some peolple that work their buttes off to make a decent life don't want to pay for the freeloaders!

[Sofiyya 1,687]

Liberals like to think of themselves as nebulous thinkers, non-ideolgical and unbiased. Labels only appeal to them when they're hanging them on someone else Besides, they're moving on the term "progressive" now. It's a feel good term that makes them think they're moving forward even while thinking backward (Bush's fault! Bush did it! Bush is bad!)

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I posted this in another thread - but it seems appropriate here:

Perhaps someone can answer this question for me - I've been following some of the TV coverage about the health reforms and I'm baffled by what people mean by 'Government'. I thought this was a democracy and that we're the government and if there's something we don't like about the people we've elected we have timely (or fairly timely) elections to get us a new set of representatives - for the people, by the people and all that...

So we're suggesting we the people take over the running of our health and continue to have the power to tell people how to do that ?

Or are most Americans now certain we believe in a system of patronage and the government represents the feudal lord? How many people here are actually represented by the people who are suggesting we keep government out of government and let profit-driven organisations run our healthcare instead of us?

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

Not surprising, since most liberals don't like that word either. There has always been a degree of confrontation when you are challenging the status quo, and I don't think the left has come to terms with victory yet. They feel comfort in numbers, and anything that would marginalize their ideas frightens them. Even now that the left is firmly in charge, they are frightened by any confrontation coming from the right, that perhaps the Rethuglicans will come out from the woodwork, and take it all away from them again.

Their whole schtick is to rail against authority. Now that they're in authority, they're a bit stunned and confused with their bourgeois status. Will they ever get in proper gear? Who knows?

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Hey Welshie - a good question. It's the connotation, which doesn't pack the same punch it did back during the Cold War.

There are many on the Right who believe there is push towards a Socialist State by those on the Left. It's nothing more than an absurd Conspiracy Theory. So they over-react any time the Federal Government expands it's social programs, like health care.

But you've got to question the sincerity of the outrage when the Bush Administration was adding to the Federal Deficit by starting two wars and historic tax cuts. Particularly when the projected cost for Obama's health care proposal would cost less than Bush's tax cuts on the wealthy. I call bullsh!t for most of the selective outrage. Some people just refuse to accept that Obama won the election.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

I posted this in another thread - but it seems appropriate here:

Perhaps someone can answer this question for me - I've been following some of the TV coverage about the health reforms and I'm baffled by what people mean by 'Government'. I thought this was a democracy and that we're the government and if there's something we don't like about the people we've elected we have timely (or fairly timely) elections to get us a new set of representatives - for the people, by the people and all that...

So we're suggesting we the people take over the running of our health and continue to have the power to tell people how to do that ?

Or are most Americans now certain we believe in a system of patronage and the government represents the feudal lord? How many people here are actually represented by the people who are suggesting we keep government out of government and let profit-driven organisations run our healthcare instead of us?

What do you mean "we", Brit? I read your question before, but I don't understand it.

Hey Welshie - a good question. It's the connotation, which doesn't pack the same punch it did back during the Cold War.

There are many on the Right who believe there is push towards a Socialist State by those on the Left. It's nothing more than an absurd Conspiracy Theory. So they over-react any time the Federal Government expands it's social programs, like health care.

But you've got to question the sincerity of the outrage when the Bush Administration was adding to the Federal Deficit by starting two wars and historic tax cuts. Particularly when the projected cost for Obama's health care proposal would cost less than Bush's tax cuts on the wealthy. I call bullsh!t for most of the selective outrage. Some people just refuse to accept that Obama won the election.

As usual, Stevie, you can't answer the question.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Hey Welshie - a good question. It's the connotation, which doesn't pack the same punch it did back during the Cold War.

There are many on the Right who believe there is push towards a Socialist State by those on the Left. It's nothing more than an absurd Conspiracy Theory. So they over-react any time the Federal Government expands it's social programs, like health care.

But you've got to question the sincerity of the outrage when the Bush Administration was adding to the Federal Deficit by starting two wars and historic tax cuts. Particularly when the projected cost for Obama's health care proposal would cost less than Bush's tax cuts on the wealthy. I call bullsh!t for most of the selective outrage. Some people just refuse to accept that Obama won the election.

Bush did it! And his minions are still screwing us! Don't pay attention to what we are doing. Just watch out for all those Bushies! Q.E.D.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

As usual, Stevie, you can't answer the question.

Another one of your posts that is completely devoid of substance. I think the OP, since she normally doesn't delve into our political threads, deserves better than that.

[Sofiyya 1,687]

As usual, Stevie, you can't answer the question.

Another one of your posts that is completely devoid of substance. I think the OP, since she normally doesn't delve into our political threads, deserves better than that.

She does deserve better, so you shouldn't have posted here.

Edited August 12, 2009 by Sofiyya

[DIARD 1]

I asked this of my very conservative husband some time ago, he knows my political stance and has come to terms with it and vice-versa. I spent some years with my grandparents in Wales who were staunch old school Labour supporters, my father's family were all miner stock, my father worked the mines until he joined the Air Force for 25 yrs. I saw very early on the difference in political views between my own parents and grandparents, and despite my informative years spent with my parents I always remembered and held my grandparents passion.

My husband immediately associates 'socialism' with 'fascism' 'nazism'....and I get offended by that, and the first time he called me a liberal I was HUGELY offended also. I don't regard myself as a liberal in the British term.

I am undecided about the 'change' in this country, I am unsure about Obama...I don't dismiss his policies offhand, I think it is a very interesting and exciting time. But I do find it interesting that most liberal thinking people here also dismiss and shy away from the word 'socialism'....why is it such a dirty word? as really that is what is happening here right?

Happy to hear your thoughts B)

We do have Socialist programs in this country like Education, Medicare and Social Security. Why no one wants to call them that goes back the Cold War and Communism. Some people equate Socialism with Communism in this country, specially those over a certain age (say anyone over 35). Whether Obama can 'change' anything in this country is to be seen but as you say I don't dismiss him offhand.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Welshie, way back in the day when we were ruled by england. The first american settlers became sickened by the king ripping them off, telling them what they could and couldnt do, and taxing the livin shite out of them. "Socialism" gives the government the right to take and to give whenever they see fit and to whom. Liberty on the other hand gives the individual freedom to reap what he sews with minimal government intervention.

Liberals these days seem to beleive the dream of this is dead and blames everything they can think of, except themselves. Half or more of them have never sweated in a field or know what its like to actually physically work there a$$ off for anything. I picked rasberries when i was 13 in the summer for money. Loaded trucks by hand,picked apples, worked on oil rigs.

Back in the day your grandfather and father are definatly not the same as todays libs. Most libs in power today love to keep theyre flock together by false promises of hope. The mere premise of hope suggests they are in a hopeless situation. If ppl would spend as much time makin a plan to get out of a tough situation as they did waitin on a promise from some worthless politician theyd be much better off.

Id like to see the certificate that said life was gonna be easy or gauranfvckinteed! I hope you see why socialism sucks. Id still like to make california a socialist state then give all the libs and socialists a place they could call their own. Just think they all could pick berries,build solar panels and windmachines. Turn theryre paychecks over to the government and recieve what they deserve.

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Welshie, way back in the day when we were ruled by england. The first american settlers became sickened by the king ripping them off, telling them what they could and couldnt do, and taxing the livin shite out of them.

...And now we are ruled by greedy corporations and industry lobbyists that rip us off to an even more sickening degree and add insult to injury by then outsourcing our jobs abroad and refusing to pay out on our health insurance plans when they feel the price is too high for saving our lives. Yep, how little has changed since we were ruled by England. At least then we had them darn foreigners across the pond to blame for all our problems. Now we have only ourselves and our own greed and selfishness to blame for the shite hitting the fan. Oh, if only those backwoods provincial settlers knew then what we know now we might still be flying the union jack.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Last time I was in school, we learned about nomenclature. Heck, everything has a name: an idea, material goods, sexual organs, et cetra.

Socialism does not equal democracy. Both groups in the US are not moving into socialism. Period. However, there are those who accuses one group over another group. An example can be from threads that posts rhetorical ideas that were probably researched using secondary sources such as the media commentaries. Although, I remembered in college that any research I do must be primary source. Reading about someone opinion is not really objective.