# Obama is not a Socialist **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 21, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527 "2016-08-21T18:09:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/1 "2016-08-21T18:09:20Z")
Former Marxist, current libertarian, professor of economics, Thomas Sowell, explains that President Obama is in fact not the socialist that many conservatives accuse him of being. In reality he is a [fascist.](http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell061212.php3#.V7nuJz9Fy-o) ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/2 "2016-08-21T18:13:22Z")
Supporting universal health care does not make him a fascist. Obama is a moderate leftist. By European standards he is a conservative. He is neither a fascist or communist. Bernie Sanders isn’t a communist either, he is a democratic socialist. Communism - Socialism - democratic socialism - moderate leftists - moderate right - far rights - fascist ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/3 "2016-08-21T18:19:50Z")
Thread relocated from IMHO to Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/4 "2016-08-21T18:22:02Z")
Private sector control of a nationalized healthcare system is the definition of fascism. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/5 "2016-08-21T18:22:16Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Former Marxist, current libertarian, professor of economics, Thomas Sowell, explains that President Obama is in fact not the socialist that many conservatives accuse him of being. In reality he is a [fascist.](http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell061212.php3#.V7nuJz9Fy-o) Well, that all makes perfect sense. I am so glad you shared Mr Sowell’s opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/6 "2016-08-21T18:35:25Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Private sector control of a nationalized healthcare system is the definition of fascism. No, it isn’t. It’s pretty much the opposite of fascism. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/7 "2016-08-21T18:49:34Z")
So England, Japan, France, Canada, the Netherlands, etc are fascist? ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/8 "2016-08-21T18:57:18Z")
Shhhhh… nobody is supposed to know. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/9 "2016-08-21T18:58:29Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Obama is a moderate leftist. By European standards he is a conservative. By European standards he’s a moderate. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/10 "2016-08-21T18:59:23Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Private sector control of a nationalized healthcare system is the definition of fascism. ??? And so all of the Western Europe is in some way fascist??? how bizarre americans are. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/11 "2016-08-21T19:08:34Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > ??? > And so all of the Western Europe is in some way fascist??? > > how bizarre americans are. You know how much you hate when others paint all Muslims with the same wide brush?.. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/12 "2016-08-21T19:11:41Z")
I don’t think I’ve ever met a Conservative that could intelligently articulate the difference between Communism, Socialism, Social Democracy, and Fascism. I think there’s value in being able to fully understand what your opponents arguments actually are, even if you ultimately don’t agree with them. Otherwise, you’re just arguing against a strawman. I’ve encountered people who honestly believe that Bernie Sanders thinks Janitors should earn exactly the same as CEOs! ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/13 "2016-08-21T19:19:23Z")
Why should we believe what a former communist and current libertarian has to say? The guy can’t even make up his mind. His next article may accuse Obama of being not a fascist, but an anarchist. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/14 "2016-08-21T19:25:46Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Private sector control of a nationalized healthcare system is the definition of fascism. No it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/15 "2016-08-21T19:40:56Z")
I’ve ploughed through Mr. Sowell’s writings as many times as karma has determined my sinful nature to demand of me already, so I’m not likely to read the one linked to in the OP. Given his track record of being objectively wrong in every single one of _those_ writings, it’s a pretty good bet he’s wrong in that link as well. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/16 "2016-08-21T19:54:08Z")
Aw, too bad. There’s a Sowell link in the OP and here’s me without my pound of salt… ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/17 "2016-08-21T20:03:03Z")
First they called those on the left “Liberals” with a dirty sneer. But then we re-claimed the term “liberal.” Then they mocked the term “progressive,” but we owned it. Then they called us “socialist” like it was a bad thing, but then they realized that many Americans don’t mind socialism and actually like it. So now they’ve taken to calling us “fascists.” ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/18 "2016-08-21T20:45:18Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > First they called those on the left “Liberals” with a dirty sneer. But then we re-claimed the term “liberal.” Then they mocked the term “progressive,” but we owned it. Then they called us “socialist” like it was a bad thing, but then they realized that many Americans don’t mind socialism and actually like it. So now they’ve taken to calling us “fascists.” …So we invaded Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Ramira](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ramira/32/344_2.png) [@Ramira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ramira)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/19 "2016-08-21T22:56:17Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > You know how much you hate when others paint all Muslims with the same wide brush?.. Ok. How bizarre the insular extreme right of the americans are. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2016, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527/20 "2016-08-21T23:04:42Z")
> [@Ramira](#): > > Ok. > > How bizarre the insular extreme right of the americans are. You’ve got that right! Obama’s not a Socialist anymore, now he’s a Facist. :smack: Makes one wonder about the education Americans kids are recieving as they grow up into adult American voters. (Rest of the world: Lookout!) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-is-not-a-socialist/763527.md?page=2)