# Socialism and Obama

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialism-and-obama/448028>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 4, 2008, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialism-and-obama/448028 "2008-05-04T17:56:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialism-and-obama/448028/81 "2008-05-07T22:41:15Z")

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[QUOTE=BrainGlutton]  
Can we take it as established, at this point, that Obama is no socialist and an Obama Administration would not portend socialism in America?  
[/QUOTE]

Yes. I think I was talking more about socialist tendencies in government programs and how far that might or might not go. I think reality reflects a mix of certain philosophies and economic strategies.

Sorry if there was confusion.

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**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialism-and-obama/448028/82 "2008-05-07T22:58:13Z")

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This, from the OP, didn’t help:

Title: **Socialism and Obama**

**. . . . he likes none of the candidates because they all are talking socialist programs such as health care. . . .**

**I still think Obama is the best candidate** of the three and plan on donating and voting for him. I do **however** agree that while we want to encourage a society that helps the less fortunate **that is not the purpose or job of government**.

\*\*Quote:  
Senator Obama glossed right over the difference between a moral imperative to be kind to people and government force that throws people in jail if they refuse to pay up. \*\*

. . . .

So, **is Obama steering us toward a more socialist type society?**. . . . (emphasis mine).

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**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/socialism-and-obama/448028/83 "2008-05-07T23:31:18Z")

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[QUOTE=5-4-Fighting]  
This, from the OP, didn’t help:

Title: **Socialism and Obama**

**. . . . he likes none of the candidates because they all are talking socialist programs such as health care. . . .**

**I still think Obama is the best candidate** of the three and plan on donating and voting for him. I do **however** agree that while we want to encourage a society that helps the less fortunate **that is not the purpose or job of government**.

\*\*Quote:  
Senator Obama glossed right over the difference between a moral imperative to be kind to people and government force that throws people in jail if they refuse to pay up. \*\*

. . . .

So, **is Obama steering us toward a more socialist type society?**. . . . (emphasis mine).  
[/QUOTE]

OKay, I understand. I did clarify right away that I was stressing the aspects of socialism more than Obama. Note socialism is first in the title and the OP has other content that I thought stressed socialism as a concept with Obama’s proposal for UHC as one\* possible\* example for discussion.

Nevertheless I’m sorry if the subject wasn’t clear. Personally I think a few posters assumed something that wasn’t there rather than asking for clarification. Either way it’s no big deal.

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