Apparently Althouse Doesn't Know What Socialism Is

Ann Althouse thinks it unfair to call Obama a socialist based on his membership in and endorsement from The New Party. But her rationale doesn't make sense if you understand what socialism is:

Was he a member or was he simply endorsed by the Party,

Why not read the links, Ann, and find out he was a member instead of speculating? Is that so hard?

So the New Party claimed Obama as a member as of 1996. Progressive Populist magazine agreed in this editorial:

New Party member Barack Obama was uncontested for a State Senate seat from Chicago.

Substantively Althouse goes on to quote this:

Which leads to the question of just what this New Party stands for, and how popular its "populism" would really be....

"If you ask, 'Do you think all kids should have an equal start in life,' 80% of the population would agree with you," he says.

Is that an argument for busing, or striping families of their wealth when a family head dies so as to level the playing field for some next generation, or both? Why not throw a little social engineering in with the transfer of wealth concept underlying what they mean by "equal start" after all.

"People really don't think it's fair to work full time, 2,000 hours a year, and get such lousy pay that they can't even raise a kid on it," he says. "That has electoral promise, that sentiment....

Ah, so let's not have something like the labor market dictate wages, obviously it's unfair. So what's the solution? Well, there can be only one really - have government establish what individuals should be paid for their labors. There is no other practical alternative to a market-based system other than one that is centrally controlled. Or maybe Althouse would prefer that Union Presidents get to set the wages for its membership? Yeah, that'll work.

"I think it would be unfair to characterize it as just a marketing strategy for old defeated socialists. . . ," Rogers says. "It attaches much less weight to the state--much less than even conventional liberalism."

Oh, so a proponent of this "new socialism" tells us it's unfair to call it socialism, which by the way, for anyone paying attention, is precisely the tactic most Leftists argue to employ - see Saul Alinsky. And they advocate principles which would create a vacuum within a market based system into which only government could rush. But that's not creeping socialism? No, not to Althouse, it seems.

And it's especially funny that one New Party tenant has to do with the public financing of elections. Who is it that went back on their word and opted out of same this year? As the socialists that learned their trade from Alinsky and colleagues - which Obama did - say ... anything to win.

The party also supports progressive taxation, international workers rights, environmental protection, urban renewal and the public financing of elections....

I guess there's some truth to the claim that there's one born every minute, after all. Just see Ann.

Comments

[WileECoyote]

Ohio Sec of State Brunner has been breaking the law, so says Federal Judge tonight.....she must share info with county election boards. THe Ohio Democrat Sec Brunner officially bitch slapped by the Court. Quit the f-ing cheating Dems.

[w3bgrrl]

GAhhhh! So aggravating!

New Party was a bridge, or fusion group. It's ideology was closely tied to the Democratic Socialists, but it was used to beat mainstream Democrats in the primaries. Its members signed a contract stating they were ideologically aligned with DSA/NP but the intent was to run with a "D" next to their names. It's pretty simple. I don't understand why people don't get that. Its "fusion" technique was ruled unconstitutional which is why it does not exist today.

[mary]

Greta had a great interview with Brunner. Here is what is alarming though. With the absentee ballots, they become separated from their envelope so, because of this, there is no effective way to challenge any absentee ballots. Once they are opened, they are counted. There is only a window of about a week for them to do something about the absentee ballots. So this is good work on Greta's part.

and, holy cow, is that Anerson Cooper I see doing a report about ACORN and voter fraud? But then dumbly asking the question "is this a crime"? But, nonetheless, they couldn't find anyone in the ACORN office they visited, they appeared to be closed. What cowards they don't want to stick around for the music?

[seekeronos]

"--- I don't understand why people don't get that. Its "fusion" technique was ruled unconstitutional which is why it does not exist today. ---"

Electoral fusion is very much alive and well in New York State. In fact, that is where the New Party first tried to get started ... however, it appears to have failed in its original incarnation in NYC, likely shut out by the Democratic Machine under the Ed Koch/David Dinkins mayoralties, and the Mario Cuomo gubernatorial regime. The NP "community organizers" made themselves useful in other places like Chicago and Atlanta, and later returned to NY with a new game plan: the Working Families Party.

The WFP emerged in the late '90s as a state-wide party (main power base in NYC) with its roots from ACORN and other "community organizations" and its key founders were from the defunct (NYC) New Party. They still exist, though decidedly a minority here in NYC, as the city has been deep blue for a very long time (notwithstanding the occasional RiNO mayor), and their socialist message is somewhat diluted by the likes of the already largely socialist city government.

As w3bgrrl observed, their successes come from the practice of fusion electoral politics, still widely practised in New York State.

I think Fusion is also used in a very small handful of other states as well under limited circumstances.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electoral_fusion#United_States

[rightwingprof]

It's because like most academic liberals, she believes that socialism is Boolean: A state is either completely socialist, or not at all. Well, it's either that, or a "smear" with no meaning.

I called her on it, but as usual, when she has one of her lapses and you do, she never responds.