‘Socialism’ versus what we’re really facing

The “Barack Obama is a socialist” line has been overused since his election. Purpose: diminish him further in conjunction with other attacks. But as with “he is not an American,” “he is Muslim,” and he is not one of “us,” socialist, too, should have been condemned. It's still in play, perhaps because many Republicans use it as well, along with those who normally would be categorized and dismissed as extremists in years past.

Corporate and personal wealth are at all-time highs; businesses are

sitting on at least

$2 trillion, but the socialist attack still seems to work. Oh, how far we have sunk. The multibillionaire, Sheldon Adelson, is among the latest to invoke this attack. He “only” made $21 billion last year. Oh, God, please let me have some of that Obama “socialism”!

I can think of other philosophies which might more accurately capture what has been going on the past few decades - fascism, oligarchy, plutocracy, theocracy are more in evidence, to me, than is socialism, unless one of the oldest tricks in elitists' bag of tricks is employed: privatize profits, socialize losses, which has occurred much too frequently in my lifetime.

Where is the Fourth Estate to set the record straight, or at least shine some light? Oh yeah, the so-called “liberal” media has been placed under corporate control.

Thomas Sass

Iowa City