Do we really understand what's at stake?
The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism, but under the name of liberalism they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program until one day America will be a socialist nation without ever knowing how it happened.
– Norman Thomas, American socialist and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.
In the early part of the 20th century, my great-grandfather owned a small farm in Romania. In order to provide a better life for his family, he moved to the United States in 1912. He had no money, but he worked and saved until he could afford to send for his family to join him in the U.S. in 1920. He, my great-grandmother, and their two daughters (my grandmother and my great-aunt) never had much, but they always worked hard and earned their own way in their new country.
The small farm that my great-grandfather left in Romania was given to his nephew, who stayed there and farmed the land until it was taken from him by the communists after World War II. From that point on he worked on a collective farm owned by the government. Whatever he and the other workers produced belonged to the government, and the produce was then distributed back to the workers according to the government’s own discretion. It didn’t matter how hard an individual worked, he could never have more than the government allowed him to have, and it was never much because the government spread the wealth around.
This transition to a communist government didn’t happen overnight. Beginning in 1944, with the backing of the Soviets, the communist party in Romania gradually became more powerful. In 1948 the party merged with a group from the Social Democratic Party and formed the Romanian Workers’ Party. By 1952 the communists within the Romanian Workers’ Party had taken from the social democrats near complete control of the party. In 1965 the party officially changed its name to the Romanian Communist Party.
As most Americans know by now, Barack Obama recently said, “I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." Unfortunately, too many people in this country are completely unaware of the full ramifications of such a philosophy.
The Communist Party USA (CPUSA), however, is fully aware of its implications for the future achievement of their ultimate goal: the implementation of a communist government in the United States. That is their goal, and they see the election of Barack Obama as an important step toward the realization of that goal. But don’t take my word for it. Look at what they themselves have stated.
“We have turned a corner recently,” said CPUSA spokesman Sam Delgado. “I believe now we can achieve Communism in America within my lifetime, within the next 50 years.”
An article appearing this year on the CPUSA website states, “Right now the elections are the most critical form of struggle; this is where we have the best shot of finally breaking the back of the ultra right. Afterwards, we will continue to build a united movement that can work to establish a real electoral alternative, and eventually to challenge the system overall.”
Why do self-proclaimed communists see the election of Barack Obama as such an important step toward the implementation of their agenda? They have not in any of their writings that I’m aware of ever claimed that Obama is a communist, and neither am I making that claim. Remember, however, that as I stated above, the communists in Romania first joined with the Social Democratic Party. The newly formed Romanian Workers’ Party became the most powerful political party in the country, but it was 17 years before the country officially became a communist nation. In other words, the movement toward communism started as a socialist movement.
So is Barack Obama a socialist? Is that why various communists groups are so excited about the prospect of him becoming president? Certainly, many have made the claim that his economic policies are socialist in nature, and I would agree with them. His philosophy of spreading the wealth around is a socialist philosophy. Obama’s plan to increase taxes on some so that he can send a check to others is a socialist plan. However, Obama’s supporters claim that to call Barack Obama a socialist is nothing more than a scare tactic. It’s a political smear. It’s not true. He’s not a socialist.
So let's set aside, for a moment, his socialist economic ideas and ask ourselves another question. How do we explain the fact that, not long ago, Barack Obama was a member of a socialist political party: the now-defunct New Party?
The New Party was established in 1992 by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Most New Party members were from the DSA and the radical left-wing organization ACORN. The New Party also included members from the Communist Party USA and a CPUSA splinter group known as the Committees of Correspondence.
The New Party began to die after a 1997 Supreme Court ruling that its strategy of “fusion,” running a candidate on more than one party ticket, was not protected by the First Amendment's freedom of association clause.
By 1998, the New Party was essentially dead, but "New Ground," the archive section of the website for Chicago’s chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is quite revealing.
"New Ground 42" from September-October, 1995, says this:
The July-August, 1996 "New Ground 47" reports on the three New Party candidates who won primaries.
Here is a photograph from page two of the same paper. The photo shows winning New Party candidates Obama, Davis, and Martin posing with two other New Party members
So Barack Obama's economic policies are socialist in nature. He was a member of an openly socialist political party. Communist party members in the United States see the election of Barack Obama as an important step toward achieving their goal of a communist United States.
This should be a real concern for everyone who wants to keep America free. Yet, all of this is dismissed as nothing more than the scare tactics of right-wing radicals.
Some people will never look past the rhetoric of Barack Obama. They will continue to blindly support him; they will vote for him; and they will follow him into a change that our children and grandchildren will pay for. Nothing can be done about those people.
However, for those who are still trying to decide, for those who are interested in an honest examination of who Barack Obama really is, for those who are more interested in truth than in a carefully crafted image of hope and change, there's still time. There's still time to prevent the most dangerous legitimate presidential candidate in the history of the United States from actually sitting in the Oval Office.
– Norman Thomas, American socialist and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.
In the early part of the 20th century, my great-grandfather owned a small farm in Romania. In order to provide a better life for his family, he moved to the United States in 1912. He had no money, but he worked and saved until he could afford to send for his family to join him in the U.S. in 1920. He, my great-grandmother, and their two daughters (my grandmother and my great-aunt) never had much, but they always worked hard and earned their own way in their new country.
The small farm that my great-grandfather left in Romania was given to his nephew, who stayed there and farmed the land until it was taken from him by the communists after World War II. From that point on he worked on a collective farm owned by the government. Whatever he and the other workers produced belonged to the government, and the produce was then distributed back to the workers according to the government’s own discretion. It didn’t matter how hard an individual worked, he could never have more than the government allowed him to have, and it was never much because the government spread the wealth around.
This transition to a communist government didn’t happen overnight. Beginning in 1944, with the backing of the Soviets, the communist party in Romania gradually became more powerful. In 1948 the party merged with a group from the Social Democratic Party and formed the Romanian Workers’ Party. By 1952 the communists within the Romanian Workers’ Party had taken from the social democrats near complete control of the party. In 1965 the party officially changed its name to the Romanian Communist Party.
As most Americans know by now, Barack Obama recently said, “I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody." Unfortunately, too many people in this country are completely unaware of the full ramifications of such a philosophy.
The Communist Party USA (CPUSA), however, is fully aware of its implications for the future achievement of their ultimate goal: the implementation of a communist government in the United States. That is their goal, and they see the election of Barack Obama as an important step toward the realization of that goal. But don’t take my word for it. Look at what they themselves have stated.
“We have turned a corner recently,” said CPUSA spokesman Sam Delgado. “I believe now we can achieve Communism in America within my lifetime, within the next 50 years.”
An article appearing this year on the CPUSA website states, “Right now the elections are the most critical form of struggle; this is where we have the best shot of finally breaking the back of the ultra right. Afterwards, we will continue to build a united movement that can work to establish a real electoral alternative, and eventually to challenge the system overall.”
Why do self-proclaimed communists see the election of Barack Obama as such an important step toward the implementation of their agenda? They have not in any of their writings that I’m aware of ever claimed that Obama is a communist, and neither am I making that claim. Remember, however, that as I stated above, the communists in Romania first joined with the Social Democratic Party. The newly formed Romanian Workers’ Party became the most powerful political party in the country, but it was 17 years before the country officially became a communist nation. In other words, the movement toward communism started as a socialist movement.
So is Barack Obama a socialist? Is that why various communists groups are so excited about the prospect of him becoming president? Certainly, many have made the claim that his economic policies are socialist in nature, and I would agree with them. His philosophy of spreading the wealth around is a socialist philosophy. Obama’s plan to increase taxes on some so that he can send a check to others is a socialist plan. However, Obama’s supporters claim that to call Barack Obama a socialist is nothing more than a scare tactic. It’s a political smear. It’s not true. He’s not a socialist.
So let's set aside, for a moment, his socialist economic ideas and ask ourselves another question. How do we explain the fact that, not long ago, Barack Obama was a member of a socialist political party: the now-defunct New Party?
The New Party was established in 1992 by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Most New Party members were from the DSA and the radical left-wing organization ACORN. The New Party also included members from the Communist Party USA and a CPUSA splinter group known as the Committees of Correspondence.
The New Party began to die after a 1997 Supreme Court ruling that its strategy of “fusion,” running a candidate on more than one party ticket, was not protected by the First Amendment's freedom of association clause.
By 1998, the New Party was essentially dead, but "New Ground," the archive section of the website for Chicago’s chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America is quite revealing.
"New Ground 42" from September-October, 1995, says this:
About 50 activists attended the Chicago New Party membership meeting in July. The purpose of the meeting was to update members on local activities and to hear appeals for NP support from four potential political candidates.
...
Candidates must be approved via a NP political committee. Once approved, candidates must sign a contract with the NP. The contract mandates that they must have a visible and active relationship with the NP.
The political entourage included Alderman Michael Chandler, William Delgado, chief of staff for State Rep Miguel del Valle, and spokespersons for State Sen. Alice Palmer, Sonya Sanchez, chief of staff for State Sen. Jesse Garcia, who is running for State Rep in Garcia's District; and Barack Obama, chief of staff for State Sen. Alice Palmer. Obama is running for Palmer's vacant seat. (emphasis mine)
The July-August, 1996 "New Ground 47" reports on the three New Party candidates who won primaries.
…the NP's '96 Political Program has been enormously successful with 3 of 4 endorsed candidates winning electoral primaries. All four candidates attended the NP membership meeting on April 11th to express their gratitude. Danny Davis, winner in the 7th Congressional District, invited NPers to join his Campaign Steering Committee. Patricia Martin, who won the race for Judge in 7th Subcircuit Court, explained that due to the NP she was able to network and get experienced advice from progressives like Davis. Barack Obama, victor in the 13th State Senate District, encouraged NPers to join in his task forces on Voter Education and Voter Registration. The lone loser was Willie Delgado, in the 3rd Illinois House District. (emphasis mine)Below left is the front page of the New Party News, Spring 1996. The section circled in red is enlarged on the right. As you can see, Barack Obama is clearly named as a New Party member.
Here is a photograph from page two of the same paper. The photo shows winning New Party candidates Obama, Davis, and Martin posing with two other New Party members
So Barack Obama's economic policies are socialist in nature. He was a member of an openly socialist political party. Communist party members in the United States see the election of Barack Obama as an important step toward achieving their goal of a communist United States.
This should be a real concern for everyone who wants to keep America free. Yet, all of this is dismissed as nothing more than the scare tactics of right-wing radicals.
Some people will never look past the rhetoric of Barack Obama. They will continue to blindly support him; they will vote for him; and they will follow him into a change that our children and grandchildren will pay for. Nothing can be done about those people.
However, for those who are still trying to decide, for those who are interested in an honest examination of who Barack Obama really is, for those who are more interested in truth than in a carefully crafted image of hope and change, there's still time. There's still time to prevent the most dangerous legitimate presidential candidate in the history of the United States from actually sitting in the Oval Office.
posted by Bryan Alexander | 4:00 AM
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