Socialism, eh?

Since it seems Republicans and conservatives are hellbound intent on using and misusing the word "socialism" in order to keep the base stirred up, I think it's time for a little civics primer.

First, what is a socialist and what does s/he want? Wikipedia has this referenced definition:

Socialism refers to various theories of economic organization advocating state, worker or public ownership and administration of the means of production and allocation of resources, and a society characterized by equal access to resources for all individuals with an egalitarian method of compensation. Contrary to popular belief, socialism is not a political system; it is an economic system distinct from capitalism.

Okay, let's make some notes here. A socialist advocates or desires:

1. State, worker, or public ownership of the means of production
2. Allocation of resources with equal access to resources available to all
3. Egalitarian compensation

Okay, so far, so good. Now, just to be absolutely certain, let's check what the existing socialist political parties in the US are saying:

THE SOCIALIST PARTY strives to establish a radical democracy that places people's lives under their own control - a non-racist, classless, feminist socialist society... where working people own and control the means of production and distribution through democratically-controlled public agencies; where full employment is realized for everyone who wants to work; where workers have the right to form unions freely, and to strike and engage in other forms of job actions; and where the production of society is used for the benefit of all humanity, not for the private profit of a few.

From their platform page, the SP-USA has a lot of issue planks, notably:

1. Right to unionize at any level and in any sector, with full strike and walk-off rights, and militant action if deemed necessary. Yes, that's right, they want the unions to have military capabilities.
2. Abolition of the FBI and Homeland Security departments.
3. Automatic citizenship for all who enter the US and demonstrate residency for 6 months
4. Unconditional disarmament of the US and closure of all military bases
5. Abolition of the CIA and NSA
6. Creation of state farms and farm unions
7. Opposition to the IMF, World Bank, and WTO

Now, we come to the $1,000,000,000 question: has Obama demonstrated or said a single thing to line up with any of this?

Ah ha, say my conservative friends. What about the GM takeover?!

Well, what about it? Yes, the Federal government took ownership majority of GM's stock after the auto giant failed to turn itself around. However, the move was temporary and GM is re-entering the market after bankruptcy and will return to private/public ownership with the government withdrawing.

Further still, simply owning a business is not evidence of socialism. The government owns lots of businesses, some of them even Constitutionally mandated, such as the US Postal Service, which receives no operational subsidy from tax dollars. For the GM takeover to fit with what actual socialist envision, Obama would have not only taken over GM, but all domestic automakers, seized foreign auto plants within our borders, the supply chains for all, and turned them over to the workers at each plant.

THAT, my friends, is socialism.

(Thanks goes out to Zotnix who has already compiled some preliminary research on socialism and the Socialist Party.)