WHAT'S THE JOKE?

"Socialism", defined by the Random House Dictionary: "a theory or system of social organization that advocates the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole". Every socialist country has slight variations as to what segment of the economy is to be taken over. But the underlying socialist precept is clear: the economy is community (via government) owned, and can be claimed by the government at any time. Individual rights are out, freedom is out. It is the capitalist free economy system that is built on those ideals.

The raging political question in the country is whether President Obama is a socialist...and of course, he is. His ardent desire and persistent efforts to take over and control America's health insurance industry (which probably really means our total health industry), the banking and related industries, the energy industry, etc. are all first steps in the implementation of a full socialist system in our country. And does he believe in freedom? Clearly not, when he believes the government has the legal power to force individuals to purchase insurance, whether they wish to or not, force companies to offer products and services on terms the government dictates, restrain companies from outsourcing the production of their products, penalize individuals for using the energy of their choice and for drinking the beverages of their choice. Clearly not, when he says income distribution is one of his goals...as if my money in some convoluted way belongs in part to others. And on and on.

Is not the cataclysmic change from a predominantly capitalist system to a predominantly socialist one, the hidden, unrevealed, change the President was promising when he campaigned to be dictator?

Is the reason so many in the country cannot seem to be able to call the President what he is, is that in America, socialism is a dirty word. Is that why Senator John McCain, when pointedly asked by George Stephanopoulis on tv this past weekend whether the President is a socialist, giggled like a child and refused to answer the question. This November, hopefully, Arizona voters will tell the Senator, who has seemingly gone from a courageous warrior to a pussyfooting politician, that "we don't get the joke".

Because there is no joke. Uprooting the glorious ideals of our heritage and reversing our course, will send us flying over that cliff. Nothing damn funny about that.