Maine Owl

This is insane:


McCain calls Obama a Socialist

What is the McCain/Palin purpose of ridiculing the notion of "share the wealth"? Make people angry at the Democrat who would provide a tiny corrective move in shifting a bit more tax burden back to the 1% who own 50% of the wealth?

Very few of the Republican supporters who cheer this stuff at their rabid rallies are thinking about how both McCain and Obama voted for the bank bailout, a definite sharing of our wealth with those crooked bankers. What could be more socialist than making financial dealers whole after their schemes have failed? Furthrmore, McCain himself two weeks ago announced a now-all-but-forgotten plan to support distressed mortgagees.

Sarah Palin, despite her six-figure wardrobe, may be the biggest wealth-sharing politician in the race this year, considering Alaska's per capita $3300 oil checks.

It just seems crazy to me that the Republicans constantly attack the Democrats for things they themselves are doing. What better term is there to describe the McCain/Palin campaign than erratic?

And by the way, I personally believe that a lot more wealth sharing is needed: high marginal rates on the rich, and a Tobin tax for starters.

(See video transcript below.)

CHRIS WALLACE (Fox News): But you did it indirectly, so let me ask you for some straight talk. Do you think that Senator Obama is a socialist? Do you think that his plans are socialism?

JOHN MCCAIN: I think his plans are redistribution of the wealth. He said it himself, "We need to spread the wealth around." Now, that's one of...

WALLACE: Is that socialism?

MCCAIN: That's one of the tenets of socialism. But it's more the liberal left, which he's always been on. He's always been in the left lane of American politics.

WALLACE: But, Senator, when we talk...

MCCAIN: So is one of the tenets of socialism redistribution of the wealth? Not just socialism ? a lot of other liberal and left wing philosophies ? redistribution of the wealth? I don't believe in it. I believe in wealth creation by Joe the Plumber.

WALLACE: But, Senator, you voted for the $700 billion bailout that's being used partially to nationalize American banks. Isn't that socialism?

MCCAIN: That is reacting to a crisis that's due to greed and excess in Washington. And what this administration is doing wrong, and what Paulson is doing wrong, is not going out and buying up home loan mortgages, home mortgages, and giving people new mortgages at the new value of their home so they can stay in their home. They're bailing out the banks. They're baling out these institutions.

WALLACE: But you voted for that.

MCCAIN: Of course. It was a package that had to be enacted because the economy was about to go into the tank.