When campaign critics likened Barack Obama’s economic policies to “socialism,“ did they know what they were talking about? One doubts. They seemed to base their accusations on Obama’s comment regarding “spreading” around wealth. While income redistribution might be essential to socialism, redistribution does not necessarily translate into socialism. Does not true socialism require public ownership of the means of production? Another question. Although socialists Eugene Debs and (especially) Norman Thomas were significant public figures, socialism never prospered in the U.S. as it did in Europe. Why? The children want to know. And, finally (thank Heaven), what does the Bible have to say about all this. The RT-D’s readers are split on this. It says here that the Bible offers evidence to support almost all political arguments but in the end translates neither into a Democratic platform nor into a Republican one. We also say that the lyrics of the magnificant (Mary’s song) convey sentiments not historically associated with the right (although so-called conservative populists might take the verses as a call to cultural arms). 

What is socialism?