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""Promote the general welfare" means precisely what it says - promote the well-being of the nation's citizenry as a whole."
Is this a socialist idea or would this be considered an American ideal?
It is a socialist ideal in the way Obama is using it and a twisting of its meaning within the preamble. Anyone who wanted to know its true meaning can read up on the founders and the design of this country. They can understand the purpose of their writings and the protections they instilled.
We used to teach this in the schools (well when I was growing up), but apparently history is a subject that isn't too popular these days or rather it is a subject riddled with revisionist changes.
That is why I addressed the redistribution of wealth, I didn't think was what our forefathers had in mind.
I'm just not a supporter of Socialism, sorry.
Have you read Lincoln? He has a very distinct quote regarding Government and what it is intended to do.
""Promote the general welfare" means precisely what it says - promote the well-being of the nation's citizenry as a whole."
Is this a socialist idea or would this be considered an American ideal?
Of course this would be considered an American ideal, historically. As for it being "socialist," the claim is ridiculous. Those who accuse Obama of being a "socialist" are usually those who have no problem with the "redistribution of wealth," as long as that redistribution benefits the wealthy rather than the middle or lower classes. And this is precisely what has happened over the past 8 years, and precisely the same track that McCain is on. The economist Robert Reich was asked by John Stewart why the bailout wasn't being distributed to middle-income Americans instead of to the people responsible for the economic fallout. He was half-kidding, of course. Reich's response was that the "official" reason was that in order for the structure of the economy to continue to function, the institutions need capital. The "unofficial" reason, he said, is because we live in a country where socialism is for the corporate class, and capitalism is for the rest of us. For example, due to tax cuts and tax loopholes, he said 40% of American corporations paid not one cent of taxes last year. McCain wants to continue down this road, putting money in the pockets of his wealthy friends, and forcing middle and lower income Americans to shoulder the burden. Meanwhile, our infrastructure and educational system continues to deteriorate. This type of corporate socialism, conducted under the banner of the Republican party, has not worked. A lighter tax burden on the wealthy has NOT created jobs, and there has been NO "trickle-down" benefit to the vast majority of Americans. Reich said that, adjusting for inflation, the American wage earner today earns less that the American wage earner of 2000.
There is nothing "socialist" about rebalancing the tax structure to benefit the MAJORITY of the citizens of this country. Even if it were "socialist," so what? Most Americans are indoctrinated to inherently distrust the idea of "socialism," and most haven't the foggiest idea what that term actually means, outside of its meaning as a fear-baiting tactic.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
wow that is a lot to take in. I think Americans distrust socialism, which doesn't need quotes., because socialism doesn't work. As for the bailout, I think there were a lot of people who did oppose it and unfortunately it was passed and passed by both parties.
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