Bush advocating socialism?

[JDPriestly]

I believe I heard Bush suggest that individual Iraqis be paid from the proceeds of the sale of the nation's oil. Isn't this a form of socialism? Wouldn't it be nice if each of us could get a share of sales of American natural resources? How do you think the mining companies would feel about that? Please understand, if I were a recipient I would not mind. And after all, as Bush pointed out, this is an accepted policy in Alaska where each person receives a stipend each year that constitutes that person's share in Alaska's oil revenues so it is "American" as far as that is concerned. But isn't it inconsistent with the whole free market, corporate dominance idea. Sounds like the Iraqis are going to be offered a little lollipop in exchange for giving their nation's resources over to the international conglomerates. Bribery? or socialism?

[Avalux]

1. I think in Bush's mind, it's bribery.

Maybe if they hand out money it will keep people from killing each other. He doesn't care about them and their lives, he only cares about his legacy and the election in November. He'll do anything to save his own ass.

[Howland Owl]

2. We do get a share

Proceeds go towards funding the budget which serves us all. Unfortunately, our spending is far greater than Iraq's. The state of Alaska sends out checks to its citizens for oil profits. That's is not considered to be 'socialism'.

[eleny]

5. What "proceeds go to the budget"?

With oil companies gettng massive tax breaks - they hardly contribute to "the budget" the way they have in the past. Given our huge national deficit, I don't see how "they serve us all".

Btw, I know that Alaskans get checks for the state's oil. That would be their "commonwealth". What do you get in Georgia? We get nothing here in Colorado.

[bullimiami]

3. we take a million you share 1.

sounds fair. no?

[Virginia Dare]

4. It's definitely bribery...

but it's all a lie anyway.

[snappyturtle]

6. Quite frankly....

I have never understood why private oil companies in the US don't have to profit share with OUR natural resources. In the Iraqi situation, I'd call it bribery and trying not to look as if we're there for the oil--ha!

[pooja]

8. the gov't rents off peices of land that we own

They rent it to cattle ranchers, mining companies and logging companies. If the US actually rented the land at market value, we would make profit to cover a large amount of our defecit. I suppose though, that is ridiculous for the gov't to actually "rent" appropriately. But I suppose it goes along with the same sense of buying a hammer for $24.00 or a screw for $3.00... the gov't has the only people who have never heard of costco. Anyway, suppose they actually "rented" our lands out at fair market value... we'd eat less beef (less heart attacks every year). we'd have less uranium. We would think twice about buying paper products that weren't made of recycled product..(maybe become a hemp nation.) One thinf is for sure... we'd be making a lot more money off of these companies....

[zbdent]

7. I can just see Repuke heads exploding

"What? They're getting paid for selling OUR oil???????"

[lwcon]

9. The Bush quote, plus some snark

http://vastleft.blogspot.com/2006/06/iraq-has-oil.html