Why do Republicans consider Obama to be a big-spending socialist?

[kentuck]

Are they really that stupid? Don't answer that.

But the left has a totally different perspective than the right when it comes to Obama. They see a "centrist", working more to fix Wall Street than Main Street. They see a "Democrat" that is keeping his promise on healthcare reform by reforming the insurance companies, by giving them tons of money. They see a Democrat continuing to fight invisible enemies in countries half-way around the world. According to some on the left, the right should love Barack Obama.

But they don't. They hate him. Why? Because they believe the propaganda rather than what they see with their own eyes? This is the same guy that brought back the old Iran-Contra spy, Bob Gates, to head the Defense Dept. He put Leon Panetta, a former Republican in charge at the CIA. He left General Petraeus, the hero of the right, in charge of the military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. He has left more Republicans in charge of important positions than any President of modern memory. He left Bernanke in charge at the FED. He promoted Tim Geithner, the head of the NY Federal Reserve during the Bush years and the collapse of the economy, to Secretary of the Treasury. He listens to Larry Summers, not Paul Krugman.

He did not put any left-wingers or "liberals" into important positions, unless you consider Hillary a "liberal"? In the left's viewpoint, this Administration looks more Republican than Democratic. The President is trying very hard to be "bi-partisan". But they slap his hand each time he reaches out. Perhaps they should be kissing his hand?

[rocktivity]

1. They'll consider any Dem/Lib as ANYTHING to get back into power

yet they're so arrogant they'll neither offer an alernative or even fabricate one. So why ask why?

:shrug:
rocktivity

[M155Y_A1CH]

11. Absolutely

This is just their favorite meme.
All opponents are tax-n-spend libruls.
They just crank up that old saw whenever needed to instill hatred for the "other".
It need not be true for them to repeat it and pretend to be afraid.

[Orsino]

2. Because they believe what their TVs tell them to believe...

...and their TVs use the hard-sell on right-wing talking points.

[Javaman]

3. Any elected official that doesn't have an "R" after his or her name is...

the enemy to them.

If Christ ran on the Democratic ticket, they would label him a long hair hippy who hates the banks and proposes socialism.

[HughBeaumont]

4. Those morons consider anyone to the left of George Will to be a "socialist".

Like Pavlov's dogs, Red Baiting is done without care, reason or intelligence. Never mind that it's LONG since proven the whole "Red Scare" BS was an overblown ruse of fear, courtesy of post-WWII FBI/CIA, to keep the citizenry frightened. It just sounds so OMGZKEWL when Glenn Beck sez it!!

[spanone]

5. that's what they call ALL democrats when the truth is bu$h* outspent them all

[hughee99]

6. I'm not surprised that the same people who consider Lieberman a liberal

also think Obama is. It's all about perspective. I'm sure there are people who thought Jesse Helms was liberal, or that Dennis Kucinich is conservative.

[Overseas]

7. It is their automatic response to any Democrat in the White House. //nt

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Because "Socialist" Is A Boogeyman

It's a simple, visceral term for the right leaning masses whether it's appropriate or not.

It doesn't make sense. It never has.
GAC

[fascisthunter]

9. because they want to consistently attach anything and everything to the left

even if the person is a conservative or a corporatist.

Yes, the right wing is that threatened of the left and we know it. :evilgrin:

[OHdem10]

10. Truth is the first casualty in GOP Politics. They think "socialist'

is a good word to frighten people.

[guitar man]

12. Because he has a "D" after his name

It's all the justification they will ever need, facts be damned....

[YOY]

13. You imply that they would read enough scholarly materials instead of punditry to define the word.

and I see the "well take the Republican's definition of Right/Left" squad has shown up to display their vast acceptance of "reality".

[jaksavage]

14. They need someone to blame

Otherwise their conservative contituants would look at their leaders and see them for the corrupt assholes they are.

[Ozymanithrax]

15. Big spending socialsit Democrats is one of the big myths of the right...

It is accepted on a religous level, as faith. It is useful because their base salivate like Pavlov's dogs when they hear it.

[Skidmore]

16. See....it's socialist if you are asking the big guy GOP to pony up, but

if those Wall Street guys come with their hand out, it is "saving our way of life," just like the wars they don't want to pay for are.

[laughingliberal]

17. They believe what Fox news tells them to believe

Also, no matter how much money is channeled to the top, if one penny is spent to help the great unwashed masses, it's socialism.

[EC]

18. Santos isn't a real liberal? Or Duckworth?

He did put in many progressives in the Cabinet positions where they are making changes under the radar already...

[old mark]

19. They hate him because he is a Democrat, he is black, he is smart and he is President of "their"

country, which they think of as "God's United States of America". They think ALL Democrats are stupid if not outright evil, they hate all social liberation movements and social welfare improvements since the mid 19th century.
Please remember this; they are NOT using reason - THEY HATE US ALL.
They will lie, cheat and steal to defeat anything any Democrat tries to do and to win back power for themselves.

mark