How much socialism?

Jan the housekeeper in our building was considering voting for Obama, but read that he was part of some "New Socialist Party" a while back or something like that and changed her mind. Well, yeah, clearly the guy expresses a lot more socialist ideas than McCain. But after both Obama and McCain voted for this massive bailout, you couldn't really call either one a free-market capitalist.

Some guy nicknamed "Pbreet" in the Denver Post forums talks about Ayn Rand (Atlas Shrugged) and rails against socialism or government control a lot. I have to ask: What other country in the world is more free market than the U.S.? Is Europe evil because they are more socialized than America? Is Japan evil? What would have happened had F.D.R. not instituted the programs of the New Deal? Alas, perhaps we would now have the hammer and sickle as a symbol of our workforce, because private enterprise failed.

Nor could we ever state that we are totally capitalistic, either. There are many government-run institutions, which have been in place for some time. The U.S. Post Office is a government-run institution, yet it is made more efficient by competition from private corporations like Fed Ex and UPS. I'm not too big on the idea of income redistribution, but do belive all of us except those in poverty should do our part. Gone seem to be the ideas of a flat tax, or other major programs that radically overhaul the I.R.S.. It is my belief that if they really simplified the tax code, and eliminated those loopholes which are unfair and kept deductions that are fair, we could all pay less taxes. And hopefully a more simple tax system could rake in more income for the coffers of the treasury.

Taxes and foreign policy are my sticking points with Obama. I don't really want to see any more of those rebate checks. Even my friend Mani got $300 and he earns NO income. I have a problem with Obama making an arbitrary line of $250K for tax increases. In past decades that might have been a lot of money, today it is not. I haven't decided on Joe the Plumber as I have read spin from both sides about whether this would help or hurt him in trying to own his business.

The way things are going, I'll be below the poverty line! By the time this happens, the government will probably be out of money and I'll be on my own. I just hope they are serving something good at the soup kitchen! I'll even sweep the floor to get an extra bowl!