Time's Joe Klein is giddy. Convinced Sen. Barack Obama is barreling down the straightaway towards the electoral finish line with Sen. McCain choking on his dust, Mr. Anonymous is cheering the promise of big government and wealth redistribution, seeing an Obama victory as a mandate for LBJ-like big government activism.
From his October 16 "Swampland" blog entry (emphasis mine):
[McCain] spoke in Reagan-era shorthand. He thought that merely invoking the magic words "spread the wealth" and "class warfare" he could neutralize Obama.
But those words and phrases seem anachronistic, almost vestigial now. Indeed, they have become every bit as toxic as Democratic social activist proposals--government-regulated and subsidized health care, for example--used to be. We have had 30 years of class warfare, in which the wealthy strip-mined the middle class.... Barack Obama is the most unapologetic advocate of government activism since Lyndon Johnson--which is not to say that his brand of activism will be the same as Johnson's (we've learned a lot about the perils of bureacracy and the value of market incentives since then)--and he seems to be giving the public exactly what it wants this year. Who knows? Maybe even the word "liberal" can now be uttered in mixed company again.
[...]
Story Continues Below Ad ↓[B]y the way, if government activism is now back on the table, we can begin to talk about the real answers to our entitlement problems: Medicare and medicaid can only be solved when they're included in a comprehensive, regulated and managed universal health insurance system.
The point is, this is a very good year to be Senator Government. Ronald Reagan used to say that the most frightening nine words in the English language were "I'm from the government and I'm here to help." That is no longer true. This year, the most frightening eight words are "I'm John McCain and I approved this message."
Klein caricature via socialmedia.biz
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
This is more La La Land
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 10:55 ET by mattmThis is more La La Land fantasy.
If "Liberal" is no longer a dirty word, then explain to me why Obama has suddenly decided that "middle class tax cuts" are the way to go? And explain to me why Obama is trying to distance himself from his radical liberal pals like Ayers and ACORN?
If "Liberal" is so popular among the people, why try to sound like a slightly right leaning moderate?
Liberalism is
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:09 ET by rbosqueLiberalism is (unfortunately) the default culture. It's certainly at our kid's schools, it's in the garbage coming out of Hollywood, and it's in the heads of idiotic Times writers and "journalists".
Klein needs a reality check.
the default culture
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:19 ET by allamericangirlSame old product repackaged
Liberal is now repackaged and called progressive like "forward thinking and with it" It is easier to sell to the young.
In the same way homosexual is now repackaged to be called gay like "happy and positive" it sounds better and is easier to sell to the young.
"The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree" -Barack Obama
How right you are girl
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:45 ET by cocodrieRedefinition is the name of the game. Give it a nice sounding name and all sorts of vile things don't sound so bad. To quote Shakespeare " What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Of course for liberals we have to substitute something that stinks.
I loved the quote from
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 12:30 ET by allamericangirlI loved the quote from Shakespeare Cocodrie lets enjoy it before it is banned
My heart breaks for the young people that are buying into this lie. All these crazy liberal professors are deceiving a whole generation into believing what is bad is good and what is good is bad. I am amazed at the level of brainwashing that is going on in the schools starting in grade school. You would not believe the things my little granddaughter is being taught. They are defiantly pushing a very liberal socialist agenda in the schools here in California. William Ayers would be so proud.
"The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree" -Barack Obama
I'm old enough to have gone
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 12:42 ET by cocodrieI'm old enough to have gone to school when we were taught to read and write. we were also taught english and arithmetic, they forced what I considered at the time all this useless, boring literature. Joe Biden obviously cut his arithmetic classes.
Joe Biden obviously cut his
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:24 ET by allamericangirlJoe Biden obviously cut his arithmetic classes
LOL good one Coco
The advantage for Barrack having Joe Biden as a running mate is it makes him look smarter.
"The acorn doesn't fall far from the tree" -Barack Obama
Joe really does make him
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:37 ET by cocodrieJoe really does make him look smarter
This year, the most
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:13 ET by SeashellThis year, the most frightening eight words are "I'm John McCain and I approved this message."
Incredible! Joe Klein is no longer a journalist. He is a member of the Obama campaign. I just don't know how these people can get away with this.
No one's made "liberal" a
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:19 ET by Chris NormanNo one's made "liberal" a "four letter word" except...the liberals. They're the ones who ran away from the label and protest that they're really "moderates". Conservatives just described what the liberals were all about, many people saw the results of liberalism and agreed, and the liberals started denying their own beliefs, policies, and even their label.
McNotObama '08
Blank check
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:15 ET by KC MulvilleIf Obama wins:
Do you ever get the sense
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:16 ET by BigLibertyThat when these journalists post about what is "happening" in politics, it's more of a reflection of what they want to be happening rather than the reality?
It's like, if they say it's true, then it will become true.
I agree that liberal is NOT a four-letter word. It's a six-letter word. I-N-S-A-N-E
Maybe in the company
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:22 ET by Clear thinkerMaybe in the company of other Socialists and Communists, but in my crowd, LIBERAL is a four letter word. Always has been, always will be.
The Case For Not Voting Obama
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
If Obama wins....
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 11:35 ET by Forbusmaybe Klein can start working on the word "Marxist."
Earth to Joe Klein...
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 12:15 ET by Mary Louise TurnerEarth to Joe Klein: You are a L-I-B-E-R-A-L! You can't spin it any other way. You and your magazine have lost thousands of subscribers and thousands in ad revenue (ouch!) due to your obnoxious pro-Obama slant.
Of course, the word
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:10 ET by fitzfongOf course, the word "liberal" can be used in mixed company again...as an anachronism. Joe Klown and Barack Obama are not merely "liberals"...they are Marxist/Stalinist thugs.
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
fitzfong.blogspot.com
What Wusses!
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:26 ET by mizflame98“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula? I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.”
B.H. Obama
The term 'Liberal' has long been ill-defined
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:38 ET by CT'Liberal' as defined by the ‘Age of Enlightenment’ presaged by John Locke is the defining event of modern culture.
‘Liberal’ as defined by Joe Klein is Marxism, the death of all culture.
What planet?
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 13:53 ET by IamTinmanWhat planet does Joe Klein live on?
Didn't he hear Joe the Plumber? Joe is Everyman who works for a living and asks little of the government except to be left alone.
Anyone with a scintilla of intelligence knows that the least efficient or effective organizations are government run.
Try to think of a well run or cost effective program coming out of Washington D.C.. Tough isn't it? Their solution to everything, and Barack as much as admitted it in the last debate, is to throw more money at the problems.
Only one problem folks, WE'RE FRESH OUT OF MONEY!!
Oh sure, we can print some more paper, but that's just another IOU for our children to cash.
It's simple folks. If you want a socialist government, vote for Barack. You've seen how well it works in Europe with 10% unemployment, massive welfare debt, and nationalized health programs that are falling apart. We can have that here by just voting for Obama.
But if you want your children to believe in a future where they can make a better life for themselves and their families by their own efforts, then vote for John McCain. He's not the best there is, but he's the best we're gonna get this time around.
Palin/Jindal - 2012
Today Biden had a 3 letter
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 14:39 ET by USA4freedomToday Biden had a 3 letter word: J..O..B..S..
Ronald Reagan, 1962: I did not leave the Democratic party, the party left me.
Insert: your name, 2008, and the Republican party.
The 3 letter word,
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 18:52 ET by wiwfThe 3 letter word, JOBS!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
Just as an add on about
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 19:13 ET by bigtimerJust as an add on about Biden and his 3 Letter word...
If McCain had did this we would never hear the end of it...let alone Palin...
Now lets see...I recall a man named Quayle and his pototoe episode with the msm..
Nope, no bias/hypocrisy at all...
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh