G.O.P CONGRESSMAN OUSTED IN PRIMARY: REFUSED TO CALL OBAMA A SOCIALIST AND LOST, HuffingtonPost, Aug 9, 2010

Richard Kigel · Monday, August 9th 2010 at 2:43PM · 730 views

Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) says he knows firsthand the risky business of refusing to call President Obama a "socialist" from his primary election defeat earlier this summer.

Inglis was quoted reflecting back on his loss by the New York Daily News on Monday.

"I figured out early in the race I was taking a risk by being unwilling to call the President a socialist," explained the outgoing congressman. "I'd get asked a question and they'd all wait to see if I'd use the word - socialist - they were throwing around. I wouldn't. Because I don't think that's what he is."

Inglis elaborated, "To call him a socialist is to demean the office and stir up a passion that we need to be calming, rather than constantly stirring up."

The criticism is only the latest in a string of recent shots fired by the South Carolina Republican at members of his party since failing in his re-election bid.

"I think that to some extent, we're getting what we deserve," he said last month of GOP efforts to appease the conservative wing of the party. "We have basically decided to stir up a base and that's a bad decision for the country. Because the country needs people here serving in Washington to say, 'listen let's lead and let's help people understand.'"

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Richard Kigel Staten Island, NY

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Comments (26)

Richard Kigel Monday, August 9th 2010 at 3:40PM

Youar e so right, IRma.

And I just read--I could not believe this--that the Republicans in the House are proposing a bill to mandate a two month vacation from election day till the new Congress is sworn in. The reason: so a lame duck congress does not pass any new laws.

How's that for doing the People's business!

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 10:48AM

Rich,

Here again is the use of words to excite the non thinking public. Socialism is a bad word yet some Americans refuse to acknowledge that we have always had a little socialistic over cast. If the republicans are so against socialism, why didn't they do something about the giveaways received by the Moneyed class. Welfare and the lower level programs get the most press but do people realize that the pension system for the government officials and the president, his wife etc fall under that unbrella?

Ebony Magazine did a piece on the dispersement of funds under the welfare system and aid to dependent children wasn't even 10%. I wish I could find a copy of that information again or some one do an update. The findings should be interesting.

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 12:40PM

What's wrong with being socialist. Our whole government is socialist, why not call a socialist a socialist? We'd be better off admitting what we are. Throw out the constitution and start over again. I'm serious.

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 1:40PM

I think that the way the word has been used in America has made it a dirty word. Yes, we are and Roosevelt supported the idea in some of his documents. And, according to some democratics, we are socialist and do not plan to change. I think republicans are undercover socialist too. America is so use to playing both sides of the fence that to tell the truth is incomprehensible to the vast majority of people.

Too many give away programs causes the death of inititive in some people. The harder we work for something the more value it is to the masses.

If that is the case, we need to stop lying. Our society has made it a bad word because it was associated with countries that America deemed bad. This is just more of the button pushing catch words to create a diversion like liberal and conservative. Confusion is the game of the day.

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 1:49PM

Rich,

They have too much vacation already. Why don't they time off without pay then? That will help the budget.

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 1:50PM

We need another party of rational thinking people.

Cynthia Merrill Artis Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 2:30PM

You all heard what Professor Sista Thomasena said..... Rational Thinking People....

Hi family....

Cynthia Merrill Artis Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 2:31PM

I agree and when they are working... their minds are still on vacation!

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 4:10PM

Right Thomasena, they try to make it a dirty word but there's nothing dirty about it. It's a choice and if that's what we are then at least we should do it right and quit pretending. If what was established over 200 years ago doesn't meet the needs of the country as it exists today, then let's have the courage to change it honestly and not underhandedly. And especially let's not be half assed about it.

Cynthia Merrill Artis Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 7:04PM

so tell me this.... why do they refer to Mr. President as having Marxist ideas? Im lost... and confused...

Richard Kigel Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 8:00PM

We actually have one declared sitting in Congress--Senator Bernie Sanders, Independent of Vermont. He is registered as an independent but he caucuses with thwe Dems. His constituents love him, even though he is a Socialist, because he is smart, honest and hard working.

He gets asked regularly if he thinks President Obama is a Socialist as the conservatives keep saying.

He just laughs.

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 8:05PM

Cynthia, just because the Democrats style themselves as the party of the people. Reverse the words and you get The People's Party, which sounds Communist. Those damn commies, you know, just like Martin.

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 9:39PM

Irma, the real world requires my presence at the polls this election, next election, every coming election. And I will vote my conscience, nothing less. And my conscience tells me not to vote for any name that is Republican or Democrat, unless that name is Ron Paul. But I already know he won't be on the ballot, because he won't break with the Republicans.

I'm about to get extreme, maybe I'll join the Communist Party USA

http://www.cpusa.org/

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 10:01PM

Here's a more precise link:

http://www.cpusa.org/cpusa-constitution/

Cynthia Merrill Artis Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 10:04PM

uummm... ok.. I guess

Steve Williams Saturday, August 14th 2010 at 10:29PM

Hey Honey, check this out:

http://cpusa.org/application-to-join-the-c...

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Sunday, August 15th 2010 at 10:06AM

Nixon said "...we will ALWAYS have he poor..." Yes, beecause they will see to it that a certain precentage remain poor. Some of us seem to forget our history. America was founded on religious freedom and then the puritans ran the quakers out of Mass. The horrible treatment in England caused man to run to America so Sewell hanged 19 citizens for witchcraft. Then they lied about what the bible said and created an empire funded by slavery and to justify that, they (became God) and declared the slave 1/5 a man, not to mention stealing the land and trying to wipe out the native people. Need I go on?

You re right, we need to stop lying but the Native People correctly decided in 1700, "he speaks with forked tongue."

Steve, watch out. think of all those people who were accused of being communist; what happened to them including Martin Luther King. If you really look at the structure of our country, it is flavored with communist ideas too. If you really don't own anything and the government can take your belongings at will, what is that. (irs) the government tells you how much money that you worked for you get to keep then you have to fill out papers to prove that you have a right to what THEY said you could keep. Plus, they take it before you get yours.

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Sunday, August 15th 2010 at 10:13AM

Steve,
If they change the way things are, then they couldn't fund their fat cat system as easily and maybe some people of color that they have not declared white will have a little power. The way it is now, calling it a democracy, makes some believe that they already have poower when they really don't.

It is almost like the Romans. Roman citizens did not have to work, but the majority of the Roman citizens were dirt poor and lived in the street.

Steve Williams Sunday, August 15th 2010 at 11:43AM

Thomasena, it is indeed dangerous to be a declared Communist in this country still. Yet communism builds on the ideals of democracy and adds a lot of other things that make sense to the equation. That is what makes it a threat to the status quo.

Thomasena Martin-Johnson Sunday, August 15th 2010 at 5:19PM

You are so right. I never believed that he wasn't used scapegoat. He also had a decent relationship with black people. The powers that be try to keep that hidden.