A rebuttal to the GOP's reflexive instinct to call anything Obama-esque as Socialism.

3. In Republican-land there are only two kind of philosophies . . . Reaganomics . . . and everything else they simply label

4. Socialism

5. ICE CREAM EVEN IF ITS NOT IF I SAY IT’S ICE CREAM, THEN IT’S ICE CREAM

6. It’s simply about smearing your opponent Remember when Chris Matthews spanked Kevin James for comparing Obama’s willingness to negotiate with pre-World War II appeasement when it was clear James had no clue about that era? Our friends now have a new smear word to misuse.

8. "If you look at FDR, LBJ, and Barack Obama, this is really the final leap to socialism.” Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) The Three Horsemen of GOP Socialism

9. Republicans have been fighting Social Security for over 70 Years. Social Security is a “cruel hoax” – Alf Landon, 1936 Presidential nominee “ Should be abolished” – Barry Goldwater, 1964 Presidential nominee A “sure loser” - Ronald Reagan Overview Lifts more than 1 million children AND approximately 40% of seniors out of poverty (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) GOP & SOCIAL SECURITY

10. Medicare and Medicaid was part of an advancing socialism that would "invade every area of freedom in this country“ – Ronald Reagan GOP & MEDICARE/MEDICAID Overview Prior to enactment approximately half of all seniors lacked health insurance, today Medicare covers 97 percent of seniors Medicare has: (i) increased life expectancy by as much as 20 percent among women; (ii) improved access to care and quality of life; and (iii) saved millions of senior from poverty. Medicaid covers for half of the nation’s low-income children and 60 percent of nursing home residents ( Health Care Financing Administration and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities .)

11. That’s Not Socialism What’s really going on here?

12. The GOP has no new ideas. Only old labels

13. Looks like people have started to notice

14. We need to do everything we can to thwart them at every turn to make sure that they aren't able to, for all time, secure a power base that for all time can never be defeated . Rep. Michelle Bachman (2009) COUNTRY FIRST? Conservatives can't win politically right now. [So they must] obstruct and delay. William Kristol (2009)

15. In 1994, William Kristol convinced Republicans not to work with the Clinton White House to reach a compromise on health care reform because “the long term political effects of a successful Clinton health care bill [would have been to] revive the reputation of the party . . . as the generous protector of middle-class interests. “ COMPROMISE

16. Why would we want anything good to happen to average Americans if the Democrats would get credit for it? Power & Politics trump Policy and Progress

17. Today 18,000 people die prematurely every year due to lack of health insurance.

18. WHAT WILL BE THE COST OF THE LATEST GOP OBSTRUCTIONISM?

20. A Commie

23. Bennet Kelley is an award winning political columnist for the Santa Monica Daily Press and Huffington Post. He has been active in politics for over 30 years and was Co-Founder of the Democratic National Committee's Saxophone Club, its young professional outreach and fundraising arm, from 1992 to 1998. Bennet has provided political analysis and insight to television, radio and print media ranging from KABC to the Washington Times. He recently has teamed up with conservative political consultant Jim Ellis to form Filibanter (filibanter.com) which provides audiences with a light-hearted, yet insightful, look at contemporary politics Bennet also is a contributing author to Big Bush Lies: 20 Essays and a List of the 50 Most Telling Lies of George W. Bush (RiverWood Books 2004) and was publisher of BushLies.net. www.BennetKelley.com