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Obama says Republicans practice "Social Darwinism"
Reuters ^ | 12/11/5

Posted on 12/11/2005 5:31:19 PM PST by Crackingham

Republicans controlling the federal government practice Social Darwinism, a discredited philosophy that in economics and politics calls for survival of the fittest, according to a Democratic U.S. senator. Sen. Barak Obama of Illinois, a fast-rising Democratic star, told Florida party members that only a philosophy among Republicans of sink or swim explains why some Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans still live in cars while Republicans in Washington prepare next week to enact $70 billion in tax breaks.

"It's called the 'Ownership society' in Washington. This isn't the first time this philosophy has appeared. It used to be called Social Darwinism," Obama said late Saturday at the Democrats meeting at Walt Disney World.

"They have a philosophy they have implemented and that is doing exactly what it was designed to do. They basically don't believe in government. They have a different philosophy that says, 'We're going to dismantle government'," Obama said.

Republicans running the federal government believe, "You are on your own to buy your own health care, to buy your own retirement security ... to buy your own roads and levees," Obama said, referring to flood barriers that gave way in New Orleans during Katrina last August.

Obama, the only African American now in the U.S. Senate, gave the keynote address at the annual meeting of Florida Democrats.

Social Darwinism applies Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection from biology to human culture. Popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the theory advocates free competition and a minimalist role for government in society. Darwin himself rejected the application of natural selection to human society.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 109th; crevolist; democrats; gop; hurricane; hurricanekatrina; katrina; muslimsleeper; obama; obasms; republicans; socialdarwinism
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To: IncPen

"Do they even see the irony?"

That requires a certain amount of physical and mental development; my middle daughter, at age 11, is understanding irony reasonably well, while her little sister, 8, is just beginning to understand it. What does that tell you about these politicians?


61 posted on 12/11/2005 6:13:35 PM PST by Old Student (WRM, MSgt, USAF(Ret.))
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To: Crackingham

"You are on your own to buy your own health care, to buy your own retirement security ... to buy your own roads and levees"


Republicans and libertarians just believe in buying health care, roads and levees at wholesale prices!

We want to out the middle-man (the government).


62 posted on 12/11/2005 6:13:38 PM PST by mc6809e
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To: Crackingham
Republicans controlling the federal government practice Social Darwinism, a discredited philosophy that in economics and politics calls for survival of the fittest, according to a Democratic U.S. senator. Sen. Barak Obama of Illinois,

This makes no sense at all, as the left is insisting that gays be allowed to marry and abprtion be kept legal.

Seems to me that the left is not intending to have anyone left to survive after one generaion. Abortion kills mostly democrats and I don't think lesbians or gays can produce offspring without help from the other sex.

I'll place my bets now, put all the pro abortion people on one island, the lesbians one another and all the gays on a third. Which island will have anyone left in 100 years?

63 posted on 12/11/2005 6:17:18 PM PST by Arrowhead1952 (I never got a job from a person on a government program.)
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To: avile

" he is a mulatto Kenyan"

with a Muslim background.


64 posted on 12/11/2005 6:17:26 PM PST by AmeriBrit (HILLARY's1974 Watergate Crimes: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/925684/posts)
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To: RightWingAtheist
I'd say we should wear Mr.Obama's attempted "slur" with pride, wouldn't you say?

I'm not sure I like being called "social."

65 posted on 12/11/2005 6:17:50 PM PST by VadeRetro (Liberalism is a cancer on society. Creationism is a cancer on conservatism.)
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To: CarolinaGuitarman

"And you've confused libertarians with anarchists. The confusion must be contagious. :)"

My local libertarians have led me astray... they believe that government could largely be replaced with lawsuits...

Thanks for the correction.


66 posted on 12/11/2005 6:17:59 PM PST by TWohlford
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To: Turbopilot
When was social Darwinism discredited, and by whom?

The propagandist who wrote the piece is trying to misdefine the terms in order to frame the issue. At issue is not one of policy decisions in the name of "Darwinism", but an observation of the outcome.
{Note Darwin himself did not have a hand in evolution, just in observing it.}

Social Darwinism applies Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection from biology to human culture.

Yep, exhibit A would be the Taliban . . .

67 posted on 12/11/2005 6:18:40 PM PST by TeleStraightShooter (When Frist exercises his belated Constitutional "Byrd option", Reid will have a "Nuclear Reaction".)
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To: TWohlford

"My local libertarians have led me astray... they believe that government could largely be replaced with lawsuits... "

They should be called LINOS; Libertarians In Name Only.


68 posted on 12/11/2005 6:19:59 PM PST by CarolinaGuitarman ("There is a grandeur in this view of life...")
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To: California Patriot; ninenot; sittnick; steve50; Hegemony Cricket; Willie Green; Wolfie; ex-snook; ..
Ah, the "new Democrats." Just like the old Democrats.

Do not worry. The new Democrats are only paying a lip service to the New Deal type of issues.

Their new and real agenda is gay "marriage", abortion, celebrating diversity in schools and eliminating religion from public sphere (unless it is Islam or witchcraft).

That is why millions who in the past would vote for FDR, today either vote Republican or stay home.

69 posted on 12/11/2005 6:20:19 PM PST by A. Pole ("Truth at first is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed and then it is accepted as self evident.")
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To: svcw

There's no problem. Social Darwinism is the most progressive social system, as most social progress has happened more or less in proportion to the degree in which Social Darwinism was practiced.


70 posted on 12/11/2005 6:20:22 PM PST by GSlob
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To: Arrowhead1952

Note to self. Don't type when you are upset. Hit spell check before posting.

abprtion = abortion

generaion = generation


71 posted on 12/11/2005 6:20:32 PM PST by Arrowhead1952 (I never got a job from a person on a government program.)
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To: Crackingham
Republicans of sink or swim explains why some Hurricane Katrina victims in New Orleans still live in cars while Republicans in Washington prepare next week to enact $70 billion in tax breaks.

Hurricane Katrina "victims" got that way because the Democrats designed and implemented policies designed to keep them impoverished.

72 posted on 12/11/2005 6:20:36 PM PST by JCEccles
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To: Crackingham
Obama says Republicans practice "Social Darwinism"

Creationist RINOs take note. Obama's pitching to your base.

73 posted on 12/11/2005 6:22:03 PM PST by Oztrich Boy (so natural to mankind is intolerance in whatever they really care about - J S Mill)
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To: GSlob
Social Darwinism is the most progressive social system, as most social progress has happened more or less in proportion to the degree in which Social Darwinism was practiced.

Really? Western Civilization was created by the Church on the foundation established by Greece and Rome. Which of these were based on Social Darwinism?

74 posted on 12/11/2005 6:25:37 PM PST by A. Pole ("Truth at first is ridiculed, then it is violently opposed and then it is accepted as self evident.")
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To: All
Obama said late Saturday at the Democrats meeting at Walt Disney World.

Are they serious? I thought for a moment that this might be satire when I got to this point. I really can't stop laughing.

That being said, I don't think Barack Obama has the slightest idea what he's talking about.

75 posted on 12/11/2005 6:27:15 PM PST by AZ_Cowboy ("Merry Christmas!")
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To: Crackingham

Error 1 - Speaking to FloriDUH Democrats.
Error 2 - Obama speech being considered by anyone.
Error 3 - "We are going to dismantle government" should read dismanlte government outside of Constitutional limits.

Obama is a disgrace to himself, his "activist" family, and the human race segment that voted for him.


76 posted on 12/11/2005 6:29:22 PM PST by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon Liberty, it is essential to examine principle)
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To: jimbo123

Are you sure that ain't osama bin laden?


77 posted on 12/11/2005 6:34:26 PM PST by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: A. Pole
"You are on your own to buy your own health care, to buy your own retirement security ... to buy your own roads and levees," Obama said

If the Republican party did espouse these views, I would support the Republican party 100 percent. However, considering the Republican party has wasted spending on increasing government expenditures on each of these issues and the President wouldn't know the definition of the word veto if someone explained it to him, I wouldn't bother wasting a vote on the Republican Party.

The two parties have gotten to the point they argue not on whether or not a policy should be pursued, but only on how much money should be wasted on a policy

78 posted on 12/11/2005 6:40:05 PM PST by billbears (Deo Vindice)
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To: A. Pole

Read the history of Renaissance [say, "the Prince" with its survival of the fittest], Industrial Revolution, and of protocapitalist Netherlands, for a sampler and appetizer.


79 posted on 12/11/2005 6:41:39 PM PST by GSlob
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Comment #80 Removed by Moderator


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