Debunking the GOP's Socialist Myth: Part 1: Financials

The term socialism is being bandied about the GOP with complete irresponsibility. 

Let's have a Webster's Dictionary definition of the term Socialism: 

1: "any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods."  2a: "a system of society or group living in which there is no private property."

2b: "a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state."

SP understands government intervention in the private sector, aside from protective regulations and enforcement of laws and codes, is an unacceptable condition. But aside from the hijacking of tax payer dollars by our financial institutions under the threat of imminent collapse, (for their own gain, and because of their irresponsibility) this administration's involvement in the private sector has NOT been in favor of ownership or collectivization. 

Remember it's the banks and failing conglomerates that ASKED the federal government and independent Federal Reserve for assistance, not the other way around. If the federal government failed to ask for the protections of equities to secure these bailouts, we would have no recourse of action against this borderline criminal hostage taking by behemoth institutions dubbed "too big to fail". Can you imagine the outcry from voters over that irresponsibility?

At the heart of this issue is the idea of activist government, and the justifiable fear of the public sector intruding on and subverting the rights of the citizens it is supposed to represent. Although this sentiment is understandable, the outcry and concern presently is misplaced and misdirected. The issue is that our citizens have been sagging against the bulwarks of government without producing real actionable changes on their own, and viewing the federal and states bureaucracies as a set of institutions geared towards solving challenges that we need to address ourselves first, via thorough debate and understanding... not regurgitated politico talking points that "shell game" the media and electorate. 

Our government can not be reactive and unobtrusive on the affairs of citizens and function properly unless citizens are proactive about learning and fixing problems in our society. Continuing active and non-productive laziness in personal conduct can only lead towards the shirking of our duties to our democracy, and greater activist government. 

We don't have socialism now, but we do have organized corruption, and a representative democracy that doesn't look out for the best interests of it's constituents. At least, in the absence of proaction from the private sector, we have a duly elected legislature and executive who are accountable to us for the production of our best interests. We need to hold them accountable and start to take our own power back from government, but fomenting outrage over false claims of socialism, and other irresponsible terms, fails to frame our issues in a clear fashion. We are not collectivists. POTUS is not a collectivist or a socialist. People who say that are ignorant, inflammatory and plainly foolish. What we are is irresponsible, and our government reflects that very plainly.