A Confused Candidate

Florida anchorwoman Barbara West asked vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden on October 23:

You may recognize this famous quote. From each according to his abilities to each according to his needs. That’s from Karl Marx. How is Senator Obama not being a Marxist if he intends to spread the wealth around?

It would have come as a surprise to West if Biden had reminded her that everyone's favorite "Joe Sixpack," Sarah Palin, has told the New Yorker's Philip Gourevitch "And Alaska—we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs.” That would, of course, make Palin the closest thing in this race, and arguably anywhere outside of Vermont's Congressional delegation, to a Socialist.

Similarly, the Republicans' newest pinup, Samuel Wurzelbacher, who now travels under the name "Joe," says "I love America. I hope it remains a democracy, not a Socialist society. ... If you look at spreading the wealth, that's honestly right out of Karl Marx's mouth." When can excuse his confusion, but the GOP's vice-presidential nominee on October 19 alleged "Senator Obama said he wants to quote 'spread the wealth.' What that means is he wants government to take your money and dole it out however a politician sees fit. But Joe the Plumber and Ed the Dairy Man, I believe that they think that it sounds more like socialism."

Apparently, Palin shares with West (and Wurzelbacher) an inability to recognize when "government take(s) your money and dole(s) it out however a politician sees fit." Otherwise, she might have noticed, as the (San Jose) Mercury News reported yesterday:

The government prepared Monday to move the first batch of bailout money to banks as fretful world markets plunged again.... The Treasury Department said it would start moving $125 billion to nine major banks this week by buying ownership stakes....

That would be $125 billion dollars. Being doled out. By the Department of the Treasury. Under Republican George W. Bush.