Thursday, June 18, 2009

Nationalization Fear Mongering?

Rush Limbaugh talked to Sean Hannity on June 5, 2009 about Barack Obama´s efforts to nationalize U.S. businesses. Hannity said the Obama administration's efforts to recoup taxpayer money by accepting an ownership stake in some businesses that are receiving government assistance "is the definition of socialism." In response to this and similar critiques, Bill Maher used a pie chart on his June 12, 2009 Real Time television show to illustrate how much of country's businesses are owned by the government:

Socialism is defined as public ownership of the means of production and distribution. In other words, the government owns the businesses.

Does the pie chart above suggest the U.S. is becoming socialist? Or are Limbaugh, Hannity, and others engaging in fear mongering?

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