Within the last eight years both major parties have been essentially socialist parties of varying commitment to that philosophy. 

When President Bush signed instead of vetoed porked up Education, Transportation, Farming, Energy, Medical Care, & Appropriation Bills passed by a Republican Controlled Congress and then the current Democrat Controlled Congress, this signaled that the Republican Party had become just another socialist party. 

On Thursday, September 4, 2008 Senator John McCain in his acceptance speech signaled that if he is elected President this will change for the Republican Party. 

He did that when he stated:

"I fight to restore the pride and principles of our party. We were elected to change Washington, and we let Washington change us.

We lost the trust of the American people when some Republicans gave in to the temptations of corruption. We lost their trust when rather than reform government, both parties made it bigger.

We lost their trust when instead of freeing ourselves from a dangerous dependence on foreign oil, both parties -- and Sen. Obama -- passed another corporate welfare bill for oil companies (reference to votes on H.R. 3 in December 2005 & December 2007). We lost their trust when we valued our power over our principles.

We're going to change that."

So why is socialism a killer of the middle class?  It is a killer of the middle class primarily because it increases the costs of living and the costs of doing business, while taking from the middle class and giving to the super rich and the destitute.

And the super rich and the multinational corporations have used tax loopholes and corporate welfare to protect them from the costs of this socialism while their smaller competitors struggle to survive under the burdens of this socialism.  And whatever costs that are not covered by these protections can be absorbed by the big guys while the little guys go under.

The tax loopholes are tied via the tax code to charitable organizations that no politician would dare touch, because to separate The Ford Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trust, and other similar foundations from the charitable tax breaks while keeping access for the groups like the Salvation Army and Goodwill is almost impossible to do without misrepresentations being raised against any politician who would dare try to do it. While the corporate welfare that is tied to farm aid, small business aid, minority business aid, and earmarks for research brings government supported jobs to the communities of the powerbrokers in Congress in both political parties.

In fact I know of several small business people who have businesses that have been around for decades, from a family owned & operated restaurant, a small appliance repair store, and a local hardware store who have noted how they receive taunts from some of their big multinational competitors that they might as well sell their businesses to them, because their burden will only get heavier.

So with John McCain and Sarah Palin talking about the end to Republican sponsored socialism coming if they are elected, where does that leave Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and the Democrats?  Where they always have been, proclaiming to be the saviors of the middle class, while raising the already high cost of living through tax hikes and increased regulation whether needed or not, which makes everything more expensive from food to gas to healthcare costs and killing the jobs provided by small and medium sized businesses that these new taxes and regulations hurt most. 

I cannot afford to vote for any Democrat who either currently backs or has in the recent past backed a socialistic type of change like that favored by Barack Obama. My pocketbook and bank account are small right now what with higher gas prices and food prices, I am still paying off college debts and I live under favorable circumstances.  I currently have no dependents other than myself, I am in relatively good health and pay rent to my parents who are retired teachers. Can your pocketbook afford to vote for such Democrats?  How about your family, can they afford it?