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I am not much of a chart/graph fan. I subscribe to the theory that one can make statistics say whatever you want them to say (or, “there are lies, damn lies, and statistics”).
That said, here’s a chart for your consideration.
The pie chart to the left was recently published in the Atlantic Monthly, and discussed at length on Real Time with Bill Maher (liberal bias disclaimer). The field of blue represents the “Percentage of American corporate and business assets not held by the United States government ($39.2 trillion).” The red sliver at the 12 o’clock position represents the “Percentage of American corporate and business assets recently nationalized by the U.S. government ($82.3 billion).”
Much has been said of the red sliver as evidence of creeping socialism (at this pace, creeping is really the only adjective that fits—glacial may be another). For a generation impressed by visuals, the chart is pretty striking proof that, as Conor Clarke has noted, “putting the government in charge of private production is not the Obama administration’s guiding philosophy.” If it were, “99.79% of the American corporate assets that existed at the start of the Obama administration would not remain in private hands.”
The socialism argument has always seemed counter-intuitive. As conservative gadfly P.J. O’Rourke conceded on Maher’s show, if Obama is a socialist, he’s not a very successful socialist. Socialist dictators nationalize generally profitable, low-risk industries: oil, mineral resources, etc. Sarah Palin, commenting on Alaska’s practice of spreading state oil wealth among its citizens, captures the rhetoric of these practicing Stalinists:
“[Alaska is] 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.” (again, credit Clarke for unearthing this gem)
So Obama uncomfortably accepted a book from Hugo Chavez (granted, an annoying, towering ignoramus, and unready social leveler), and reluctantly took ownership of an industry that made itself a dinosaur—consistently lagging behind foreign automakers in innovation, stubbornly resisting tougher fuel efficiency standards while gas prices soared. Not very compelling or fearful socialist credentials.