Why do Con's/Repubs pretend they are not socialist when they give Agribusiness $20 Billion a year?

It is only socialism if the Democrats do it.

It's a mater of image. As to why, that has to do with their core of support. hat's pretty much limited to the far right, these days. But that group is imbued with a belief that capitalism is God's will and therefore anything their leaders label as capitalst is autoatically "good" and not to be questioned. Most o fthis GOP base have very limiited educations. Few even know the definition of capitalism (or socialism) and I've yet t meet one who actually read Adam Smith's Wealth of Nations.

Your analysis of the substance is accurate. But look at how "cons" define capitalsm IN PRACTICE. It's not just subsidies. Protective legislation abounds in Republican circles (e.g. the rle limiting oil spill liabilty t $75 million, which is a drop in the bucket in a major spill), subsidies to companies exporting jobs, etc.

Now look at what Adam Smith ACTUALLY meant by the "invisible hand of the market." In Wealth of Nations, Smith argued that businesses shoud NOT be protected by the government. Each business shoud have t operatde in a free market. Smith had confidence tht the "invisible had" (essentially the supply-demand-price relationship) would favor teh best businesses and individuals.

In short, wha tthe Republicans support is what Smith specifically argued against -- and is by definition NOT capitalsm or a free market.

Most die-hard members of that right-wing base are sincere--they really don't know what capitalism is and probably are so thoroughly brainwashed they woudl refuse t learn.

Democrats give them that money. I know because I used to work at the Agricultural Policy Analysis Center at the University of Tennessee. Our main contacts in congress were Democrats. They wanted our stats to justify the subsidies they were pushing.

Socialism is state control of the means of production, i.e. companies, this is not an example of socialism.

That's called Rotarian Socialism. Don't mess with the free markets, but keep those subsidies coming.

And establishment type Republicans do suffer from this.

Fortunately, the Tea Party types are infiltrating the party.

No doubt about it that is the problem with both parties. That's why the free market doesn't work as well as it should. Politicians buy campaign cash by giving special favors to their donors.

The progressive movement has taken over the democratic party and infested much of the republican party. That's why the tea party movements slogan is "take back America". Take back America and restore fiscal responsibility and reduce government control over our private lives.

OH, Shut Up, will You? JUST SHUT UP!

Was corn in your gasoline before 2007? I think not! It was part of how Queen Nancy fixed three Dollar gasoline by giving us $4,25 gasoline.

You guys are no longer going to get away with blaming US for what YOU do!.

I am against it...nobody should get free handouts, and that includes businesses. I don't agree with every single thing my party does, just more things than what the Democrats do.

Because both parties are corrupt and are the same. Very few people are able to refuse the temptation of being bought out and paid. Look at Bush and Obama, they're basically the same.

Agreed. But I'm a conservative

Subsidies should be stopped, like the Ethanol subsidies

They artificially prop up unviable companies and industries.

They only think it's socialist, if they give money to the underprivileged classes. When they give it to businesses it's just Fascism, but they like to call it economic stabilization.