Republicans lean more to socialism than Democrats

To the editor:

Who would have ever guessed that the Republicans would have to be defending central planning (Trotsky style) in Iraq against the attacks of leftist Democrats? The U.S. government under George Bush and a Republican-controlled Congress has set up a directorate under the leadership of L. Paul Bremer to organize a government in Iraq. Under the guise of helping the Iraqi people, Bremer is calling for state control (ownership in this case) of the means of production and supply of Iraq's natural resources and industries.

By all accounts, this fits into the definition of socialism. Socialism is public collective ownership of the means of production and its distribution.

And we market-anarchists were foolish enough to believe that leftist Democrats were closer than Republicans to being socialists.

The battle between the leftist ideologies dates back to the old Soviet state and the conflicts between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky. Although both supported the ideals of a communist world, they differed only in their approach. Trotsky, at one time commander of the Red Army, believed that communism was best spread through the use of state force (war), and Stalin believed in the use of state reward and influence.

A question to Republicans: Since we have witnessed the collapse of communism under Stalin's influence, is that the reason you have seemingly jumped on Trotsky's bandwagon?

JAMES NALL

Marble Hill, Mo.