This is a beautiful statement of what might explain that trend, as our former Ohio News Bureau reporter, now Columbus Government Examiner
, John Spinelli.   He elicited the response, below, from Dan LaBotz during an interview about his candidacy for the Senate (also sought by current Ohio SOS Jennifer Brunner, among others).

Frehly-breweed today, it's the first in a series of interviews he's making with candidates of the 2010 election.  This is only one question-answer, it's worth the read.

Ohio candidate for U.S. Senate, Buckeye Socialist Dan La Botz, offers vision for 'just society'

CGE: What's your working definition of socialism? Do you think Americans have a good/bad view of socialism, and why? How does this answer help/hurt your campaign?

Dan La Botz: The Republican’s battle against the Democrats’ health care plan has had a surprising result. The conservatives accused Obama of being a socialist because of that plan. This has led many to draw the conclusion that if they believe in health care for all, then they must be socialists. So overnight, millions of people have become open to thinking about the socialist alternative.

We live today in a country where capitalism and the corporations provide the model for life: selfishness, competition, greed, and disdain for others. It’s a poor model, violent, and destructive.

Socialism means conducting the political and economic life of our nation the way that—at least ideally--we conduct the lives of our many, varied sorts of families. We hold our wealth in common. We work hard to provide for all: young or old, healthy or sick, weak or strong. We create bonds of solidarity through our common efforts. We make decisions democratically through a process of give-and-take.

So too, we as a people should take collective, social control over the largest industries and corporations in our country. We should democratically elaborate a plan to use our wealth to provide a decent life for all. Most Americans, I believe, share this vision of a just society. We might make our nation one where we take care of each other, where we insure that all are taken care of. We might in that process, create a nation where one loved one’s neighbor as one’s self.

I love this: teabaggers are paving the way for a socialist awakening in these United States!!!!