Lie Pie Title: Socialist Norman M. Thomas on the Democrat Party  
Lie Pie Classification: election lie pie, terror pie

Editor's Note:  Your Granny went over the internet with a fine-toothed comb, and I couldn't find any proof that the quote attributed to Norman Mattoon Thomas in the viral email below is genuine.  Snopes.com couldn't dig up any evidence, either.  And another thing: I'm skeptical that Mr. Thomas would have referred to the "Democratic Party" as the "Democrat Party" back in 1944 if he was indeed such a huge fan.  While it's quite fashionable today for enemies of Democrats to refer to them as the "Democrat Party," it wasn't quite so common back in 1944.  There's talk that Warren Harding dabbled with "Democrat Party," but most folks back in those days who didn't have an ax to grind simply stuck with the dictionary.  "Democrat Party" didn't really gain steam until Joseph McCarthy, Newt Gingrich, and Frank Luntz got hold of it.  So, I'd say it's slim to none that the quote below is authentic.

And speaking of socialism, I've been terrified by all the TV and radio talkers' warnings about the looming socialist threat for a couple of years now.  Honey, these talkers have scared the wadding out of me and lots of other folks, too.  When people are bewildered and terrified, they tend to get a little irrational and stampede, and I don't need to tell you stampedes are dangerous!  But just how imminent is this socialist Armageddon?  Well, if you believe Frank Llewellyn, the head of one of the nation's largest socialist organizations, there isn't quite as much socialism in America as the TV and radio talkers would have us believe.  How do we explain this glaring discrepancy?  I suppose we should just chalk it up to megalomania:  TV and radio talkers can't help themselves--they need omnipotence the same way you and I need to breathe the air.  Scaring people gives them "ratings," and TV and radio talkers believe "ratings," Botox, and teeth whiteners make them immortal.  My advice is to look for more reliable information sources than viral email and TV and radio talkers.  Unless you just enjoy the thrill of the stampede. --Granny, 9/29/2009

Subject: Interesting quote from 1944

Norman Mattoon Thomas (November 20, 1884 - December 19, 1968), was a leading American socialist, pacifist, and six-time presidential candidate for the Socialist Party of America.

The Socialist Party candidate for President of the US, Norman Thomas, said this in a 1944 speech:

"The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of "liberalism," they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." He went on to say: "I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform."

If this doesn't hit home as to what is going on in our country!