"Joseph Stalin, was born in Gori, Georgia on 21st December, 1879. In 1901 Stalin joined the Social Democratic Labour Party where he helped to organize industrial resistance to Tsarism. On 18th April, 1902, Stalin was arrested after coordinating a strike at the large Rothschild plant at Batum."

So..Stalin was a Socialist that was pro-Unions and anti-business - Does that sound like a Republican?

"In 1928 Stalin began attacking kulaks for not supplying enough food for industrial workers. (Farmers were allowed to sell food on the open market and were allowed to employ people to work for them. Those farmers who expanded the size of their farms became known as kulaks.)

He advocated the setting up of collective farms. However, the peasants liked farming their own land and were reluctant to form themselves into state collectives. Stalin was furious that the peasants were putting their own welfare before that of the Soviet Union. Local communist officials were given instructions to confiscate kulaks property."

So Stalin used the government to take property because it did not meet his direction - Sounds like the Government closing the car dealerships, or taking over GM, or the banks. Doesn't sound like a republican to me

"Every factory had large display boards erected that showed the output of workers. Those that failed to reach the required targets were publicity criticized and humiliated. Some workers could not cope with this pressure and absenteeism increased. This led to even more repressive measures being introduced. Records were kept of workers' lateness, absenteeism and bad workmanship. If the worker's record was poor, he was accused of trying to sabotage the Five Year Plan and if found guilty could be shot or sent to work as forced labour on the Baltic Sea Canal or the Siberian Railway. "

Can you say "WAGE CZAR"?

"Although the superficial aspects of Stalinism was removed, the system that he created remained. Stalin had developed a state apparatus that protected those in power. It was a system that the Soviet leaders who were to follow him for the next thirty years,"

So...focus on a centralized government than supresses individual freedom. Takes property from those who own it under the auspices that it think it can do better. Controls the wages of those who work - and create a system that keeps those in power by attacking any press that openly opposes it (can you say FOX?)

Given the "cult of personality" aparent in Stalin...I think a tall guy with big ears foots the bill rather nicely don't you?