'Socialism': The GOP's Forever Bogeyman

[Rustic]

Is Bernie a socialist?

Washington Redskin, well he calls himself a socialist… Although his walk does not match his talk. Stay out of the fucking fire water. Lol

 

[mikegriffith1]

Well, yeah, uh, because we don't want to end up like England, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc., with stagnant/negative/slight growth, with an unsustainable welfare state, with sky-high taxes, etc., etc. And don't bother citing Germany, France, and Nordic countries as examples of successful socialism, because each of those countries has adopted a large number of conservative fiscal policies that have rolled back key aspects of their previously socialist systems, e.g., balanced budget laws, strict tort laws, substantial limitations on labor unions, etc.

 

[Daryl Hunt]

Well, yeah, uh, because we don't want to end up like England, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc., with stagnant/negative/slight growth, with an unsustainable welfare state, with sky-high taxes, etc., etc. And don't bother citing Germany, France, and Nordic countries as examples of successful socialism, because each of those countries has adopted a large number of conservative fiscal policies that have rolled back key aspects of their previously socialist systems, e.g., balanced budget laws, strict tort laws, substantial limitations on labor unions, etc.

Why don't we include those. It appears you just want to include the failures and exclude the successes. The Nordic Regions are doing great. And they are doing it very, very green, well employed, universal healthcare, in fact, they are what we should be striving for since we have an over abundance of resources. And we haven't even touched our potential. What's the matter, you afraid that your Masters might lose some control?

 

[dblack]

Republicans Have Been Smearing Democrats As Socialists Since Way Before You Were Born

From FDR to Barack Obama to Bernie Sanders, conservatives are reading from the same playbook.

Republicans believe they have hit on a bold, brand new line of attack that is sure to doom Democrats heading into the 2020 elections. President Donald Trump made it a central point of his State of the Union. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, promises to bring this fresh hit in his party’s effort to regain control of the House.

The big plan is to ― wait for it ― attack Democrats as socialists.

“Socialism is the greatest vulnerability by far that the House Democrats have,” Emmer told the New York Times.

As any American who has developed to the stage of object permanence can tell you, this isn’t a new plan. It is, in fact, the oldest trick in the book.

Every single political actor since the late 19th century advocating for some form progressive social change ― whether it be economic reform, challenging America’s racial caste system or advocating for women’s rights or LGBT rights ― has been tarred as a socialist or a communist bent on destroying the American Free Enterprise System.

Contemporary political conservatism has been focused on blocking social change that challenges existing hierarchies of class, race and sex since its founding in response to the French Revolution. Socialism emerged as the biggest threat to class hierarchies in due time and conservatives have called everything they don’t like socialism ever since.

More: Republicans Have Been Smearing Democrats As Socialists Since Way Before You Were Born

Once again, it's the same ole socialism bogeyman. Hopefully most voters are smart enough to see through this GOP bogeyman. Socialism is a major part of our society - and has been for a long time. It makes our lives much better - each and every day. Socialism comes in various forms - it isn't one size fits all.

75 Ways Socialism Has Improved America

Except now it is not a smear.

Many leading Dems openly proclaim themselves socialists

Socialism has never improved America

Public services are not socialism

You keep trying to redefine it and you look like a fool every time you do

Really? Not socialist? Then why do NaziCons keep calling Bernie and other Democrats socialists?

Because they promote socialism. Why is it a problem? Do you think socialism is a bad thing?

 

[Norman]

Socialism will always be society's boogeyman, just like Satan will always be the bogeyman of the bible. Two sides of the same coin.

 

[Lakhota]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

 

[dblack]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

Ahh... the shell game again! Wash, rinse, repeat.

Hey Lakhota, do you want more socialism for the US? Less? The same? What? Why all the smoke and mirrors?

 

[Soupnazi630]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

Wrong they can indeed and they grasp the definition better than you.

 

[Third Party]

Republicans Have Been Smearing Democrats As Socialists Since Way Before You Were Born

From FDR to Barack Obama to Bernie Sanders, conservatives are reading from the same playbook.

Republicans believe they have hit on a bold, brand new line of attack that is sure to doom Democrats heading into the 2020 elections. President Donald Trump made it a central point of his State of the Union. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.), head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, promises to bring this fresh hit in his party’s effort to regain control of the House.

The big plan is to ― wait for it ― attack Democrats as socialists.

“Socialism is the greatest vulnerability by far that the House Democrats have,” Emmer told the New York Times.

As any American who has developed to the stage of object permanence can tell you, this isn’t a new plan. It is, in fact, the oldest trick in the book.

Every single political actor since the late 19th century advocating for some form progressive social change ― whether it be economic reform, challenging America’s racial caste system or advocating for women’s rights or LGBT rights ― has been tarred as a socialist or a communist bent on destroying the American Free Enterprise System.

Contemporary political conservatism has been focused on blocking social change that challenges existing hierarchies of class, race and sex since its founding in response to the French Revolution. Socialism emerged as the biggest threat to class hierarchies in due time and conservatives have called everything they don’t like socialism ever since.

More: Republicans Have Been Smearing Democrats As Socialists Since Way Before You Were Born

Once again, it's the same ole socialism bogeyman. Hopefully most voters are smart enough to see through this GOP bogeyman. Socialism is a major part of our society - and has been for a long time. It makes our lives much better - each and every day. Socialism comes in various forms - it isn't one size fits all.

75 Ways Socialism Has Improved America

Like all ideas, some socialism is good, some is bad. SS is more like a Ponzi scheme-people pay in and then collect more over time as more people join and pay in. We can afford SS and Medicare-we just can't afford it for everybody.

 

[dblack]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

Wrong they can indeed and they grasp the definition better than you.

The definition is a closely guarded secret. You won't catch Lakhota spilling the beans either. Not until after the election, that is. You have to vote for it to know what's in it.

 

[Lesh]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

Ahh... the shell game again! Wash, rinse, repeat.

Hey Lakhota, do you want more socialism for the US? Less? The same? What? Why all the smoke and mirrors?

Glad you understand the question.

It is and always HAS been

"How MUCH socialism do we require to mitigate the excesses of capitalism"...

 

[dblack]

Most rightwingers can't even define socialism.

Ahh... the shell game again! Wash, rinse, repeat.

Hey Lakhota, do you want more socialism for the US? Less? The same? What? Why all the smoke and mirrors?

Glad you understand the question.

It is and always HAS been

"How MUCH socialism do we require to mitigate the excesses of capitalism"...

Well, no. I don't buy that framing at all. But it's true that we already have some socialism. The question is whether we want more or less.

I don't understand why people who want more socialism are upset if someone claims they are socialists. They seem to want it both ways. They want to pursue socialist policies, but deny they are advocating socialism. Then, just to keep everyone guessing, they fire up the "you don't know what socialism really is!" shell game.