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.
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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
Socialism has been around for a long time. Conservatives have been here for a long time too, and have fought against it.
What is your point?