Republicans To Thank For ‘Socialist’ Appeal
For so many years now, Republicans have called anyone to the left of them a “Socialist”. Spit out as a slur, they tried to pin the label on everyone from Eisenhower to Obama. Now, it is backfiring on them in a big way.
Enter Bernie Sanders. Admittedly, he’s a socialist-lite; calling for a mix of capitalism and a strong safety net, but he’s not afraid to use the “S” word. Thanks to the failure of Republican policies and the flawed argument that it’s a one or the other choice between capitalism or socialism, many have come to see the only alternative to what they view as a failed system as “Socialism”.
In addition to the excitement for the Sanders campaign, new polls show that Socialism isn’t viewed as it once was, especially among the young. A recent YouGov survey found that one-third of millennials actually view Socialism favorably.
So, by oversimplifying their arguments and using “Socialist” to describe anything they disagree with, Republicans have actually made Socialism a viable choice. To many – particularly young people – Socialism isn’t a slur, it’s simply the alternative to a conservative movement they want absolutely no part of.
Copyright 2015 Liberaland
By: Mark Quincy Adams
A proud 'pragmatic progressive' Mark Quincy Adams has been a political
talk show host and prolific pontificator since 1992. Find him on Facebook and Twitter @politicalglutton
4 responses to Republicans To Thank For ‘Socialist’ Appeal
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Anomaly 100 June 1st, 2015 at 16:23
Thanks GOP. No, seriously.
mea_mark June 1st, 2015 at 16:24
I guess they are doing at least one thing right.
Budda June 1st, 2015 at 18:26
Excellent point. The Republicans/conservatives have become so despised by many that any alternative is viewed as better.
liberalMD June 2nd, 2015 at 22:13
I think we need to educate people about what socialism really is. Too many schools, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, equated socialism with communism and sent students off with a negative impression of socialism. They are distinctly different philosophies of government. I think somewhere there exists a happy medium of capitalism and socialism, and Bernie Sanders may be able to provide that insight.