Why Has Socialism Become Such A Damn Bad Word In This Country?

[progressiveinnarb]

Since Bernie announced people have been yelling "SOCIALIST SOCIALIST SOCIALIST!" from the rooftops. Before the Reagan administration, people weren't as scared of socialism in this country. FDR, Truman, and a number of other former presidents would be considered socialist by todays republicans AND DEMOCRATS! For Example
Claire McCaskill:

THE MEDIA GIVES BERNIE A PASS?????????
OH YEAH SURE MRS. MCCASKILL!

[Cleita]

1. It's conflated with communism, which has been conflated with Soviet Union style communism.

Remember the Red Menace back during the cold war? Socialism became a dirty word back then. The fact is that economic systems like socialism or capitalism can flourish or fail under different types of governments from democracies to fascist dictatorships. Even Hitler's Germany had a lot of socialistic programs running that were leftover from the Weimer Republic. Kibbutz in Israel and monasteries in Catholicism are all communist.

[Bjorn Against]

2. I don't think it has nearly the negative stigma many believe it does

The only people I hear speaking out against socialism are people on the far right, I don't think the typical American is afraid of socialism. A huge percentage of Americans support socialist ideals whether they use that word to describe their views or not.

[LiberalElite]

3. Socialist has been a bad word in the U.S. for a long time -

IMO if (certain) Americans weren't scared of the "socialist" label the TP/GOP wouldn't have been so successful in using it against Obama the last two and a half terms.

What bothers me is that this is a DEMOCRAT mouthing the right wing talking points.

[daleanime]

7. I don't think that it was the use of the word itself that was successful....

to wing-bats, it was the fact that it was targeted at a democratic, black president. Used as another sign that, 'he's not one of us'.

Just my opinion of course, but after listening to these morans for 6 years I think that's the core of it.

[villager]

4. The owners of society are no fools -- they made sure the masses got the message

...that any political system or beliefs that would help the many are "bad," "dangerous," and -- hey, look at those black and gay people over there! (Which were the previous distractions....)

[Bagsgroove]

5. An old guy's heart vs. his head

I'm an old guy. I've been through this several times. My first vote, when I was 18 years old, was for George McGovern. My guy lost by one of the biggest electoral and popular vote landslides in American history. He was, in the end, "too liberal" to be elected. Old guys who aren't stupid also tend recognize reality. Reality -- what my head tells me -- is that McCaskill's political prediction about Bernie Sanders is probably right. The word "socialist" will kill him. The argument that he's "too liberal" will kill him.

I love Bernie. And I don't think he'll win. I expect that in the end I'll vote for Hillary as the better choice against Bush or whoever the GOP nominates. (Old guys also tend to recognize that the lesser of two evils is better than the greater of two evils.)

But dammit, I refuse to give in until that is my only choice. The fact that Bernie Sanders is right on the issues I care about means I'll keep supporting him until I have no other choice. So for now, another $100 Bernie's campaign.

Here's an old guy's final advice. Listen to your heart. When you stop doing that you are not only old, you're pointless.

So stuff it, Ms. McCaskill.

[global1]

6. I Use The Term 'Sociable' For Bernie - Not Socialist....

It sounds more positive.

[eridani]

8. I think the effect is wearing off myself

http://www.democraticunderground.com/128019732