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JHB

(37,154 posts)

20. Don't quibble over precise definitions, just hit them in the face with what they are doing

Tue Mar 12, 2019, 10:20 AM

Mar 2019

Republicans call everything they don't like "socialism".

They called Social Security "socialism"
They called Medicare "socialism"
They've called any restraint on businesses screwing you over "socialism"

Everything that works for people who are not up in the economic stratosphere is screamed at as "socialism".

Hell, in one breath they'll crow about us being the leader of the Free World, and in the next scorn "European Socialism", as if they were talking about Warsaw Pact police states rather than the very same developed countries that are the Free World they were talking about a second ago.

You want a unified message?
Republicans call everything they don't like "socialism". Republicans call everything that works for ordinary people "socialism".

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69 replies

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Highlight:

Democrats should counter the "Socialism" scare by committing to Social-Democracy. [View all] DetlefK Mar 2019 OP

People in this country are so misinformed about socialism. octoberlib Mar 2019 #1

Why Millennials look to Norway. Sweden, Finland & Denmark with envy. DownriverDem Mar 2019 #24

Yes but it's not socialism. The Scandinavian countries are always at the top octoberlib Mar 2019 #43

Social security. greymattermom Mar 2019 #2

Social Security isn't "socialism." CrossingTheRubicon Mar 2019 #14

Ah but it is...socialism, that is. PatrickforO Mar 2019 #23

No. Social Security was a way to force people to save money. wasupaloopa Mar 2019 #39

Interesting. Now, I like a mixed socialist and free market, a la northern PatrickforO Mar 2019 #45

My reply was that it wasn't nationalized anything. wasupaloopa Mar 2019 #52

I like Booker, but DownriverDem Mar 2019 #25

I wouldn't say "it's the system that Europe has and it works great" FBaggins Mar 2019 #3

It is arguable that the bankers who came along from the IMF in '09 PatrickforO Mar 2019 #46

The Democratic Party should leave the word "social" out of their identity altogether Honeycombe8 Mar 2019 #4

That would mean accepting the misleading phrasing of the GOP. DetlefK Mar 2019 #5

That's just politics. Honeycombe8 Mar 2019 #8

You know what will cost votes? DetlefK Mar 2019 #18

Or folks DownriverDem Mar 2019 #26

I agree. It's a negative connotation even though it may have some positive attributes. Firestorm49 Mar 2019 #22

There are 86 million Millennials. They now outnumber Boomers in the workplace. PatrickforO Mar 2019 #47

The Democratic Party is not socialist. That's the point. Honeycombe8 Mar 2019 #48

That's one strategy Roy Rolling Mar 2019 #6

We could counter with Fascism and Nazism but who would cover that lancelyons Mar 2019 #7

My thoughts exactly. SergeStorms Mar 2019 #31

Democrats are about Unity, NOT Uniformity. Different Americans must learn to live with difference. ancianita Mar 2019 #9

'Democrats are about unity". SergeStorms Mar 2019 #34

I hear you. We fuss, sure, but we don't take opponents' ancianita Mar 2019 #42

Americans are smart enough to understand the difference. nycbos Mar 2019 #10

Surely you jest! Lucky Luciano Mar 2019 #12

This is very good. We could also call it "Civilization" or "Cooperation" or "Society" ProfessorPlum Mar 2019 #11

Why must we re-define or even define our system and/or our Party. MOST of us (even on the right)... George II Mar 2019 #13

We must redefine simply because some of us have done the research... DemocracyMouse Mar 2019 #36

Got that, George? lapucelle Mar 2019 #55

I think its best that iamthebandfanman Mar 2019 #15

Ironic since the DSA backs the Democratic Socialist dictatorship in Venezuela to the hilt, shouting: CrossingTheRubicon Mar 2019 #40

We should embrace Liberalism, which includes progressive well-regulated capitalism. CrossingTheRubicon Mar 2019 #16

Yes indeed. comradebillyboy Mar 2019 #33

Republicans Have Muddled The Distinction DallasNE Mar 2019 #17

AS a Democratic Socialist here are two people that explain my "socialism" reported by O'Donnell turbinetree Mar 2019 #19

Don't quibble over precise definitions, just hit them in the face with what they are doing JHB Mar 2019 #20

Or, just pointing out the Fascism on the other side Joe Nation Mar 2019 #21

Bingo. SergeStorms Mar 2019 #35

Liberalism isn't good enough? DemocratSinceBirth Mar 2019 #27

We had a president whose administration was informed by the principles of social democracy. lapucelle Mar 2019 #56

Third way neoliberalism is not at all comparable to social democracy. Celerity Mar 2019 #61

Yes it is. lapucelle Mar 2019 #64

3rd way politics is a synthesis of centre left and centre right Celerity Mar 2019 #65

The problem with using buzzword phrases lapucelle Mar 2019 #66

I am not using 'buzzwords' at all. I am correctly (from widely accepted academic definitions) Celerity Mar 2019 #67

You're not "correcting" anything. You're disseminating an idiosyncratic interpretation of a term. lapucelle Mar 2019 #68

Just don't nominate an avowed Socialist kennetha Mar 2019 #28

Agree TheSocialDem Mar 2019 #29

Read the title, looked to see who posted. Hortensis Mar 2019 #30

Well... what is the political platform of the Democrats? DetlefK Mar 2019 #37

Exactly kennetha Mar 2019 #38

Okay. But let's call ourselves Democratic-Republicans Hortensis Mar 2019 #41

Sorry I'm a Democrat, not a Social Democrat. comradebillyboy Mar 2019 #32

I like your strawman of socialism that is contradicted by the first paragraph of the wiki articled. Humanist_Activist Mar 2019 #44

What strawman? DetlefK Mar 2019 #54

You were literally wrong from Line 1, and your own link proved it... Humanist_Activist Mar 2019 #57

It's the first line. DetlefK Mar 2019 #58

No, you said: "Socialism is the control of all property by society as a whole." Which is... Humanist_Activist Mar 2019 #59

On small scales it works. No doubt. But not on big scales. DetlefK Mar 2019 #60

That argument also applies to political systems, does it not? Humanist_Activist Mar 2019 #62

I am for parliamentary democracy. DetlefK Mar 2019 #63

Democrats should stop discussing label and get it on the table ooky Mar 2019 #49

I'm sold. I'm fully on board with Social-Democracy. jcmaine72 Mar 2019 #50

We have to stop letting the GOPers frame the debate and choose the terms. dawg day Mar 2019 #51

start calling pro putin GOP commies. pansypoo53219 Mar 2019 #53

I say we just embrace socialism - its the future! Joe941 Mar 2019 #69