What the hell is an "avowed Democratic Socialist," anyway?

[stevenleser]

60. Agreed and some amplifications.

The folks insisting that Democratic Socialism is more like Social Democracy and that Sanders' use of the term really means more like Social Democracy and within the bounds of the Democratic party are forgetting one important thing.

Sanders for his entire political life has insisted that he is not a Democrat and does not want to identify with Democrats because they are not left enough.

That is a big problem for those who are claiming that Sanders is of the more mild Social Democrat stripe as defined in some passages of the DSA belief system (and by the way, other passages of the DSA belief system make it clear they are Socialists and believe that is the economic system we should have).

I think that argument also assumes that Sanders doesnt know the difference between Social Democracy and Democratic Socialism which at its heart is whether one believes that A. Capitalism is the right economic system assuming the right patches (Safety net and regulations primarily) or B. Capitalism is a fatally flawed system that can never be made right and so the country should be moved away from it at whatever speed the Democratic system can tolerate.

I believe that Sanders believes in B. as do most Democratic Socialists while Social Democrats believe A.