Helpful talking points for when we are labeled Socialists - Paul Krugman explains

[Mira]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Yonnie3 (a host of the General Discussion forum).

[vlyons]

1. We are not the labels that they impute into us.

Just like the menu is not the meal, and map is not the territory. Their labels exist only in their minds.

[ehrnst]

9. However, voters take their minds into the voting booth, so we need to address that. (nt)

Last edited Thu Aug 1, 2019, 01:14 PM - Edit history (1)

[SayItLoud]

13. Agree, yet the "Less Educated" that tRUMP says he loves doesn't get it. nt

[Qutzupalotl]

16. I wish Bernie would call himself a Social Democrat.

AOC too. That would be a lot easier to defend without scaring the electorate — or even more difficult, having to educate them on the difference.

[malaise]

3. That is precisely what they are

Social Democrats - rec

Fascists cannot be allowed to define social democrats

[calimary]

4. Good graphic. A keeper!

[johnnyfins]

5. The Social Democrats were among the first ones

that got taken away in Nazi Germany. Just sayin.

[Liberal In Red State]

6. And Republicans are advocates of a private sector driven economy, but with limited to no social

safety net, with no bargaining power for workers and limited to no regulation of corporate malfeasance. Should be an easy message to communicate to the masses - yet many just don’t get it.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

11. and they want to socialize costs of business while privatizing profits

Repukes want the worker drones to pay for the highways, bridges, airports, shipping ports, water lines, electricity infrastructure, police, firefighters, hospitals, military, and clean-up after corporate disasters, but keep those profits for the rich "job creators". They want the rich tax-free.

[hibbing]

14. Just like stadiums built for billionaire franchise owners n/t

[not fooled]

7. Yes

If many 'Muricans fall for the GOPee smears, it's because they have literally no idea of the actual definition of socialism. And are easily frightened and manipulated.

If Democrats are "Socialists", then so are the GOPeers who shovel public dollars to their donors.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

8. Ask any Republican out west about this abstract form of socialism...

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_the_United_States#Land_grants

(snips)

About 180 million acres were granted to railroad construction companies between 1850 and 1871. The Land Grant Act of 1850 provided for 3.75 million acres of land to the states to support railroad projects; by 1857 21 million acres of public lands were used for railroads in the Mississippi River valley, and the stage was set for more substantial Congressional subsidies to future railroads.

The Pacific Railroad Acts financed several transcontinental railroads by granting land directly to corporations for the first time. In addition to operating revenues, railroads were able to finance networks crossing vast distances by selling granted property adjacent to the tracks; these would become highly desirable plots for new settlers and businesses because of the easy access to long-distance transportation.

Various Homestead Acts distributed land nearly for free in return for improvements such as building a house, farming, or planting trees. Between 1862 and 1934, the federal government granted 1.6 million homesteads and distributed 270,000,000 acres (420,000 sq mi) of federal land for private ownership. This was a total of 10% of all land in the United States. Eligibility for the last such program, in Alaska, ended in 1986. The Land Office made about 100 million acres of direct sales in the western United States from 1850 to 1900, benefiting cattle ranchers and speculators.

Where would we be without that massive government intervention?

KY.........

[mahigan]

10. It's already happening

I've seeing repubs tv adds on CNN where Dumbass Donnie is calling all Dem candidates socialists. Not long until it extends to everyone. Dumbass seems to be satisfied to run on that.

[Magoo48]

12. The ists, isms, ics, and ans of the past have all failed our populations and our planet.

If we don’t initiate something real new, real soon; our next generations will watch it all burn away. All future economics must be focused by the lens of Climate Catastrophe.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

15. But That Don't Fit On No Bumper Sticker

So RWers will stop listening after the first 3 words. It's just easier to shout "SO-SHUL-ISM!!!" and hope everyone screams and runs away.

[Yonnie3]

17. Locking after a review by Forum Hosts

The Debates are part of the Democratic Primaries.

Per the announcement on Feb 20, 2019 by site administrators, all discussion of the Democratic Primaries and candidates belongs in the Democratic Primaries Forum. Please re-post there if you like.