This just in: Sanders is a Socialist!

[RobertEarl]

Bernie Sanders, running for president, is a full blown socialist!!

What does that mean? Does Bernie believe in universal health care? Yep.

Does he believe corporations should be closely regulated? Yep.

Does this mean, as POTUS, Bernie would fight for equal rights? Yes again.

My gawd, what will happen to this this country when Bernie gets elected President?

[NYC_SKP]

1. Is he a high-priced shill for the US Chamber of Commerce, Chevron, Tata, Monsanto, et al.?

Well, no. He's not.

[mvd]

2. K&R

Capitalism is an inherently soulless system, and some socialism and regulation is needed if you do not want high income inequality.

[Wilms]

3. He's a self-described DEMOCRATIC Socialist

Perhaps you'll edit the thread title.

[mvd]

6. Yes, true

A mix of socialism and capitalism may be best for all..

[RobertEarl]

7. Of course he's democratic

What else could he be but democratic?

[ucrdem]

4. The first responses to his Reddit chat suggest that it's meant to appeal to voters who hate Dems.

In other words he avoids identifying as a Democrat to get the votes of Republicans in Vermont. Which makes sense because I've never heard him say much about socialism.

[H2O Man]

5. Exactly.

The American public will freak out, when they learn he favors funding things like public schools and highways. It's a dangerous slope .....

[redstateblues]

9. What does socialism mean?

Socialism:a definition:A political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production distribution and exchange should be owned and regulated by the community as a whole

[H2O Man]

10. double-extra scary!

[redstateblues]

31. It won't play well

In the general. You can laugh but it has negative connotations in our political system. I wish he'd never said it because I don't believe he is a socialist. So he's a democratic socialist- whatever that is. Has he even said what that is?

[RobertEarl]

32. This is what we are fighting

This lack of understanding of socialism and that fear of socialism is our battle.

Simply put: Socialism, as is exemplified in the US are the publicly owned roads, airports, libraries, air space, environment.... you get the drift?

You ask what 'it' even means, so there you are, a bit to chew on. Swallow that and grok it and you are well on your way to becoming a full blown Bernie supporter.

[Exilednight]

21. Democratic Socialism is more in favor of co-op production, and having a maximum wage as well as a

Minimum wage. Technically you could still make 25 million a year, but everything over (just using round numbers here to give you an idea of what I'm trying to express) a million dollars would be taxed at 95%.

[think]

8. Bernie is far from being a true socialist but that's what we'll be hearing for awhile

Would be nice to have a true socialist running so people realized Bernie is just a solid Democrat.

Most of his policies are not that radical and rather practical ones that most Americans can identify with.

A single payer health care system still utilizes for profit doctors and hospitals. America is one of the very few modern countries; including the overwhelming majority of capitalist ones; that does not offer this so it's more like catching up with reality.

Debt free college is something we already offer to some extent as do many other capitalist countries.

I've not heard him say we should nationalize the banks, the auto industry, the energy companies, or any other large scale industry.

and he wants to cut one of our most socialized programs which is the defense industry.

So it's really hard if you look at the issues to even see why the boogie man term "socialism" is even mentioned. It's just the fodder of the right wing to feed fear into it's ginned up base.

JMO...

[RobertEarl]

14. Just wait until he has power

Then we will see what he can do to save the country from the clutches of Exxon and the other corporations that feast at the public's trough.

[Dem2]

11. I told my Republican MIL "I like Bernie"

and she said "is he the Socialist?"

I said "yes, that's what he calls himself".

The End.

I know, Cool Story Brah.

[cui bono]

12. Not really. He's a Democratic Socialist.

He is not a "full blown socialist" at all.

[RobertEarl]

13. Hmmm

I sit here thinking.... Is there any one politician who is a "Full Blown Socialist" we can compare Bernie too?

I draw a blank.

[cui bono]

15. They don't get elected. n/t

[RobertEarl]

16. Has one ever run for POTUS before?

Bernie has been elected, so your theory about not getting elected is false.

And for sure, Obama came off as a socialist, and he was elected.

[cui bono]

18. Bernie isn't a full blown socialist though. And omg... Obama did NOT come off as a socialist!!!

That was just a right wing attack.

[RobertEarl]

19. You are afraid of socialism?

You can't even come up with someone who is a full blown socialist?

Obama did come off as a socialist to some degree. Health care, regulating corporations, save the environment, clean energy... the list is long of good socialist type governance ideas Obama professed in 2008.

But if one is scared of the socialist shadow, then every little bit freaks one out, eh?

[H2O Man]

20. You are correct on this, of course.

There are people who think in the limited and often highly inaccurate definitions that applied when "capitalism, socialism, and communism" were the primary economic systems of the industrial age. Even then, of course, there wasn't any "true" capitalism or communism; rather, there were mixed economies that -- perhaps by the magic of coincidence -- always worked to benefit the very few, at the expense of the many.

We have a great deal of "socialism" today, that benefits the economic elite. Hence, the 1% does not fear socialism; they fear the masses learn the modern definition of the term.

[RobertEarl]

22. It is a struggle

The fear of the term 'socialism' runs deep.

It is therefore our honor and duty to erase those fears. Thankfully we finally have a candidate that we can point to and say: See? There's a socialist - Bernie Sanders.

I remember years ago speaking to some well meaning and fairly educated people about roads and pointing out how socialist roads are. They argued against then, but now grudgingly admit they like roads being a socialist endeavor instead of roads being privately owned. And if roads are not a means of production and distribution, then what is?

[cui bono]

23. My mistake. I thought you were being serious.

If you think I'm afraid of socialism, you don't know me at all. However what Bernie is saying and especially what Obama pushed as health care is NOT actual socialism.

[RobertEarl]

25. If you are serious

Then it behooves me to try and keep educating you.

First tho, please tell me what you think of socialism?

If you are not serious, you will evade the question, eh?

[cui bono]

26. So you set up your post with a condescending remark about educating me and then end it with

"If you are not serious, you will evade the question, eh?"

Kind of a win win for you, eh? If I ignore your post because of your arrogance you get to claim you won because I'm evading your question.

Not playing.

[RobertEarl]

28. Nice evasion

I can take it then that you have little education as concerns socialism and that instead the word merely causes fear? I have seen a lot of that in RL, so you are not alone. But with Bernie coming on, folks will need to become more educated. Sorry I lost you.

[cui bono]

35. I don't know where you get that I'm afraid of the word socialism.

I'm not. But you said Obama came across like a socialist and that just isn't correct. That was a right wing slur used against him for the very reason you cite, to make people afraid of him. If it didn't have that effect the right wing wouldn't use it. Reagan used it. Obama though, was and is nothing close to a socialist nor did he spout socialist ideas. He was pushing for a health care program that still involved the for profit insurance companies. He even made backroom deals with said insurance companies. That's no where near socialist. And even in the campaign he didn't call for single-payer, just the public option.

Bernie also has not gone so far as to spout full on socialist ideas. He calls himself a Democratic Socialist and I think that's a more apt description. He hasn't called for a complete system of the workers owning the means of production. He is not an enemy of capitalism but he does understand that it needs to be reigned in. He also understands that we need socialist type programs and education to make sure the people are taken care of, and also believes that the socialist type subsidies extended to big corporations are ridiculous.

I simply disagree with how you are throwing about the term socialism and think that you are watering it down when you attribute it to Obama especially, and also even Sanders.

[RobertEarl]

36. 10 years ago I was like you

I thought socialism was a bad word. Thanks to DU I am now educated.

You might be too one day. In fact in this linked thread "What is your problem with socialism?"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026713990
are some other writers who do a good job of explaining what socialism means in the US.

I refuse to accept the RW smears they use to decry socialism, and that is the first step to knowledge. Ignore them. Instead, listen to Bernie when he states he is a democratic socialist.

Cheers!

[cui bono]

38. I TOLD you, I'm not afraid of the word socialism.

And I also told you what you just said, that Bernie is a democratic socialist.

If you're going to have a discussion you need to read what people write. And you could stop the condescension. You just agreed with me about Bernie yet you are posting as if we are disagreeing.

[socialist_n_TN]

27. An older era, but Leon Trotsky was a full blown socialist......

As was V.I. Lenin.

[RobertEarl]

29. Things change. Time marches on

In relative terms, given modern day politics in the US, is there anyone besides Bernie who claims to be socialist as much as he?

[Rybak187]

34. There is one I can think of.

Kshama Sawant the Seattle city council member. She is a member of Socialist Alternative.

[KamaAina]

17. zOMFG!!11!!!

[Katashi_itto]

24. K&R!

[CrawlingChaos]

30. Whether technically a socialist or not

He has a ruthless agenda to raise the standard of living in this country.

Oh the humanity.

[Gothmog]

33. So What

Look, I am HRC supporter but I really do not care if Bernie is a socialist as much as I care as to whether he can be competitive.

BTW, Sanders is also very tall. Juanita Jean told me that she met Sanders and he is well over six feet tall.

[Liberal In Texas]

37. Good.

I know by the time my primary rolls around it won't make a difference, but I'll be voting for him.

And I'll be voting after that to keep the POTUS out of the hands of the repukes.

It's the Supreme Court, stupid.