Why do Republicans always lose their shit over socialism?

[tomhagen]

[WhiteTara]

1. They think they are special and don't

think anyone else should have a good life.

[shanny]

2. because it is the biggest threat to their owners' desire to hoard all the money

[ProudMNDemocrat]

3. Because Republicans know that Government CAN work for the people....

As it says in the Preamble to the US Constitution…"To provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare...."


General welfare can be taking care of the people with Education, Infrastructure, Medical needs in Older age, some financial security, as well as the freedoms early Americans fought and died for.

Social Security and Medicare are 2 programs even Republican voters like. They were established by Liberal Democrats to ensure dignity and social well being. A government that works for the people is one that is strong and prosperous.

It is high time Republicans stop fearing that, but they refuse.

[onit2day]

5. We must use the term Democratic Socialism to rid the socialism term of baggage

I am a Democratic socialist which is what our nation actually is. We are a Democratic Socialist Republic...We elect representatives and share our basic common needs.

[onit2day]

4. They want to demonize the word then use it to demean dem candidates

[Evergreen Emerald]

6. They provide socialism to the billionaire corporations.

It is only bad when it assists the middle class.

[ooky]

7. Socialism is a voting boogeyman.

Like "democrats will take away your guns". Like "open borders".

I'm pretty sure most Republican voters can't give a definition of socialism if asked. But they are deftly afraid of abstract terms they have been trained by their favorite right wing propagandists to believe are "bad".

Boogeymen are Republican's way of getting people to vote against their own self interests on things such as health care and taxation. Introduce boogeymen to an ignorant person and it results in a right wing vote.

[IronLionZion]

8. Keep Calm and Seize the Means of Production

[appalachiablue]

9. They fear their stuff will be taken, $, property. The essence of it.

[ck4829]

10. K&R

[OxQQme]

11. Here's more Francesca on socialism

Many more here ---> https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnHXmyuAUm9eBR27NMDsSzQ/videos

[Quixote1818]

12. If Trump were to embrace it the base would too.

They really just want to be free to be racist. Whomever it the most racist is the one they follow. That person suddenly likes socialism and they would be totally on board.

[Awsi Dooger]

13. Scare term when they cannot otherwise counter the issue

Republicans can't find Venezuela on a map but you can almost guarantee Venezuela will quickly follow whenever socialism is mentioned. Well-trained scared crowd

Once the term liberal lost effectiveness as a fear device they switched to socialism. It has been steadily building for a full decade but obviously the Sanders prominence and now Ocasio-Cortez prominence allowed even a greater push.

I like to bookmark articles from the major polling firms. Pew is my favorite but Gallup contributes occasionally. Below is a study they did on how socialism is viewed. Democrats now have a more positive view of socialism than capitalism. With Republicans obviously that is not only reversed but the percentage is expanding.

This is the key section of the Gallup poll, and the reason Republicans think they have to rail against socialism. They can't afford for the younger generation to grow up with a positive impression:

"Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults' positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively. Meanwhile, young people's views of socialism have fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but the 51% with a positive view today is the same as in 2010.

Older Americans have been consistently more positive about capitalism than socialism. For those 50 and older, twice as many currently have a positive view of capitalism as of socialism."

https://news.gallup.com/poll/240725/democrats-positive-socialism-capitalism.aspx

[mucifer]

14. They are evil and they are amazingly good at branding.