Democratic Socialism Derangement Syndrome?

[icaria]

65. Good description of boomers' indoctrination

And X-Gen were worse, growing up under Reagan, etc.

I'm a boomer from a family where FDR was held up as a major diety. I got the same "education" about socialism as you did, but by the time I was at university I had a little bit figured out, and later got married to someone from Finland and lived there for awhile and found out what it really takes to keep a "New Deal" or social democracy going. It takes having a real social democratic party. It takes a few real leftists in the congress, parliament or what have you - to balance out the hard right. it takes a much better electoral system than we have - with proportional representation so minor parties (e.g. leftists, greens, etc) can participate. And it takes a good number of people who are willing to make small sacrifices for a better society.

We need big changes in the political system. The Democratic party of the 1990's "third way" DLC, etc. who still hold too many of the party's leadership positions will not achieve these changes. We can't achieve it by pretending not to have an ideology. We can't achieve it by accepting axioms such as: "we have a two party system" or "we are a capitalist country".

A movement is needed to invigorate the Democratic party and to offer all working people a reason to vote. Call it democratic socialism or social democracy or a mix/mash of the two. Call it Socialism.

Right now, Bernie Sanders, Kshama Sawant, Alexandra Octasio Cortez and their supporters are this movement. The movement can achieve political changes much as the civil rights or gay rights movements are now doing. If we change society the political system will follow. Democrats should embrace this movement and should recognize the need to change our political system.