General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Bernie Sanders: “If I were to run for president, do you know how much money the Kochs would spend? [View all]Ed Suspicious
(8,879 posts)by nutters and mushy middlers, I get out there and declare my socialist tendencies proudly as socialist. I say things like "Even socialist me shook George Bush Sr.'s hand when he came through town all those years ago. Surely Reagan-Democrat Obama can't be that horribly objectionable to your republican sensibilities." as I sit back and watch their own more thoughtful/less reactionary friends like my post lending credence to the socialist brand and to the idea that Obama is not an extremist in the way the right tries to frame him and that it is crazy the way the nutters attack the president, it's is not even rational.
I don't know if it's a good idea, but I feel like it says socialism is OK. I'm on your friends list and I'm an admitted socialist, you're not afraid of me are you? It says socialism is not what they would have you think it is. Even somebody as opposed to republican policy as A socialist might be, they respect you and they respect the system, and they respect the country even though they poorly chose the president a few election cycles ago.
I think it normalizes a demonized brand. It makes the demonizers look unhinged.
Speaking well of or even acknowledging socialism as an option will help make Bernie more palatable to those in the middle.