Sanders Has an Advantage, and It's Not About Economics

[shanny]

16. Biggest downside of socialism is the same as the downside of other "isms":

Is it imposed from above--authoritarianism--or is it pushed from below (grassroots, democratic socialism).

If the people choose socialist programs--like SS, and universal health care--then what is the problem? I'm old enough to remember being taught in school that the US had a blended economy of capitalism and socialism...and by the way it worked great. Biggest middle class in history, widespread prosperity and opportunity. Now? Not so much. Stagnation in real wages for 40+ years. Skyrocketing inequality. Skyrocketing debt--the recent shutdown showed people with solid, middle class jobs in dire straits after missing ONE paycheck. I think you will find that merely throwing out the old "but socialism!" slam cannot and will not sway as many people as it did decades ago. Of course, Republicans will buy it--they always do. They even claimed Obama was a socialist, and look how scary that...wasn't. Except to them.