Where did Bernie's revolution go wrong?

[BidenBacker]

23. It's all about semantics

Let's not kid ourselves...Republicans love socialism just as much as any left-winger. As long as it helps THEM or is for things they like. Taking money from citizens and giving it to the military so that they can provide for the common good and ensure national security? That's "socialism". Injecting taxpayer money into Wall Street so that our economy doesn't collapse when they get too greedy and royally fuck up? That's "socialism". Providing government assistance to red states whenever their residents get devastated by natural disasters? That's "socialism". Giving farmers a handout when a trade war with China wipes out their income? That's "socialism". But they will never call it that or admit to it because God knows "socialism" is pure evil and un-American.

As popular as it is on both sides of the political spectrum, the word "socialism" still scares the living shit outta most Americans. "Fascism" should scare them even more, IMO. "Revolution" is a scary word to a majority of people...so it's not terribly surprising that folks are shunning Sanders.

"Change" doesn't scare most people. God knows we need it and Obama used it effectively. "Evolution" is non-threatening...Bernie woulda done a lot better if he had dropped the R.

It's all just semantics. I once worked on the MX missile during the Reagan years. Support and funding were flagging and the program almost got cancelled. Then in a stroke of genius Ronnie changed the name to "Peacekeeper" and suddenly it got a whole lot more popular because it was not nearly as ominous-sounding as "MX"...almost sounds like a toy that you'd buy for your kid. And so it got approved and we went ahead and developed and deployed it. It was the exact same rocket that had a bunch of nukes on it that coulda obliterated most of the planet but hey, how dangerous could something called "Peacekeeper" really be?

All just words. But Bernie was doomed the minute he slapped the word "socialist" on himself.