Tell me this..Why is socialism a bad word these days?

[REDKING]

I'm looking for an American perspective.Where I am it just seems the me,me,me politics is the winner.A politics I do not agree with.Your opinions please.

[AllieB]

1. Because the right-wing media has been equating it with communism

going so far as labeling the advancements of FDR "socialist". Basically, the sheeple don't pay attention in history class and thus confuse Soviet-style communism (which really was not communism) with democratic socialism a la Scandanavia.

[REDKING]

2. I agree about the media.....

It does seem since Bush and Blair said the youre either with us or against us that the one opinion comes down.It just scares the shit out of me.We have to think their way.Freedom as I see it is dying.If you dont think right wing then you are subversive.

[LaraMN]

3. I don't think it should be. I'm more socialist-leaning than anything.

:thumbsup:

[dorkulon]

4. The whole "red menace" thing...

has permanently screwed up this country. Even Mexican immigrants know how to call a work stoppage. We're so scared of sounding communist that we're afraid to go near any labor-friendly ideas. It's sad.

[supernova]

5. Over here people confuse communism and socialism

Even though they are not the same.

[REDKING]

6. a silly mistake.

[supernova]

8. Yes it is

It all gets lump into one big "godless communist" boogey man that conservatives just love to scare themselves silly with.

My former wingnut senator, the chief of all wingnuts, was a master at this.

[REDKING]

11. Wingnut?I havent heard that in years.Brilliant.

[u4ic]

7. There is power in numbers

capitalism separates people (me, me, me!), rather than uniting them.

I even see the difference in my own country in the past 20 or so years, and it's quite sad.

Hey redking! :hi:

[REDKING]

9. Hello beautiful....where you been?

[u4ic]

18. It's spring!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

I've been out enjoying the great weather! How have you been?

[REDKING]

20. I'm good,trying to figure out where to go on holiday....

Need a break from home.Chill out week or two somewhere.

[u4ic]

Tough decision, eh?

;-)

I can imagine many thinking "you're in Ireland. You don't NEED to go anywhere else!"

[REDKING]

23. Need to see,hear different...just need to.

[u4ic]

26. Where are you thinking of?

Someplace warm? Mediterranean, perhaps? Or not quite so far?

[REDKING]

27. Not a sun worshipper...

Somewhere I dont feel Irish or this or that or the other.Although I know not possible...Maybe it is a true dream holiday.

[u4ic]

28. Dark sunglasses

should hide your accent...:rofl:

[REDKING]

29. Hahahahahahaha.....Excellent.

[redqueen]

10. It's been a bad word for decades.

And the reason why?

Those that have the power WANT it to be... so they don't have to share any power.

[REDKING]

13. I just dont understand that thirst for power..

You cant have everything.It just does not have logic and i'm not even Vulcan..live long and have a fucking good time,just dont hurt people(my personal manifesto).

[redqueen]

24. Neither do I...

but perhaps it's only a certain personality type that would desire to rule over others.

[matcom]

12. it isn't in MY house

but i'm in the minority i know

[Cyrano]

14. Very effective right wing propaganda. And they took it a step further.

Communism = socialism = liberalism. That's why liberals now use the term "progressive."

The wingnuts learned long ago that if you control the language, you get to frame the discussion. It's why there are no more discussions. They've programmed all the hot buttons, and they now control the whole enchilada.

As much as I hate to say it, we need our own version of a Newt Gingrich type to start hurling bumper sticker phrases at them. Contrary to popular belief, the truth will not set us free. (Maybe it will someday, but to date, it's been totally useless.)

[REDKING]

15. There must be a way to claim the language back.Must.

[no name no slogan]

16. Depends on where you are, too

There have been a lot of socialist/radical politicians in the upper midwestern part of the US, particularly in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In fact, modern US Progressivism traces its roots back to Sen. Robert LaFollette, a Republican Senator who served Wisconsin in the early part of the 20th century.

In my state of Minnesota, we had an overtly socialist party in the state during the first half of the 20th century. It was known as the Farmer Labor party, and was the second-largest political party for a number of years, behind the Democrats. It elected three governors and four US Senators all total.

Its platform called for the government ownership of some industries, as well as social security laws-- a radical concept in the US back in the 1910s-1920s. Wikipedia has a good article on it.

The Farmer-Labor party later merged with the state's Democratic Party in 1944, creating the US's only coalition Democratic party, known officially as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, a label which it still carries today.

Unfortunately, most of the radical elements were purged from the party during the 40s, and especially during the "red scare" of the early 50s. In fact, Hubert H. Humphrey was one of the prime movers in expelling the socialists from the party.

[REDKING]

17. Never heard of this.Thank you.I will look into it.

[hfojvt]

25. kind of a short article in Wikipedia

I wonder if Ignatius Donnelly had some part in the creation. The Populist party was also somewhat socialist/prgressive. They also controlled some state legislatures around 1900 - in North Dakota and Kansas. They pretty much died as an independent party in 1896 when their Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan also became the candidate for the Democratic party.
The socialist party was fairly strong before 1920, with socialist candidate Eugene V. Debs getting his highest percentage of votes in the 1912 Presidential election. He got 12% of the vote in places like Oklahoma, Kansas and Minnesota. The Federal government used the sedition act in WWI to clamp down on socialist leaders like Debs, sending him to federal prison for making speeches against the war. He still got almost a million votes in the 1920 election as Convict 9652.
However, a large part of it too was perhaps the post war prosperity of the 1920s made labor issues and socialism seem less relevant.

[ghostsofgiants]

19. Many years of Cold War propaganda would be my guess.

I proudly identify as a socialist. Mind you I'm Canadian, and we're all filthy pinkos up here. :P

[blindpig]

21. One day we'll all be socialist.

Or quite likely we won't be, period. The way we've wrecked this planet will require socialism for survival.

Hell of a way to get there.:(

[REDKING]

22. Wisdom....I dont hear that often.Stay gold.

[blindpig]

30. Well, I've been called a lot of things....

but wise ain't one of them! :blush:

[REDKING]

31. Trust me,I know better..Take care of yourself.