Why it's possible the "Socialist" tag won't have any teeth this election cycle

[Quixote1818]

The public seems to be onto the elite's propaganda game so having them cry "socialist" may have reached a point where the public knows it's just the 1%ers and corporate media screaming wolf and that maybe the reason they have been screaming "wolf / socialist" all this time is because it's against their best interest and possibly beneficial to the masses?

Not to mention, Republicans have been calling Obama a socialist (more crying wolf) since day one and to the public who have gotten to know him and watch us slowly dig out from Bush's disaster, he seems pretty reasonable and not anything to fear. So the word socialist has kind of lost any negative meaning it might have carried 8 years ago because Republicans have over-used it.

Finally, when the public hears Sanders is a socialist but then see him standing up to those at the money tables and talking about money issues that really pertain to them personally, I think it takes away from the negative emotions the word use to arouse.

[wilsonbooks]

1. Bernie has diffused the term

by attacking it head on. It is only when we run from a fight that we lose.

[jfern]

9. The Republicans diffused it by calling Obama a socialist for the last 8 years

Thanks, Republicans

[Hortensis]

10. Partially defused. You VASTLY UNDERESTIMATE

the strength and passion of the bulk of America's right. They are in a fight to save America from being destroyed by us.

They don't know that fascism is a hard conservative phenomenon. They've been told we are embracing fascism and will eventually install a totalitarian government if they don't stop us.

The evil specter of socialism has been somewhat defused -- now it's seen mostly as merely a strong sign of moral collapse and impending death-spiral for the nation.

[wilsonbooks]

14. There are people who still shout that Bernie and Barack are

commie's and there always will be, but they marginalize themselves by spouting this nonsense and we were never going to get their votes, no matter who we would run.

[Hortensis]

21. Voting's only one way to oppose, a big one,

but it doesn't stop after the elections.

Politicians get and lose power DURING terms from the mood of the populace, sort of the way tornadoes get power -- or die -- from the temperature of the water they pass over.

The right intends to continue battling the invasion of left-wing ideas with scorched earth -- give the left nothing it can use.

We've been living with this all through Obama's presidency, and it will continue. Many public servants across the spectrum WANT to rebuild our bridges, take proper care of our veterans, build high-speed rail, find permanent cures for cancer, but they can't -- because large portions of the right, funded and directed by plutocratic manipulators, are opposing all government action while the left holds the presidency.

[Duppers]

2. Yet it would have helped our cause if Bernie

Last edited Fri Jan 22, 2016, 05:29 AM - Edit history (2)

had not used the term. Too many Americans have little idea what it means since they've been fed propaganda for so long.

Good analysis, Quixote1818. I'm so encouraged by the campaign so far that I think you're probably right.


Edit for verb tense.

[EdwardBernays]

4. well...

If he had EVER used it in the past and not used it now people would be saying he's a secret socialist..

By redefining it (like Libertarians redefined libertarian) he's made it into a nothing really... only people attacking him seem to even bother making a big deal about it... undecideds don't seem to be saying they're not voting for him because of it...

[Duppers]

5. You are correct.

[daybranch]

8. I believe the term democratic socialist helps portray Bernie in a

better light. It emphasizes that he is a different type of politician. He is not establishment by definition. Bernie has also with his supporters tied the term democratic socialist to being for democracy, an important counterpoint to the rich oligarchy who obstruct the will and well being of the people. The latest and greatest about the term democratic socialist is that African Americans are now being told by their communities that Martin Luther King Junior was a democratic socialist . In effect this links Bernie with the popularity of the best known African American fighter for economic justice and civil rights. In addition when he is called socialist, whites have their hero FDR and are reminded that FDR's greatest achievement are democratic socialism in action. Furthermore Bernie's call to look at democratic socialist run economies such as Denmark gives lie to the false assumption that Americans have the best system for the people's well being and in many ways makes us see that democratic socialist run countries are doing better at combating major concerns such as climate change, and health care. Hillary's attacks on the well loved ideas of a socialistic Medicare for all system gives us further reason to cheer for the socialist whom supports what that's become an established democratic party socialist concept.
Finally I would say that Bernie labeling his ideas as democratic socialism or democracy in other statements provide a more defined ideology based candidate than independent, which many including myself would not understand to provide any clue to one's beliefs and values.

[Paka]

11. +1

Merci!

[PoliticalMalcontent]

3. I had much the same thought tonight.

Repubs have cried wolf with the socialist label, sticking it to Obama. If people support Obama, then it perhaps 'socialist' (even if it was misapplied) will be viewed as more palatable to the masses.)

Good post!

[CSStrowbridge]

6. Socialism polls better than Capitalism among young people

Socialism polls better than Capitalism among young people.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/29/young-people-socialism_n_1175218.html

It's an older poll, but it is hard to argue that socialism is a huge insult today.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. They called Obama a "socialist" too.

The Cold War is OVER. People know "Capitalism" doesn't equal "Freedom".

[Odin2005]

12. "Socialist" is not a dirty word to Millennials

We Millennials have no memory of the Cold War, Red-baiting BS doesn't work on us.

[jeff47]

13. It won't have any teeth because it's been overused.

Republicans have called every Democrat "Socialist!!!" for my entire life.

It carries as much weight as calling someone "Human!!!"

Remember, we're not all Boomers.

[in_cog_ni_to]

15. They can't touch him with that. They took the boogie man out of that term years ago.

Plus, all you have to do is hear him speak and read his history and you know he's a good, decent, honorable, trustworthy, AUTHENTIC and ETHICAL man. He has that "IT" factor. You know he's the real deal because he's speaking TRUTH TO POWER and no politician, in all my years of voting, has ever exposed the filthy underbelly of our CORRUPT GOVERNMENT, CORRUPT WALL ST., CORRUPT CORPORATIONS and our CORRUPT CORPORATE OWNED MSM. We all knew what was going on, but couldn't prove it, but Bernie confirmed our suspicions and fully exposed their filth!

THAT is real. They aren't. And they can't strangle him with the Socialist label because HE IS A BETTER PERSON THAN ANY OF THEM COULD EVER HOPE TO BE. And WE THE PEOPLE KNOW IT!

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[Quixote1818]

16. I also remember everyone saying Obama could not be elected because he is black and his name sounds

like Osama. A lot of people even here on DU said he had no chance but the public seems willing to look deeper on things than we sometimes expect.

[in_cog_ni_to]

18. The voting public isn't as ignorant as Hillary W. Bush thinks they are.

And her condescension WILL turn people toward Bernie. The more she Red Baits, the more money and support Bernie will get! She's can't win. It's over.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE

[B Calm]

17. Bernie will burn their ass with that attack.

[TheBlackAdder]

19. It wasn't effective when... GEORGE BUSH Sr. used 'SOCIALISM' to attack BILL CLINTON. #Irony nt

[Live and Learn]

20. I know of only one family that is scared by the Socialist term and they are immigrants from

Russia (Armenian) who seem to be confused between Communism and Socialism. Funny thing is, they got tons of social services when they got here but they don't seem to see the connection.

[jmondine]

22. The Soviet Union collapsed three decades ago

Hard to use it as a boogeyman anymore.