The Republican's Strange View on Democratic Socialism

Hi everyone, I’m Rick Barron, your host, and welcome to my podcast, That’s Life, I Swear

On Feb. 2, 2023…Whereas socialist ideology necessitates a concentration of power that has time and time again collapsed into Communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and brutal dictatorships, Whereas socialism has repeatedly led to famine and mass murders, and the killing of over 100,000,000 people worldwide. So reads in part, a Congressional resolution brought forward by the Republican party to condemn “the horrors of socialism.”

Let’s jump into this.

Ken McCarthy. Courtesy of: The Hill

In January of this year, Republican, Kevin McCarthy officially won the Speaker of the House nomination after a historic 15 rounds of voting and a dramatic series of events on the House floor that almost ended with a fistfight. After going through one round of voting after another, with no quick vote, Republicans kept saying in between breaks, ‘hey, democracy is difficult’. Really.

Only a few days after the world viewed what many saw as a circus unfolding and a very dysfunctional circus at that, the 118th Congress was sworn in albeit with a slim Republican majority.

It was time to get going and start doing the people’s work. It didn’t take long for the Republican-controlled Congress to get off to a flying start for the people.

So, here’s where we are today with the United States Congress.

As mentioned at the beginning of this episode, the Republican-led House put forth H. CON. RES. 9 resolution condemning socialism which  stirred up a chorus of criticism and mockery online as the GOP uses its new House majority to forge ahead with its agenda.

Maria Elvira Salazar. Courtesy of: POLITICO

Republican Representative Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, who sponsored the resolution, said on the House floor, and I quote:  "It is a lie that socialism will solve your problems, economic or social. We cannot let this evil ideology take hold in this country. We are in the United States, the stronghold of freedom. That is why we must pass this resolution."

Nice spin. Frightening, but nice.

The 435-word resolution sounds like a flyer dropped off at your front door from those whose brains are polluted with idiotic conspiracy theories, horror, evildoers, death camps and more, which has now become the norm for the Republican Party. 

Everything that comes out from the Republicans today in spoken word or text against programs designed to provide basic necessities or relief, are immediately labeled as ‘horrific’, ‘communist driven’, ‘mass murders will result’, and the list goes on.     

Just read the resolution which you can find on my website, under ‘show notes’ for this episode. I’ll let you draw your own conclusion, but for me, it reads like a Stephen King novel.

So, why do Republicans view Democratic Socialism as similar to Soviet Communism? 

For years, Republicans have depicted Democratic Socialism as being similar to Soviet Communism. While the two political ideologies have some similarities, such as central control over the economy, there are also significant differences between them. Republicans argue that the Democratic Socialist agenda, which calls for a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources, would erode individual freedoms and increase government control over citizens' lives.

Sen. Bernie Sanders & Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Courtesy of: CNBC

Those who are labeled as Democratic socialists, such as Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont or Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, argue that they support a democratic form of government, where the people have a say in the policies that affect their lives. The Soviet system is authoritarian, with no regard for individual rights and freedoms. There’s the argument to be made that the Soviet system is not truly socialist, as it’s dominated by a single party and doesn’t allow for political competition.

While both systems are centered on government control and redistribution of wealth, the similarities end there. However, this has not stopped Republicans from linking the two together in their criticism of democratic socialism.

Democratic Socialist. Courtesy of: Britannica

At its core, Democratic Socialism is an economic system that seeks to balance the market economy with government intervention to provide essential services and ensure social welfare. Proponents of this ideology believe that the government should play a more active role in providing basic necessities, such as healthcare, education, and housing, for its citizens. This, they argue, would help to reduce inequality and improve the standard of living for all Americans.

On the other hand, Republicans view Democratic Socialism as a threat to the American way of life. They argue that this ideology would lead to a massive increase in government spending, which would result in a corresponding increase in taxes and government debt. Additionally, they believe that a more intrusive government would stifle individual freedoms and erode the principles of capitalism that have driven American economic success for centuries.

Funny, where was all this concern about a threat to America when Trump’s cronies stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6th?

This might come as a surprise to the Republicans, but America has many democratic socialist policies. Everywhere you look, you can see socialist programs in all facets of American life. Check out this list:

1.     Social Security

2.     Medicare

3.     Farm subsidies 

4.     Covid-19 Economic Relief [signed by Donald Trump, shhh]

5.     National parks

6.     Minimum wage 

7.     The New Deal

8.     The Federal Housing Administration 

9.     Our Military

10.  and more…

All these programs and I’m still not seeing U.S. citizens calling themselves comrades as they walk down the streets, wearing their red berets today.

Sweden citizens. Courtesy of: CAPX

Critics argue that the GOP's characterization of Democratic Socialism is misguided and that they are confusing it with Soviet-style Communism. In contrast to the centralized control and lack of individual freedoms under Communist regimes, Democratic Socialism is focused on creating a more equitable distribution of wealth and resources, not on eliminating individual freedoms.

Democratic Socialist countries, such as Sweden, have proven that it is possible to balance government intervention with market forces to create a thriving economy with high levels of social welfare. Sweden has had some issues with its’ government programs, but it’s still working for the public. In these countries, the government provides essential services, such as healthcare and education, while also allowing for private enterprise and individual freedom.

Some Republicans have used the Venezuela democratic socialist type of government as a classic example of falling into a Communist state. Suffice to say, it’s a matter of how programs are structured and executed to help their citizens. If not planned correctly, yes, things could go wrong. To do a comparison, take a look at Norway which is far more socialist than Venezuela. 

Norway is a particularly good comparison point since oil (and state-owned oil companies) play similar roles in their economies. Now the Norwegian public sector is a bigger employer and the Norwegian government holds far more of the country’s wealth. If Venezuela is a “socialist” basket case, as it is today, Norway is just the opposite. 

For a very long time, Republicans have gone out of their way to label anything and everything from programs Democratics put on the table that would improve the lives of Americans, as tainted with socialism. From climate action, public education, affordable care and Social Security, it’s obvious from the Republicans point of view, that it cannot be anything but socialism. Almost every rebuttal from the Republican party is based on fear.

I see this resolution as nothing but political theater. The real goal here is to divide and embarrass Democrats and isolate the handful of socialists in Congress by forcing the rest of the caucus to either condemn them or publicly take their side. The Republicans only want to show ‘the base’ that they’re going to fight ‘those guys.’ 

Social Security & Medicare cards. Courtesy of: Kiplinger

Social Security was launched during the Great Depression and was characterized as “socialist.” Medicare was enacted in 1965 and sometimes attacked as “socialism.” These programs are more reasonably defined as “social welfare,” not “socialism” as typically defined. 

When the dust settles the United States has a “mixed economy” with “capitalism” and “socialism.” Republicans scheming political propaganda to create fear and confusion about American “socialism,” only points to one conclusion, the Republican party are the weak ones. Being sensible is hard for them to grasp.

So I say to the Republicans, have fun sticking pins into your Social Security and Medicare Voodoo Dolls, and reading your Trump conspiracy 

What can we learn from this story? What’s the take away

As the country continues to grapple with these issues, it is clear that the debate over the role of government in American society will only continue to intensify. While Republicans will continue to warn of the dangers of Democratic Socialism and equate it with Soviet Communism, Democrats will push back, arguing that their agenda is focused on providing essential services and creating a more equitable society, nothing more.

Well, there you go. That's life, I swear.

For further information regarding the material covered in this episode, I invite you to visit my website, which you can find on either Apple Podcasts/iTunes or Google Podcasts, for show notes calling out key pieces of content mentioned and the episode transcript.

As always, I thank you for listening. 

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