Column: Here's why the GOP smears everything it doesn't like as 'socialism'

Stefanik was using the term as a shibboleth — a code word directed at her political base, much as her GOP colleagues have used “vaccine passport” to demonize vaccination requirements designed to protect public health, or “Faucism” to undermine vaccination, or “critical race theory” to manipulate education standards.

The effectiveness of shibboleths doesn’t depend on an understanding of a particular term’s meaning — in fact, any such understanding would work against its effectiveness as a partisan dog whistle. It’s useful to recall that one of the rallying cries against the enactment of the ACA was “Nevertheless, before looking at the technique’s long, discreditable history, we should be reminded that true socialism is defined as a belief that the means of production should be publicly, not privately, owned.

Any functioning economy, then, comprises purely capitalist elements as well as those that might be labeled socialist. But the programs denigrated as socialist by the American right tend to place private enterprise at their center. The American system also recognizes that market capitalism, for all its virtues, has its flaws — chiefly that all participants don’t enter the marketplace with equivalent power. That’s why we have a safety net of social insurance programs aimed at ensuring that nobody is left entirely out of the market — the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid and Medicare, food stamps and, the branding of progressive programs, especially those proposed by Democrats, as “socialist” is not a new stratagem.

jpieleck hiltzikm I love how McCarthy wheels out his stooge, Elise the flea. She just loves the attention.

hiltzikm Medicare is 'Socialism', Education is 'socialism', Fire Departments & Police are 'Socialism', Social Security is 'Socialism', Airports are 'Socialism', Interstate Freeways are 'Socialism', SPORTS STADIUMS are 'Socialism'. America's 'SOCIALISM' is NOT Communist Socialism.

stockguy61 hiltzikm Republicans have mastered the art of trickery. They come up with catchy slogans and some Americans fall for it. If they researched the truth - they would vote Democrat. It's pretty sad that working Americans vote against themselves when they vote for Republicans.

hiltzikm Somebody needs to teach Sanders how to dress properly.

hiltzikm Give it Up!!

hiltzikm

hiltzikm We should brand them communist Because half of their supporter are racist and praises Hitler.

hiltzikm Republican's use fear tactics.... they give you no good reason to vote for them so they make you fear the other side with scary words like 'socialism, communism, BLM, and ANTIFA'....

hiltzikm “Oranges are much better tasting if you remove the rind before chewing a piece” Same energy

morgfair hiltzikm Republicans lie

morgfair hiltzikm They have been doing it for 75 years. Every social welfare program has been deemed “Socialism“ by the GOP . They know their base doesn’t understand what it means, but loves slogans

morgfair hiltzikm

hiltzikm When you’re trying to convince yourself that the NORMAL role of federal government is being a conduit between the US Treasury and the Republican Party’s corporate donors… …well, of COURSE any policy or program that helps average Americans looks like socialism to you.

hiltzikm Ignorance is dangerous.

hiltzikm So the party that supported the insurrection and enabled a criminal president uses socialism to smear its opponents. No surprise there.

hiltzikm The GOP has always loved socialism for the rich and rugged individualism for the poor.

hiltzikm We've been knowing this. They also use communism, liberalism, progressive etc. in such manners.

hiltzikm Bc republican voters don't understand words. They only speak emotion. And the only emotion the gop feeds them is fear.

hiltzikm nice

hiltzikm

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