It was just a couple of weeks ago that Newsweek came out with a piece explaining that Bernie Sanders isn’t a communist, he’s a democratic socialist, and there’s apparently a big difference — although it has “conservative columnist” Max Boot a little nervous that he’s going to have to pull the lever for a socialist this November if the “moderates” in the Democratic Party don’t get their act together.
Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist not a communist, here's the difference https://t.co/vGmhJArp28
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) February 4, 2020
Now, with Sanders heading into Super Tuesday with a lot of momentum, Paul Krugman is declaring that Sanders isn’t even a socialist, even though he never met a socialist country he didn’t like.
Bernie Sanders Isn’t a Socialist https://t.co/VGxWuWGeAX
— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) February 13, 2020
By November, these guys will be referring to him as a moderate Democrat. https://t.co/80VmGwCPIr
— David Harsanyi (@davidharsanyi) February 13, 2020
Krugman writes:
The thing is, Bernie Sanders isn’t actually a socialist in any normal sense of the term. He doesn’t want to nationalize our major industries and replace markets with central planning; he has expressed admiration, not for Venezuela, but for Denmark. He’s basically what Europeans would call a social democrat — and social democracies like Denmark are, in fact, quite nice places to live, with societies that are, if anything, freer than our own.
So why does Sanders call himself a socialist? I’d say that it’s mainly about personal branding, with a dash of glee at shocking the bourgeoisie. And this self-indulgence did no harm as long as he was just a senator from a very liberal state.
But if Sanders becomes the Democratic presidential nominee, his misleading self-description will be a gift to the Trump campaign.
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Ah yes, Denmark. Sanders just wants to turn the United States into Denmark — no big deal.
Krugman even goes on to posit the same argument Ryan Grim did Wednesday, admitting that single-payer health care is “very unlikely to happen in practice” anyway.
So tell us again why Sanders isn’t a socialist?
Except he is…per his own words
— Fredo B Cuomo (@tlschrades) February 13, 2020
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) February 13, 2020
Yes, he is.
— Quasi (@HiramAbiffUSA) February 13, 2020
Contrary to his own words, actions, and policies.
— Jay Dubb (@JayDubbTX) February 13, 2020
Yeah he is. Don't defend socialism.
— Dave Kleikamp (@ShaggyKC) February 13, 2020
Yes, he is. In addition to his track record, he loudly & proudly accepts the label.
And just like all good socialists at the top, he’s a hypocrite who loves wealth & crony capitalism when it favors him
— Eric AllredHenriquez (@epallred) February 13, 2020
Yes he is. He says he is, and has supported it his entire career. https://t.co/JAiBtCraBH
— Thomas Parker (@TheThomasParker) February 13, 2020
Maybe tell him that?
— L. Harvey (@LesLHci) February 13, 2020
Wrong on so many fronts…
1) Social democracy is a sect of socialist thought, which though not purely socialist, is to a degree. He knows we can’t get rid of capitalism in 8 years.
2) Reclaiming socialism is genius. Already socialism has been destigmatized to a degree.
— Jerry Blade ? (@JerryBlade1) February 13, 2020
We’d say to a large degree, at least among millennials.
He’s not a Democrat either
— Rockwell (@Rockwell2019) February 13, 2020
He just had a very normal admiration for Castro’s Cuba.
— Edward G Robinson (@Post_Truth_Era) February 13, 2020
He's a communist
— Dred (@Dred_44) February 13, 2020
Correct: He's a communist.
— ¯_(ツ)_/¯ ?? ?? (@shaneriderMA) February 13, 2020
He’s a Communist, who settles.
— Charles Mulligan (@CharlesMullig15) February 13, 2020
Well said.
“The goal of socialism IS Communism” – Vladimir Lenin
— Jan Sobieski (@jan_sobieski_ii) February 13, 2020
He says he is and also believes standing in line for food is “a good thing” (his own words). https://t.co/U5hD5PSANH
— Linda Jackson (@LindaJa55829312) February 13, 2020
He certainly doesn't believe in capitalism and free markets, and that's the problem.
Really, he's mostly just a political opportunist. The other side of the Trump coin.
— Mrk58 (@Mrk583) February 13, 2020
In the past, Bernie has called for the nationalization of banks, utilities, oil companies, and our health care system. Shut up.
— CrystalBull (@CrystalBull) February 13, 2020
Verbatim, from Bernie's website: pic.twitter.com/ycq7wWfLuT
— Matt ?? (@Xenos_on_ice) February 13, 2020
If you can’t beat him, normalize him. And so it begins … https://t.co/bexJ6jprP4
— Gerry Callahan (@GerryCallahan) February 13, 2020
Here comes the effort to scrub Bernie's image… https://t.co/gzxyeKsQeC
— Mike LaChance (@MikeLaChance33) February 13, 2020
whatever words make you comfortable voting for him i guess
— Poacher/Egghunter (@ewmda) February 13, 2020
Day drinking is awesome.
— Gary S. Willie (@GarySWillie) February 13, 2020
This is the same guy who said in 1998: "By 2005, it will become clear that the Internet’s impact on the economy has been no greater than the fax machine’s" https://t.co/BaeRf1iViR
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) February 13, 2020
Paul Krugman isn't a journalist
— DebtRevolution.org ??⏳ (@elijcampbell) February 13, 2020
#PaulKrugman is a clown propagandist.
— Mr CAH (@cahtx01) February 13, 2020
When Krugman plagiarizes Jennifer Rubin. https://t.co/SUPtxCBppM
— Adam J. Lowy (@AdamJLowy) February 13, 2020
so many clowns make a living writing stuff like this https://t.co/yhYvL10uq8
— Jason Howerton (@jason_howerton) February 13, 2020
Paul’s never right. https://t.co/qRThZS73Nm
— Paul W Drake (@PaulWDrake) February 13, 2020
Stop. Please, just stop.
— Cincheetah (@Cincheetah) February 13, 2020
Just don’t try telling us Sanders is a capitalist — not with surrogates like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez campaigning for him.
Related:
Self-own: Young Turks contributor tells culinary union to relax: Medicare for All probably won’t pass Senate anyway https://t.co/Z5GScQv9gY
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 13, 2020
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