The primary win for Democrat socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has energized progressives, and CNN and Slate are among those examining why socialism seems to be trendy among some younger voters:
For many cash-strapped millennials, socialism isn't radical — it's a way to fix a system they believe failed them https://t.co/fCSoTbes8P
— CNN (@CNN) June 29, 2018
Why young Democrats are so open to socialism: https://t.co/aluFyvLtR5 pic.twitter.com/jA69vu8rzu
— Slate (@Slate) June 29, 2018
Anybody want to help out? Fortunately there was no shortage of reality checks:
They aren't taught the truth about socialism in schools, regardless of its variants. 100M+ casualties across the globe comprising all races, genders, socio-economic statuses, religions, etc.
— Granddaughter of a gulag survivor & daughter of Lithuanian immigrants https://t.co/7c0tzgjFTA
— Gabriella Hoffman (@Gabby_Hoffman) June 29, 2018
Because they don't *actually* understand it or its ramifications. And, despite their soaring costs, colleges just aren't the educational institutions they used to be…
h/t @SouthernKeeks https://t.co/nuoCrmO6uj— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) June 29, 2018
They don’t live in Venezuela? https://t.co/eaJHrBlKCX
— Kimberly Ross (@SouthernKeeks) June 29, 2018
Big government is the CAUSE of the broken system, not the solution to it. https://t.co/M2fxxc0xZ8
— Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) June 29, 2018
Because they are willfully ignorant of the horrors of true socialism? https://t.co/Vh9yJkDzKy
— Pradheep J. Shanker, M.D., M.S. (@Neoavatara) June 29, 2018
Would guess it has something to do with not living in Venezuela. https://t.co/LHP2TQZ2xy
— Brandon Howell (@BrandonDHowell) June 29, 2018
People in socialist countries are eating zoo animals right now https://t.co/k8OC9bshIN
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) June 29, 2018
When has socialism ever worked? Oh thats right, it never has. https://t.co/t4TCj8JfQK
— Anthony Belfiori (@Belf2512) June 29, 2018
There's a strong subtext of arrogance in the promotion of socialism/communism, i.e., "it can't happen here", "we're smarter than that", "they just did it wrong."
There's a continued assumption that the hundred million lives claimed by Marx and his acolytes was simply a mistake. https://t.co/Du19gPqcCj
— Joel Kurtinitis (@Joel_Kurtinitis) June 29, 2018
The primary reason: our public education system. End it. End it today. End it right now. https://t.co/5dK7pkDLHx
— Ken Gardner (@KenGardner11) June 29, 2018
https://twitter.com/AdamBaldwin/status/1012708588530200578
100 million dead in the 20th century because of Socialism would like a word with them. https://t.co/SwsI0xAWWL
— Phineas Fahrquar (@irishspy) June 29, 2018
Alternate headline: Live within your means, dummies. https://t.co/imrPfmg70v
— Jason Heard (@jheard15) June 29, 2018
Tell that to everyone suffering in Venezuela.. https://t.co/5xJaX6losZ
— Lexi?????? (@menendez_lexi) June 29, 2018
Yeah, who could have predicted that a gender studies degree was worthless? https://t.co/IAwClHpxAP
— Get off my lawn! (@slaebt) June 29, 2018
Maybe figure out what choices left you cash strapped? Hint: It isn't the system's fault. https://t.co/BucWbN5IUy
— Franklin & Friends (@FranklinsRule) June 29, 2018
The system didn't fail them. They failed.
And Socialism fixes nothing. https://t.co/xdBJ2VnkMT
— Eric Spencer (@JustEric) June 29, 2018
One final point, via Carol Roth:
Speaking of #socialism, a friendly reminder that the US already spends MORE money on social assistance programs per capita than socialist Canada (Chart via @FiveThirtyEight) pic.twitter.com/7SOi01bdv9
— Carol Roth (@caroljsroth) June 29, 2018
This has been reality check gold — the figurative, non-materialistic kind.