Socialism Revolt

If you remember the Red Scare or whatever else it was known as in the U.S. back in the 50's 60's and basically until the early 90's, people cringed at the word socialism or communism. While those two are obviously different in ways, they brought upon the same connotations. Why? Well, in many countries it was indistinguishable. Socialism came to encompass so many meanings that Western and free countries adopted socialism, while communist countries touted "socialist policies". Even today we see that. And now, we're seeing that in America, and that has rocked politics to its core as there are splits between the two major parties and within the Democratic party. People are calling this a 'Liberal Revolt'.
 
Ever since Bernie Sanders ran in 2016 for president, he has brought on the term "Democratic Socialist", which followers have embraced. And now, with a new wave of democratic representatives, many are pursuing this categorization. In fact, representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rhasida Tlaib actually belong to the Democratic Socialists of America. With the House being undertaken by Democrats, along with the more seasoned and moderate Democrats comes this wave of extreme leftists who even most Democrats hesitate at.
 
So if the left is in this mess right now, you can imagine how the right feels. The right is also going crazy about this and is now worrying about what would happen should those Democratic Socialists gain an even more significant foothold. Right now, people are diverting their attention to this because it is a sudden wave a many new representatives, mostly women and of minority background, that are making a big name for themselves. People seem to love Ocasio-Cortez because she uses social media to her advantage and is able to reach out to millennials, Gen Z, and others. These is the bubble of enthusiasm and support that could also be very dangerous.
 
See the source imageThese newly-elected representatives are smart and hardworking people. they worked hard and crossed so many barriers to get to where they are at. But that doesn't mean that their policies are always the best. No doubt America has and has had socialist policies, and I mean look at Roosevelt in the 30's. These newcomers are pushing for a new "Green New Deal", a revised healthcare plan, and new wage systems that would severely impact the economy. You think Trump's trade war is impactful enough and getting so much attack rom people like the media? Well, let's just say that while some of these policies are indeed good, the way that they want to push them out is not the best. It could have disastrous effects that many citizens will shed a blind eye to because they are riding that "newcomer and underdog" wave. They are indeed underdogs and can be dangerous.
 
Let's talk about the "Green New Deal". This pushed the government into every single household and mandates homes meet the expectations of the bill, which will cost trillions. Then there is the banning of fossil fuels within 10 years. That's just not going to work. These are not the best positions to take because if that happens, you please your supporters but alienate a significant amount of voters. If it doesn't happen, you alienate your supporters and don't exactly please your opponents. This is the same issue with Trump and his wall if that elucidates matters.
 
Just like many warned about Trump being an underdog who may end up disastrous, we should also take a step back and think, just think realistically. This isn't to say that these newcomers are "evil and stupid and whatever", but it's just to say that we should really think for ourselves before being drawn in by others who may think differently. The amount of scrutiny we should shed on these newcomers should be the same that we apply to anyone.
 
So is socialism the answer for America? No. That's just not going to work out. Capitalism with its faults is still the backbone for this country. That's what led to so much innovation. Now of course, socialism has existed in America simultaneously, but toppling this balance will lead to a stagnation for America. Having a welfare state may seem good at first, but could evolve into something like China in the 50's - 80's where there was stagnated growth. Or, you may end up like Sweden, except that they were really founded on such principles and have a population of less than 10 million. To put that in perspective, New York City literally almost has the same number of people as in Sweden.
 
Now we can get into a debate, but this is to shed some light on this issue. We should embrace new ideas, but not be infatuated with them if that makes sense. We'll see how this 'Liberal Revolt' rolls out.
 

Comments

Post a Comment