No, I am not going to explain what that is, because like most left or left leaning political groups/concepts/ideologies it is a complex beast over which blue types will wrangle for, oh, ever. Rather, I will argue why in the richest country in the world, we can do better and be better – doing more for families and individuals, providing universal health care including dental, optical, and reproductive but also universal childcare, a basic income, and generous social support food, housing and other programs with few if no fcking goddamned hoops for the poor and disabled or disadvantaged to jump through, hoops designed to humiliate and discourage those who need assistance for a wide variety of reasons from getting that help.
At some point in all of our lives we will need help. We may need help. To deny it to anyone is wrong. If I were a believer I would say it’s a sin. It is a sin to ignore the pain and suffering of others, as it is a sin to hoard money or good or opportunity (the real affirmative action is legacy admissions, y’all) when others – any others – all others – have not.
Remember this, from Harry Truman, in 1952, as the ‘he’s a socialist’ attacks continue against NYC’s Mayor-elect Mamdani: Socialism is a scare word they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is what they called public power. Socialism is what they called social security. Socialism is what they called farm price supports. Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance. Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
Work repeating: Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.
It really shouldn’t be that hard. But. Here we are, with an easily manipulated, slim majority of people willing to deny themselves good things just sos those fcking illegals or the lazy, indolent poor (the underserving poor, not them, they’re the deserving, honest poor), or GAWD FORBID Black, Bi-racial, Latino, Queer, Trans or any other subset of humans among the minority of us don’t get any.
When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn.
Republicans approve of the American farmer, but they are willing to help him go broke. They stand four-square for the American home–but not for housing. They are strong for labor–but they are stronger for restricting labor’s rights. They favor minimum wage–the smaller the minimum wage the better. They endorse educational opportunity for all-
but they won’t spend money for teachers or for schools. They think modern medical care and hospitals are fine–for people who can afford them. They consider electrical power a great blessing–but only when the private power companies get their rake-off. They
think American standard of living is a fine thing–so long as it doesn’t spread to
all the people. And they admire of Government of the United States so much that they would like to buy it.
I would only add that Republicans in the quote above – also from President Truman – could be substituted with ‘Rich people’…
For a real rundown on the history and more re: American style Democratic Socialism, here’s the wiki link. It’s well worth a read… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Socialists_of_America