Proof That America is a Socialist Country Now
By Thom Hartmann A...
For years, Republicans have said that America - at its core - is a center right country.
Well - they're wrong.
It turns out that America is about as far from being a center right nation as you can get - and now we have the numbers to prove it.
A recent poll from the Progressive Change Institute found that Americans overwhelmingly support Bernie Sanders-style democratic socialist policies.
As Bernie Sanders embarks on his tour of red state America with DNC chair Tom Perez, he does so as the most popular politician in the country.
According to a new Harvard-Harris survey, Bernie is viewed favorably by 57 percent of all Americans.
He is is overwhelmingly popular among all demographic groups - and is the only politician of the 16 surveyed by Harvard-Harris with a positive approval rating.
Bernie isn't popular because of his looks or because of his debonair charm -- he's popular because of his ideas.
So is America a socialist country?
Comments
#2
This aricle is nonsense. Americans that count, the halfwits that live in Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana, etc prefer the plutocracy we have. Only the second class citizens of the the large population areas want any type of social programs.
#3
It is true that a high percentage of USers like Sen. Sanders' ideas, but the more significant reason why some of us love Bernie is that he is trustworthy, honest, authenticate, and highly intelligent and wise, to boot.
#4
No one wants the US government to take over businesses (true socialism), but socialist health insurance - Medicare for all - is a great idea. Members of Congress and the military have it. It takes advantage of economies of scale with the largest possible risk pool, much better than having many insurance companies with multiple data and payout systems. It's working around the world, including countries with free market economies.
#5
Your system changed "authentic" in my message to "authenticate" -- NOT what I wrote. What program are you using that changes correct spellings to incorrect ones? Hope you'll get it changed. Thanks.
#6
america's problem is one of complacency. so long as there is money and food in the grocery store america will believe what it sees in the media. dems have done a poor job of educating the electorate ptherwise, and heck ya, bernie is right on. until we return to the tax code in place before ronald reagan took office there will not be a middle class and the rich will not pay their fare share.
#7
I suppose the answer to your question "So is America a Socialist Country?" depends on your definition of "America". If you define America as an abstract entity whose soul is derived from the views and desires of the people at large, you get one answer. If you define America as the financial and military behemoth controlled by a wealthy elite that has shown no reluctance to crush entire countries which dare stand in the way of its global dominance, you get an entirely different answer. My guess would be under the second defination, decisively not. Fascist (the polar opposite), absolutely.
#8
Yep, great idea, look at Venezuala and Cuba... Works well in small homogeneous populations - (Denmark, Switzeralnd, etc. 300 Million Identity Political Types.....for get it!!!
I agree that state by state changes might work over a 50 - 100 year period. Watch out for the dollar collapse and the Yun and Ruble to be the next fiat currency.....
I will be gone but good luck to the rest of you....sorry for the cynical rant...USA was a great place to grow up in 1950!!
Flying Out ....
#9
I'd have to say that no, we are not a Socialist country. We are not even a representive Democracy, actually. With the Electoral College, one vote, one voice, does not get represented. We have had 5 elections when the "winner" did not receive the majority of votes. And the last two times have given us horrible Presidents, in my opinion.
That said, the anti-Communism and anti-Socialism propaganda from the 20's has endured to this day. I truly believe most people couldn't even define Socialism...all they know is that it is "Bad". I disagree. Completely. It does serve the Common Good far more effectively than our profit-driven Capitalism, which is immoral to the core. "The love of money is the root of all evil" and I believe the US qualifies to be the Poster Child for that Biblical quote.
The fact that so many were overwhelmingly in support of Bernie was that, despite outcries from some that he was a "Socialist!", Bernie is a Social Democrat. The programs he supported were for the Common Good, raising taxes on the wealthy to help fund them was more than fair and correct. They are so wealthy, higher taxes would not dent their lifestyles. In fact, they were still wealthy back in the 50's when their tax rate was above 90% (granted, they didn't pay that because of allowable deductions, but still....). People recognized the benefit of his proposals and the fact that he was not part of the establishment (and Trump maintained that he wasn't either...hence, his popularity). Had Bernie gotten the nomination, Trump would not have won. And sadly, the DNC had a big part in his not getting it. The public voted for the anti-establshment candidate, and he is proving to be horrible. He drained the swamp right into the White House. He has no political acumen and is now a puppet for the crude and ruthless Establishment. God help us. I wish our propagandized population would wake up....with MSM, that seems unlikely. Even the 4th Estate is in bed with the dogs.
Long live Independent Journalism. Thank you, Thom, keep up the good work.
#10
If anyone knows what "socialism" is, they know the US is not that, & never will be. What we all like about Bernie is that he's the kind of guy who helps his neighbor when he's in need. He's a good guy, what we all should be, helping each other instead of helping ourselves at everyone elses' expense. That's not socialism, that's Christianity.
#11
Just another example of the GOP Playbook: repeat a lie enough times and people start to believe it. Another one is that Hillary lies, or Hillary is a crook, and Obamacare failed and is in freefall, or they need to save Social Security from collapse... The list is almost endless. What I fail to understand is the number of lemmings that believe this crap!
#12
Best practice (especially on a cell): proofread before save or send.
#13
The will of the people is certainly one of democratic socialism....but of course thanks to right-wing propaganda, election frauds, and big money fascism, we're currently more of a pre Magna Carta style economy.....one that's about to collaspe. Reaganomics has the middle class ever shrinking.
The thing about Bernie is, he's just doing his job representing the will of the people. Bernie is "one of a select number chosen from a whole body of citizens who are supposed to have the same concerns at stake which those have who appointed them, and who will act in the same manner as the whole body would were they present." Thomas Paine, Common Sense.
Paul Ryan, Mitch McConnell, Trump, the Teapublican Party public servants, etc. represent only the interests of themselves and the Fascists, which is Fascism.......in the great ole USA.
BTW: Korea is a distraction, no money to be made there...Iran is the object of desire. Trump will make a huge mistake...we all will pay.
#14
I find it interesting that the word Socialist keeps being thrown out there when Bernie Sanders name is mentioned. He certainly IS NOT a socialist, he does promote Social Democracy as used in the five Nordic countries, which by the way continue to have the highest standard of living for their citizens. Why would anyone not want that?
#15
I agree, a single payer system where all citizens are covered the cost of health care is spread over a larger base and lower costs would be the result.
#16
If any man woman or child living in America professes to be a CHRISTIAN and truly lives by the words of Jesus Christ, simply put, then they are Socialist. If you live and conduct your activities by the intent of the Golden Rule, you are a Socialist. If you join together with a few or many others to complete a worthy cause benefitting the group, large or small, then you are a Socialist. What is it that a nation of prefessing Christians do not understand. Especially when our overwhelming conduct as a nation, as an electorate, in our greater "informed wisdom", elect representatives to govern on our behalf who collectively do just the opposite by expousing the horible fear of Socialism. Turn cable news off and think for a change and go take a serious look in the mirror.
#17
LSchelin has it right. Bernie Sanders has it right. He is expressing the need for America to live up to the words of the Preamble of our Constitution, largely based on the doctrine that came from the French Revolution, of Equality, justice and Fraternity.
#18
Further, I imagine the the large majority of all those good folks we allow the Mercers, Devos' and Koch brothers to elect of our houses of Congress to manage the peoples government would scream blood-murder if they were called anything but Christian. It has become a very strange world.
#19
Everyone is a socialist until they get the tax bill. Obamacare is a perfect example. Healthcare for everyone, until their care cost doubled to subsidize others. Look at the unions, they where all for national healthcare until they received less and payed more to cover others
I do love Bernie though, he has been living off of tax payers all his life and has not delivered anything he is preaching. The only American that has benefited from Bernie is Bernie.
#20
I had a friend for 13 years who was a devout Tea Party Republican. Although she espoused all of the Far Right rhetoric and eventually succumbed to sabotaging our friendship in the name of party loyalty, I found it humerous that when asked about certain things couched in non-political red-flag terms, she supported socialist ideas like minimum wage, Social Security, and an economy that supports jobs for working people.
One example that I found particularly amusing was when she was loudly decrying any government and calling for the shrinking of, and ultimately the dismantling of our government altogether, the then president sent out checks to all US citizens. I told her if she truly meant what she was saying about government then she would have no qualms returning the check in protest. LOL! She beligerantly told me she couldn't return it because she had already cashed and spent it!
I think as human beings we all have a sense for survival and want to better our lives. I think as human beings some people get derailed by situations or familial relationships that force them to accept the unacceptable. So, we have people who are basically socialistic but because their parents have jobs that require allegiance to corporate or Republican values, they must conform; which makes their attitudes and behaviors quite convoluted and often antithetical at times.
When we have had good times in this country, under the tenets of FDR, most of the people were happy and enjoying life. Everyone made money; including the corporations; just not "obscene" amounts of money; enough to change the sociogram of our society. But under fascism and corporate rule, we get to see people in the streets, unhappy and marching in protest. Just this simple example says it all. FDR = happy or content. Corporate domination and rule = marching in the streets in protest.
Because the media is owned, and because the 1% has made being rich the ideal value, no matter what you have to do to achieve it (which is why we see so much corruption from our politicians to those who run these mega corporations) people have been brainwashed into believing center-right values are good for the whole; the majority, when the exact opposite is the truth. Given enough oppression, and I believe people would/will adjust to more socialistic values... if they want to survive, because center-right values are not sustainable; such values kill off everything that makes life livable for the most, while enriching only a few excessively. And the interesting thing is that those who become excessively rich never use the money for good; they only ever get more and more deeply mired in corrpution and evil behavior and doings. (So, I don't think it makes them truly happy in the end.)
#21
WRONG!
#22
Roads, Libraries, Police, Fire Department, Airports, most infrastructure, public schools all socialistic. My electricity comes from a coop. A very socialistic organization and it is great. With the unregulated capitalism that we have, we are paying CEO's ridiculous amounts of money and pay high prices for everything because of it.
#23
You forgot your snark tag?
#24
What areas in America are "strongly resistant"?
And to what?
Thanks.
#25
Hello "Kend"
Could we discuss your committed suport for Corporate Socialism in it's many forms?
Let's debate it.
I can prove you are a Corporate Socialism supporter, simply by asking you a couple direct yes/ no questions.
You ready?
#26
GOP/Trump supporters.
Will you ever consider your support for Corporate Socialisim in a debate?
Challenge issued.
Thanks.
#27
A fun article Thom, but America is far from being a "socialist" nation. I know it. You know it. Just because Bernie is generally "popular" doesn't mean a great deal. People thought that the "Wicked Witch of the West Wing", Hillary Clinton, was "popular" too. Turned out not to be case. Of course, it could be her corrupt activities, acts of treason, and level of greed which would have choked Midas that made the difference. If Bernie was indeed truly popular (and, yes, I actually like the guy too), he would have at least won the nomination, but, alas, that was pretty blantenly rigged. As for America, we are an Oligarchy. You've said it repeatedly yourself. They own both corporate parties. Hell, they own the very political process! They own the media (aka propaganda division), the banks and financial institutions, not to mention controlling the Federal Reserve. They control the government which acts like their private gophers. The military is there enforcers, which saddens me to end to say since men and women are killed or disabled (as am I) in the name of their need for control. And we are no better than economic serfs. No, Thom. We aren't "socialist". We are necessary cogs in someone else's machine.
#28
Not timely, but -- Note that today's Democrats and liberals oppose democratic socialism, as it includes a legitimate welfare system. Some 20 years into our war on the poor, when was the last time you heard liberals call for restoring the basic human rights (UN's UDHR) of food and shelter to our very poor?
Thom's Blog Is On the Move
By webmaster
Hello All
Thom's blog in this space and moving to a new home.
Please follow us across to hartmannreport.com - this will be the only place going forward to read Thom's blog posts and articles.
Images of Thom
At Mondragon - both the mountain and the cooperative city - in Spain (written about in "Threshold" book)
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Right through the worst of the Bush years and into the present, Thom Hartmann has been one of the very few voices constantly willing to tell the truth. Rank him up there with Jon Stewart, Bill Moyers, and Paul Krugman for having the sheer persistent courage of his convictions."
From Cracking the Code:
"In Cracking the Code, Thom Hartmann, America’s most popular, informed, and articulate progressive talk show host and political analyst, tells us what makes humans vulnerable to unscrupulous propagandists and what we can do about it. It is essential reading for all Americans who are fed up with right-wing extremists manipulating our minds and politics to promote agendas contrary to our core values and interests."
From The Thom Hartmann Reader:
"Through compelling personal stories, Hartmann presents a dramatic and deeply disturbing picture of humans as a profoundly troubled species. Hope lies in his inspiring vision of our enormous unrealized potential and his description of the path to its realization."
ideas are one thing and implementing institutions is another.
Hope the activists focus on a state by state approach rather than
forcing the ideas on certain areas of of the US strongly resistant to them.
ct