Republicans love throwing labels around, especially ones they can’t accurately define or understand. Tea bagging is just their latest word gaffe, but socialism is the one that promises to cause them the most trouble. For months they’ve been screaming Obama is a socialist, and where has that gotten them? Well, given the fact that most people approve of Obama, it’s breathed new life into a word that had been ignored for decades. In essence, Republicans are the ones responsible for socialism’s new and improved poll numbers.
Only 53% of American adults believe capitalism is better than socialism.
That’s a pretty amazing number. It becomes even more amazing when you look at the under 30 crowd.
Adults under 30 are essentially evenly divided: 37% prefer capitalism, 33% socialism, and 30% are undecided.
On some levels this generational divide is easy to understand. Those under 30 are facing obstacles their elder counterparts didn’t encounter. They are graduating college under a mountain of debt, are unable to find jobs, are no longer covered by their parents’ health insurance (and, yet, are forced, in many cases, to move back in with Mom and Dad), and are contemplating not only not being able to afford a home, but also being concerned with affording retirement. Is it any wonder this demographic doesn’t view socialism as evil?
Truth is, no one should view socialism as evil. Enter the Republicans, who have inadvertently (because I can’t believed they planned this) made socialism appealing. There are several reasons for this beyond the point I’ve made above. First, nobody believes Republicans anymore. They have lost credibilty, and even those citizens not entirely certain about Obama policies aren’t looking to Republicans for solutions. Which is a good thing, since the GOP doesn’t have any. Second, Republicans must find a new way to shape an argument that doesn’t include the phrase good and evil. Besides being ridiculously dishonest, it forces people to take sides on an issue they probably wouldn’t have considered had it not been shoved down their throats. The good and evil choice runs parallel to the guilty and not guilty verdict. And this is where reasonable doubt comes into play. Can a person who wants affordable healthcare view socialism as evil? Probably not, which might explain why the demonization of socialism isn’t working.
Actually, the only thing the demonization of socialism is working for is socialism… and all the credit for that goes to Republicans.