Commentary
The misplaced fascination with socialism and the return of the “big tent” philosophy is red meat for conservative commentators, yet I’m being told to take it seriously. Yes, I’ve seen the polls reflecting that 34 percent of Democrats identify as “democratic socialists,” possibly imagining this is their answer to stopping President Trump and he MAGA movement, but it’s not going anywhere.
Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley A. Strassel seems to agree, writing that “socialism doesn’t sell in America – at least beyond a contingent of disillusioned young people.”
Commenting that the Democrat Party has been stuck in an anti-Trump loop, Strassel says many are not willing to offend its extremist leftist base, sitting silent instead of supporting the establishment.
Most establishment Democrats are struggling to justify their alliance with extremist candidates, but not all. Kamala Harris and Pete Buttigieg, both seen as possible 2028 presidential candidates, have not called for followers to vote for El-Sayed in Michigan, but they’re promising their faithful that they plan to pack the Supreme Court and kill the Electoral College
And many of them are following the radical Hasan Piker, who said America deserved 9/11, and those who do not support El-Sayed deserved to be punished.
Francesca Hong, the pathetic Democrat candidate for governor in Wisconsin is sold on socialism. We couldn’t wish for a better poster child for socialism. Appearing with Piker on a podcast she responded favorably to Piker’s rapid-fire questions saying she supports state run grocery stores, freeing Palestine, universal childcare, abolishing ICE, prisons and other radical positions. She answered similarly in an interview with Fox’s Dana Perino.
Again, I must disagree with Wall Street Journal columnist Peggy Noonan, despite her wordsmithing talent. She devoted much of her recent column – “Socialism Is Here – and It’s Serious”– to young voters, age 25 in particular.
She concluded her column with praise for Andre’ Malraux, who was culture minister to Charles de Gaulle, noting that he was “brilliant, compelling and a tricky fellow.”
She writes of Malraux putting his finger on a weakness in conservative economic thought, saying that “capitalism doesn’t carry us in its heart,” adding that by inference, it’s hard to carry capitalism in our heart. “It isn’t a great belief, only an economic system.”
Conversely, he writes, “socialism is a belief, and it summons feeling.”
Having read the DSA’s program, the only feeling I summoned was one of disbelief.
In my reading on capitalism, I recall becoming familiar with the writing of Frederich Hayek during a conservative coffee klatch during my residence in Texas. And, of course, Milton Friedman. Hayek had many beliefs in relation to economics, including the free market that allows for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship, necessary for society to bloom and citizens to prosper.
Unless the promise of capitalism versus the failures of socialism finds its way into social media platform discussion, it’s going to be difficult to reach the Tik Tok-hooked on free stuff.
May God bless the socialism-disillusioned Americans to come to their senses.
