DEMOCRATS NOW THE SOCIALIST PARTY

BY STEVEN HAYWARD IN DEMOCRATS, SOCIALISM

Not that many readers here need to be persuaded that Democrats are deep down in their hearts socialists, but it is nice to see the folks at Gallup release solid new survey evidence for this fact:

Democrats More Positive About Socialism Than Capitalism

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For the first time in Gallup’s measurement over the past decade, Democrats have a more positive image of socialism than they do of capitalism. Attitudes toward socialism among Democrats have not changed materially since 2010, with 57% today having a positive view. The major change among Democrats has been a less upbeat attitude toward capitalism, dropping to 47% positive this year — lower than in any of the three previous measures. Republicans remain much more positive about capitalism than about socialism, with little sustained change in their views of either since 2010.

Needless to say, it is “millennials” and other young demographic cohorts that fare the worst:

Fewer Than Half of Young Americans View Capitalism Positively

Americans aged 18 to 29 are as positive about socialism (51%) as they are about capitalism (45%). This represents a 12-point decline in young adults’ positive views of capitalism in just the past two years and a marked shift since 2010, when 68% viewed it positively. Meanwhile, young people’s views of socialism have fluctuated somewhat from year to year, but the 51% with a positive view today is the same as in 2010.

Older Americans have been consistently more positive about capitalism than socialism. For those 50 and older, twice as many currently have a positive view of capitalism as of socialism.

That’s because older Americans are, by definition, old enough to recall socialism and socialist-lite economic policy (like Britain in the 1970s) first hand. Someone needs to invent a time machine so we can send young people back to see it first hand for themselves. (Or maybe just give them one-way visas to Venezuela today).

Speaking of time machines, this tweet from 2015, recently resurfaced on social media, will make heads explode for weeks:

Heh. I checked, and this Pax Dickinson fellow has had his account suspended on Twitter.

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/08/democrats-now-the-socialist-party.php