Democratic Socialism Is Surging In The Age Of Trump

[Snellius]

Source: TPM

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Last Friday, Maine Democrat Zak Ringelstein wasn’t ready to consider himself a formal member of the Democratic Socialists of America, even if he appreciated the organization’s values and endorsement in his bid to become a United States senator.

Three days later, he told The Associated Press that was ready to become the only major-party Senate candidate in the nation to be a dues-paying democratic socialist.
...
There is little distinction made between the terms “democratic socialism” and “socialism” in the group’s literature. While Ringelstein and other DSA-backed candidates promote a “big-tent” philosophy, the DSA constitution describes their members as socialists who “reject an economic order based on private profit” and “share a vision of a humane social order based on popular control of resources and production, economic planning, equitable distribution, feminism, racial equality and non-oppressive relationships.”
...
“I don’t like the term socialist, because people do associate that with bad things in history,” said Kansas congressional candidate James Thompson, who is endorsed by the DSA and campaigned alongside Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, but is not a dues-paying democratic socialist. “There’s definitely a lot of their policies that closely align with mine.”

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/democratic-socialism-surging-age-trump

[beachbum bob]

1. No evidence of surging...democrats are a big tent party and what works

In liberal New York congressional districts won't work in Missouri or Illinois....each area has its own needs and outlooks. There are a few policies almost all democrats would totally support...but we will never all support 100% liberal policies. So messaging must be tailored to those listening.

[KPN]

2. If dues-paying party members call each other "comrade", this isn't going to go well.

"Comrade" is a pejorative for virtually everyone who came of age during the cold war. Pretty dumb imo.

[murielm99]

3. This is not what I am seeing.

The writer needs to get out into the the precincts in the Midwest. People hear the word "socialism" and they don't like it. They don't know and don't care about the difference between democratic socialism and socialism.

[Power 2 the People]

5. True

It needs to be explained more. It is New Deal Democracy. Leave the products of consumerism to the private sector and the necessities of life to the people.

[Snellius]

6. It is odd though that people can be so turned off by just the power of the word

Especially when they agree with so much it stands for. It's too bad so many Americans bought into the big business, anti-Communist propaganda after the war, which lumped Totalitarianism, Communism, Stalinism, Maoism with Socialism which had taken over most other Western democracies. Even here. Any one who promotes those goals will be labelled a "socialist" whether they call themselves that or not. So hiding from the use of the word will not help without attacking those reactionary associations and redefining it in a new context.

[kimbutgar]

4. How about bring a FDR Democrat?

I like that better than the using socialist which the right has maligned as evil communism.