Bernie = Socialist = Communist = Democrat = Evil

[Cyrano]

Now that Fox "news has a "dyed in the wool socialist" to kick around, they're going to have a field day. And of course, it will all be tied into one big lie about how the Democratic Party is, and always has been, a bunch of "Commies."

So what else is new? Conservatives have always viewed us as "commies" and now Bernie's candidacy confirms their world view.

I guess the important question is, "How many suckers can they get to buy their propaganda?" My guess would be, a lot.

[peacebird]

1. Your concern is duly noted

[Cheese Sandwich]

2. Socialism is actually awesome and America needs a socialism now more than ever.

That's my take on it.

[hifiguy]

18. You got that right.

Democratic socialism - think the Scandinavian model - is the only sane system of government in the world as it is today.

[Enrique]

3. the fact that they have been calling Obama a socialist

and now Obama the socialist is halfway through his second term, makes the socialist attack a bit less effective

[brooklynite]

16. ...unless you have a candidate who calls HIMSELF a Socialist...

[Thinkingabout]

26. Agreed, don't complain about being called a socialists if you call yourself socialists.

Had one post today saying the new liberal is far left and Hillary is a centrist. I am liberal for a long time, don't plan to change, now they can come up with a new name.

[daleanime]

27. Just means he's ready to deal with it....

it helps that the word has been over, and incorrectly, used.

[cilla4progress]

4. I am hopeful for

a vigorous and healthy debate!

Maybe some folks will actually be educated.

Are the socialist Scandanavian countries for one (help me out, please, those in the know) some of the healthiest, happiest countries and economies in the west? Social democracies - yes? (Despite high suicide rates?)

[Motown_Johnny]

5. Good, lets attack that argument head on.

We have been treating "Socialist" as if it were the plague for far to long. Most people do not even understand the meaning of the word.

The idiots addicted to FAUX are never going to vote for a (D) anyways. Screw 'em.

[99th_Monkey]

7. +100 my sentiments exactly nt

[marym625]

6. I keep saying this

The socialist party grew more than it had in decades when younger voters learned about it. That happened in 2008 when then Senator Obama was being called a socialist by the right wing.

Be not afraid

[daleanime]

28. Come over to the darkside....

we have cookies.

You have to wonder, do they really think that they can kept people scared forever?

[marym625]

31. LMAO!

The dark side.

[world wide wally]

8. They will get exactly 34% of people to buy into this bullshit. Just like they would get 34% to

believe that Hannity once won the Miss America Contest

[malthaussen]

12. Ah, another student of the polls, I see.

It is amazing how consistently 1/3 of all poll respondents are batshit crazy, whatever the subject. I just hope it is the same 1/3!

-- Mal

[world wide wally]

21. Want to know what's funny about that?

I live in ultra-red Colorado Springs (El Paso County, Co.) where we have exactly 1 non Republican elected official ( I am happy to say he is from the district where I live… thank goodness!). But we lose every election by about 67-33 in this county. Talk about backward!
In other words…. we are that 1/3 on the fringe… dammmit!

[Joe Turner]

9. The democrats need to make "Conservative" a dirty word

Link conservatives to fascism and middle class destroying corporate oligarchies. As things are in this country many will intuitively know it's true. In this case you either fight fire with fire or get scorched.

[Cyrano]

10. Unfortunately, you need a vast media machine

to turn "Conservative" into a dirty word. And we ain't got it.

[appalachiablue]

17. That's the truth, uncomfortably so as this country is moving toward discernible signs of

fascism- ultraconservatism; corporate and government convergence; extreme militarism; authoritarianism; economic and elite dominance; devalued intellectualism, critical teaching of history and science; declining middle class; loss of civil and human rights; police brutality; intolerance and attacks on minorities, and more..

Why aren't conservatives being called out on this when they've been adamant about anything to the left of neoliberal corporatism being commie red socialism? Need to work on this.

[IDemo]

22. They're not truly conservative; they aren't the 'Party of Lincoln'; and they're anything but grand

Nonetheless, they and the media will cheerfully yammer these words about the repubs until the sun turns cold.

[Starry Messenger]

11. Socialism is awesome.

The challenge will be will liberal spokespeople embrace the term and discuss it honestly and what it can do for the US?

Or will they waffle around how they really love capitalism and just think it needs a few tweaks and they are nothing like those dirty Reds, so the right wing won't be mean to them?

[cyberswede]

13. The RW calls every Dem a socialist...

They can't really attack Bernie as a REAL socialist without admitting that everyone else they'be been calling socialists never were.

And anyone who swallows that RW bullshit would never vote for the Democrat anyway.

Bernie's message will resonate with a lot of people.

[Warpy]

14. There are a lot of suckers out there

but perhaps not as many as there were a few years ago.

Oh, I'll vote for Sanders in the primary, it's the only way to let the party know we're not all DLC conservatives. I'll vote for whomever is the party's nominee in November.

Whoever gets in will be limited by a Congress full of bought men and conservatives and I don't expect anything to change until the Next Big Crash.

There will be one, of course, since the Clown Congresses Obama has been stuck with have refused to do anything to prevent it.

[nationalize the fed]

15. Some people are going to be very surprised

shocked, even- with where support for Bernie comes from

For example, a poster at a Ron Paul site:

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders to run for president
Posted By JD on Tue, 04/28/2015

ajnock replied on Wed, 04/29/2015

Offered a choice between two socialists who favor the war on terror, the TPP, and surveillance without warrant (Hillary and Jeb), on one hand, and, on the other, a socialist who opposes these three institutions (Bernie Sanders), many conservatives and libertarians will not only vote for Mr. Sanders, but will join his Democratic Party primary campaign.
http://popularliberty.com/comment/9308#comment-9308

Sanders is going to stir it up! Bring on the Debates!

Volunteer to help Bernie:
https://berniesanders.com/volunteer/

[Maedhros]

19. I saw this posted as a comment to a post about Bernie by a Facebook friend:

I'm not much for socialism. Bernie Sanders gets a pass with me. He's one of the very few politicians that is honest. though we may not see eye to eye on some issues I have a great deal of respect for this man.

I don't think the "Socialist" bogey man scares people like it once did.

[Cyrano]

20. Fox, Limbaugh, et. al will

conjure up the most terrifying "Socialist" bogey man possible. It will be a "bogey man" who rapes nuns and eats babies. They haven't even gotten started yet.

Bernie Sanders is one of the most decent politicians (and human beings) around these days. And the wingnuts are going to do anything and everything to turn him into a "Stalin-like" piece of evil. And the damn thing is, they own the media and we don't. They might just succeed.

[IDemo]

23. They will have Bernie = Che Guevara among their credulous listeners n/t

[yuiyoshida]

24. I would rather be a freaking

"commie" than a "Nazi" any day of the week. Fox news! go dunk your head!

[daredtowork]

25. Commies are so 20th century

haven't we clocked out of that kneejerk label yet?

[Vincardog]

29. Please Cyrano if we worried what FAUX SnewZ said we could not sleep at night.

[cascadiance]

30. The Stalinist Koch Brothers will make sure of this!!

We should let the corporatist candidate followers know that the Koch brothers have more documented ties to Joseph Stalin than Bernie Sanders does! Maybe THEY should be called commies!