Bernie Sanders Explains Why "Socialist" Isn't a Dirty Word - Late Night with Seth Meyers

[Quixote1818]

This was posted several weeks ago but only in the Bernie Sanders group.

[cpwm17]

1. Good job. n/t

[daleanime]

2. K&R.....

[azmom]

3. This should travel far and wide

[SunSeeker]

4. Socialism can mean two very different things, and he needs to make that clear.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, "socialism" means "A political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole."
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/socialism

That "or" in "owned or regulated" allows for far ranging models, from just a few publicly owned utilities and mild regulation of everything else, to full public ownership of all capital. It is basically a continuum from unfettered capitalism at one end to strict communism at the other. Indeed, the Oxford English Dictionary definition notes that socialism is also &quot In Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of communism."

We already have the "regulated by the community" type of socialism, and always had it. We just need to strengthen it and make it more robust to better serve the people, like it does in the Scandinavian countries. That is what he is talking about, not communism. I don't think most Americans know the difference.

[Joe Chi Minh]

6. Don't be pedantic. You wouldn't want to confuse the issue, would you? Everyone

knows the common meaning of Socialism is not Communism - it's just 'leftie', 'pinko'. Is that all right with you?

The idea that you already have Socialism in the 'leftie', pinko', One Nation, sense is beyond risible. Throwing a few raggedy bones doesn't Socialism make; or even socialism.

Both your political parties are to the right of Genghis Khan by European standards, and unfortunately Dave and Ozzie the Gang Master will be doing their best to continue corporatizing the UK, but they've some way to go yet before achieving the ultimate desiderata of the late Jungle-Jurist, La Thatcher, aka Baroness Lady Cardboard, Ronnie's kindred spirit.

[SunSeeker]

7. I'm not being "pedantic." I'm recognizing reality in the US.

Maybe in the UK everyone knows the difference between socialism and communism, but in the US, people think the terms are interchangeable and that both mean government owns everything. That is why socialism is a "dirty word" in the US.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. This was an excellent interview, explained where he stands simply and clearly

Seth Myers had obviously done his homework.