I don't think there can be a real push towards "socialism" (in the modern day ideals) until people can stop equating it with USSR or the like.
We look at countries, envy their ability to provide for their people, reduce the stress, impact, and strain just having a medical condition can have on a person or family. Or the way they are allowed the time research has proved is required to truly provide for our newborn children. But this is America, dammit, and we're not some commie country. You get what you earn. /s
They not only fear turning into those "damn dirty commies" but they fear the government taking away what they've worked so hard to get.
And yet, they want what they feel they deserve which is no where close to what can actually be provided.
Bernie Sanders is what we in Northern Europe call a classic Social-Democrat. Calling him a socialist would put him pretty far to the left on the political scale here in Norway. From what I've heard he's somewhere along the Norwegian Labour Party.
Yeah, what you need to keep in mind is that both US major parties have shifted so far to the right that anything kind of reasonable is automatically communism. A socialist by European standards would be the reincarnation of Stalin in the US.
Hopefully people will see past the labels and listen to Bernie's message. He's the only candidate I would vote for so far.
That's one reason why I'm so happy that Bernie is doing so well early on, because he's highlighting the fact that not only can he run as an unapologetic socialist but it gives him the opportunity to educate people about what socialism really is and how people have favored it all along even while rejecting the label. Even if he doesn't win the election this is an opportunity to rehabilitate the concept in the public domain, much like the word "liberal" is no longer a label to be ashamed of in American politics.
If he wins (and I hope to God he does, because I'm pouring my soul into his campaign) it's going to have massive implications on the world of the media. Major news networks and their pundits will realize they don't have near the power they used to. They'll either have to come to terms with the fact that they're just not as effective at brainwashing people and will have to make a shift toward better, more honest journalism, or they'll try harder than ever to spin the truth.
The internet has matured greatly over the last decade. Now that people can connect on a personal level and educate themselves relatively easily, they're starting to rely, like in the good ol' days, on each other for information and culture. Sites like reddit and Facebook and Twitter and Snapzu all let us cut the cord from the establishment media. We're going to have to keep a close eye on social media now, though, as that's going to become the establishment.
I too am excited to see him running. Unfortunately, I still see so much from even my generation (30y/o's) on my FB feed where they are just regurgitating older generations sentiments. ie: You can take gun when you pry it from my cold dead hands, or Obama destroyed the country for something that really happened in another administration. No one wants to actually look for truth, they're just willing to take whatever is said at face value and not question it. I'm worried that all is needed is someone to blast Sanders on social media with something about him being a communist sympathizer for a good portion of my generation to fall in line and start posting incorrect information regarding him.
I don't think there can be a real push towards "socialism" (in the modern day ideals) until people can stop equating it with USSR or the like.
We look at countries, envy their ability to provide for their people, reduce the stress, impact, and strain just having a medical condition can have on a person or family. Or the way they are allowed the time research has proved is required to truly provide for our newborn children. But this is America, dammit, and we're not some commie country. You get what you earn. /s
They not only fear turning into those "damn dirty commies" but they fear the government taking away what they've worked so hard to get.
And yet, they want what they feel they deserve which is no where close to what can actually be provided.
Bernie Sanders is what we in Northern Europe call a classic Social-Democrat. Calling him a socialist would put him pretty far to the left on the political scale here in Norway. From what I've heard he's somewhere along the Norwegian Labour Party.
Same for Austria. Bernie Sanders would fit nicely in our big Social Democratic Party of Austria, not nearly left enough for the Communist Party of Austria.
Americans, you can sleep safe tonight, Bernie Sanders is not going to bring you communism ;)
Yeah, what you need to keep in mind is that both US major parties have shifted so far to the right that anything kind of reasonable is automatically communism. A socialist by European standards would be the reincarnation of Stalin in the US.
Hopefully people will see past the labels and listen to Bernie's message. He's the only candidate I would vote for so far.
That's one reason why I'm so happy that Bernie is doing so well early on, because he's highlighting the fact that not only can he run as an unapologetic socialist but it gives him the opportunity to educate people about what socialism really is and how people have favored it all along even while rejecting the label. Even if he doesn't win the election this is an opportunity to rehabilitate the concept in the public domain, much like the word "liberal" is no longer a label to be ashamed of in American politics.
If he wins (and I hope to God he does, because I'm pouring my soul into his campaign) it's going to have massive implications on the world of the media. Major news networks and their pundits will realize they don't have near the power they used to. They'll either have to come to terms with the fact that they're just not as effective at brainwashing people and will have to make a shift toward better, more honest journalism, or they'll try harder than ever to spin the truth.
The internet has matured greatly over the last decade. Now that people can connect on a personal level and educate themselves relatively easily, they're starting to rely, like in the good ol' days, on each other for information and culture. Sites like reddit and Facebook and Twitter and Snapzu all let us cut the cord from the establishment media. We're going to have to keep a close eye on social media now, though, as that's going to become the establishment.
I too am excited to see him running. Unfortunately, I still see so much from even my generation (30y/o's) on my FB feed where they are just regurgitating older generations sentiments. ie: You can take gun when you pry it from my cold dead hands, or Obama destroyed the country for something that really happened in another administration. No one wants to actually look for truth, they're just willing to take whatever is said at face value and not question it. I'm worried that all is needed is someone to blast Sanders on social media with something about him being a communist sympathizer for a good portion of my generation to fall in line and start posting incorrect information regarding him.