Democratic Socialists? Democrats Not Half That Good

[marmar]

via CommonDreams:



Published on Tuesday, May 26, 2009 by The Free Press
Democratic Socialists? Democrats Not Half That Good

by Bob Fitrakis


The Republican National Committee recently dropped its resolution to brand the moderate pro-corporate Democratic Party “Socialists.” As the late, great Democratic Socialist leader Michael Harrington liked to tell it when he testified before a dying Senator Hubert Humphrey on the Humphrey-Hawkins Work Bill, that would theoretically guarantee every American a right to a job, Humphrey bluntly asked him “Is my bill socialism?” Harrington replied, “Senator, your bill’s not half that good.”

Here’s why the Democratic Party is also not half that good. Obama’s “Me too” bailout policy to the largest and most irresponsible banks and investment houses has nothing to do with socializing capital. Democratic Socialists believe in democratizing and socializing money matters. They favor credit unions and co-ops with democratically elected boards over large welfare checks to transnational corporations. In fact, there’s little difference between Obama’s approach to the big bankers and George W. Bush’s.

If the Democrats were European Democratic Socialists or Social Democrats, they would have never allowed 20% of all U.S. workers and 47 million people in the U.S. to live without health care. They would have at least called for a general strike to shut down the system until the injustice was stopped.

If you want to look at the history of democratic socialism as a barometer for that esteemed label in American history, let’s start with the legendary Eugene Victor Debs. Unlike the cowardly Democratic Party and its then-leaders – John Kerry and Hillary Clinton who both supported Bush’s illegal imperialist occupation of Iraq to remain politically viable as presidential candidates – Debs went to jail to oppose World War I. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/05/26-10

[Mythsaje]

1. I've begun defining myself as a "Social Democrat," a breed not

usually found in the United States.

[Dr.Phool]

2. I dropped the Democratic part.

I got tired of beating my head against a wall.

[Mythsaje]

3. I'm not a pure socialist. I believe in truth in advertising. n/t

[Wednesdays]

4. K&R

:kick:

[Chulanowa]

5. Americans have no idea what socialism is

They just know it's "bad"

Which is just how the right wants it. Ignorance and prejudice, hallmarks of the American right