Mitch McConnell's curious definition of 'full-bore socialism'

[applegrove]

Mitch McConnell’s curious definition of ‘full-bore socialism’

MSNBC

By Steve Benen

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/mitch-mcconnells-curious-definition-full-bore-socialism

"SNIP......


In March, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) condemned the House Democrats’ voting-rights legislation – the “For the People Act” (H.R. 1) – as a “half-baked socialist proposal.” That didn’t make any sense, since there’s nothing socialistic about ideas such as ending partisan gerrymandering and creating a system of automatic voter registration, but the GOP leader didn’t much care.

A few days ago, McConnell appeared on Fox News and made a similar pitch on a similar issue to Laura Ingraham.

“They plan to make the District of Columbia a state, that’d give them two new Democratic senators. Puerto Rico a state, that’d give them two more new Democratic senators. And as a former Supreme Court clerk yourself, you’ve surely noticed that they plan to expand the Supreme Court.

“So this is full-bore socialism on the march in the House.”

Look, I realize some on the right have gotten a little lazy when it comes to crafting political insults. In much the same as “judicial activism” has become a conservative shorthand for “court rulings we don’t like,” the word “socialism” is starting to become synonymous with “policy reforms Republicans oppose.”


......SNIP"

[elleng]

1. Their word of the 'year,' accurate or not,

counting on an uninformed electorate.

[applegrove]

4. Dems need to be just as vocal as GOP but on defence socialism and farm

subsidy socialism and fossil fuel exploration socialism and transportation socialism ( trucks tear up pavement while cars don't, trains tracks, airports, ports), private property security socialism for business, financial bailout socialism. Socialism for you and me..

[Caliman73]

5. Well that is a sucker's bet unfortunately.

There are people all over, including here on DU who conflate Socialism with things that are decidedly no Socialism. There are people who immediately link Socialism with Stalin's Russia or Mao's China and that is the extent of their understanding (or lack thereof).

Counting on American ignorance is unfortunately not far fetched.

[elleng]

6. Right.

[Caliman73]

3. He was on Ingraham so we know there would be no push back....

I would however, like to see a real journalist call him out on that shit. "Senator McConnell, I would like you to give me your understanding of Socialism. I would like you to state some of the general tenants of Socialism if you could." If he tries to evade, then follow up with, "Well because you seem to throw the word around when talking about generic democratic policy proposals and it seems you have either a very limited understanding of the ideology or you are deliberately lying about what it is only to use it as a smear" Which is it?


Every time some idiot Republican uses the word, they should be challenged on what Socialism really is. I doubt most really even know.

[Thomas Hurt]

7. Mr. Benen hasn't been paying attention, socialism became an epithet and slogan long ago.