What Is A Socialist?

From The Wall Street Journal - Review & Outlook - June 16, 2005
Tim Russert interviews Howard Dean.

Tim Russert: "In your home state of Vermont there is a vacancy for the United State Senate. Bernie Sanders wants to run for that seat. He is a self-described avowed socialist. Is there room in the Democratic Party for a socialist?"
Howard Dean: "Well, he's not a socialist really. . . . he is basically a liberal Democrat."
-----NBC's "Meet the Press," May 22

Amazing. Bernie Sanders says he is a socialist. Howard Dean, immediately insists that no, he is not a socialist, he is a "liberal democrat". Democrats always insist they are not socialists. The truth is, that is what a liberal democrat is .... a socialist. Denying it is their standard reaction. Dean just forgot he was talking about a man who doesn't hide his socialism like democrats.

Even if a particular liberal democrat is not completely a socialist, since they are aligned with socialists, and they vote for socialists, they are supporting socialism and the socialist's desire to stamp out free enterprise and American democracy. So the distinction between socialist and liberal democrat is meaningless.

This isn't your father's Democratic Party....... the Democratic leadership has arguably never been more overtly hostile to free markets, deregulation, tax reform and free trade than it is today. The National Taxpayers Union reports that last year the House Democrats recorded their lowest taxpayer rating ever, having voted just 13% of the time for smaller government and less taxes.

The Democratic Party is today's Socialist Party of America. It is that simple.