Nathan Benefield: How to deliver what ‘socialists’ want
Saturday, April 13, 2019 1:30 a.m.
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
Socialism has hit the mainstream — or so we’ve been told. Yes, democratic socialists are winning elections, including recent Pennsylvania victories in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and Bernie Sanders is again a frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination.
But does this mean Americans’ political views have U-turned from free-market capitalism?
That’s a worrisome question for those who recall the Soviet Union and have witnessed tragedies in North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, where real socialism has been tried.
Thankfully, few Americans want true socialism. A March NBC/WSJ poll found that only 20 percent of Americans view socialism favorably. Even among millennials, just 32 percent prefer a government-run economy.
Socialism is only “going viral†because it’s an easy sell. Promising free stuff without saying how to pay for it is a time-honored political tradition regardless of political ideology.
But then come the details! ...
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