Frank Luntz: Sanders Most Likely Democratic Nomination, Capitalism Has Become A Dirty Word (tr)

RCP Video ^ | 5-12-2019 | Tim Hains

[Sir Napsalot]

In an appearance on FNC's "MediaBuzz," pollster Frank Luntz shares his finding that the term "capitalism" no longer polls well with the American people and predicts that Senator Bernie Sanders is the most likely to win the Democratic nomination for president with a message of democratic socialism.

"It is not that principles are dead, in fact, the principles of economic freedom are alive and well," Luntz explained. "But capitalism itself has been so demonized by media that... if you want to oppose socialism you oppose it by talking about freedom, not capitalism."

HOWARD KURTZ, FOX NEWS: An exclusive first look at a poll about socialism versus capitalism. It turns out the ideas pushed by Democrats such as Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may have lots of support in their party, while capitalism isn't polling so well.

Frank Luntz found in an online survey of 1,000 people that 52% of Hillary Clinton voters agree with the statement "I prefer living in a socialist country to a capitalist one," against just 16% of Donald Trump voters. Asked about the AOC proposal to impose a 70% tax on the top 1% of taxpayers, 79% Clinton voters agree, and so do 46% of Trump voters. And veteran Republican pollster Frank Luntz joins us now. Before we get to more numbers, is the media kind of soft on socialism? I mean favorable press to Democrats like Bernie Sanders and AOC, being tough on flaws of capitalism, the excesses of big corporations.

[central_va]

Except Republicans used to be the tariff party.

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We reaffirm our belief in the protective tariff to extend needed protection to our productive industries. We believe in protection as a national policy, with due and equal regard to all sections and to all classes. It is only by adherence to such a policy that the well being of the consumers can be safeguarded that there can be assured to American agriculture, to American labor and to American manufacturers a return to perpetrate American standards of life. A protective tariff is designed to support the high American economic level of life for the average family and to prevent a lowering to the levels of economic life prevailing in other lands.

In the history of the nation the protective tariff system has ever justified itself by restoring confidence, promoting industrial activity and employment, enormously increasing our purchasing power and bringing increased prosperity to all our people.

The tariff protection to our industry works for increased consumption of domestic agricultural products by an employed population instead of one unable to purchase the necessities of life. Without the strict maintenance of the tariff principle our farmers will need always to compete with cheap lands and cheap labor abroad and with lower standards of living.

[central_va]

Will china tools and auto parts quality improve or cost be lower? No, the price may go up but that’s about it.

Cost goes up and domestic competition kick in. Do you understand economics at all?

[Pollard]

Can we compete domestically even with the tariffs?

How much does it cost to start up a casting plant, machine shop, electrical manufacturing shop, assembly, shipping/receiving dept, drafting, design etc just to make alternators and starters? Lots of fedgov and stategov hoops to jump through. Workman’s Comp, liability and the list goes on and china doesn’t have all those legal costs and hoops. All that stuff tends to make our businesses top heavy,(just like our fed/state governments) needing lots of office workers. Then of course there’s a bit of a pay difference unless all these domestic companies hire illegals.

I see china losing a lot of business but to India, not the USA.

[central_va]

How much does it cost to start up a casting plant, machine shop, electrical manufacturing shop, assembly, shipping/receiving dept, drafting, design etc just to make alternators and starters?

They do it Mexico all the time so they can do it here.

[Ohioan]

"Freedom" & "Capitalism" as terms, are arguably both abstractions. The winning formula for the discussion of such is, and always has been, dependent of the ability of the proponent to create verbal pictures of the dynamic interaction involved in the functional reality.

Understanding the dynamics of the reality of human interaction is essential for the persuasion sought.

America: Based On Experience & Reason

[poconopundit]

Serious agricultural study is the essence of this understanding of the cycle of growth that leads to prosperity.

* * *

I hear you, alloysteel. I entertained writing something on the subject of making “capitalism” more realistic to the younger generation.

Seems to me they have all heard the term “sustainable environment”. That’s one of things (they tell us) youth cares a lot about.

So how about a sustainable economy. Make our economic system more like nature. Much can be advanced on this subject I think.

[poconopundit]

Excellent, South Bendover

[MayflowerMadam]

“The mantra NEEDS to be do you prefer Socialism OR Freedom, change capitalism to freedom”

I heard this interview with Luntz. He is absolutely right, i.e., replace the word, “capitalism” with “freedom”. I don’t like that doofus, but he’s right this time.