Posted on 11/07/2025 7:25:58 PM PST by DoodleBob
Here we go again.
Socialism is making a comeback, according to friend and foe alike. A new NBC poll now suggests that a majority of registered voters don’t like capitalism.
A Gallup poll in September also found that support for capitalism was slipping. A Data for Progress poll around the same time showed that — after asking some decidedly leading questions about democratic socialism — people liked democratic socialism. Still, Politico combined the results to declare: “Capitalism is out … and socialism is in.” And just this week, an NPR podcast dedicated a segment to explaining “How socialism got sexy.”
This has happened before. In 2018, Gallup found for the first time that a majority of Democrats had a more favorable view of “socialism” than of “capitalism.” And we got similar headlines as a result. No doubt such polls partly explain why Democratic presidential primary candidates overwhelmingly ran in the Bernie Sanders lane in 2020. Joe Biden, the candidate who mostly avoided that lane, however, won the nomination.
Like Sanders, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani describes himself as a democratic socialist. His popularity has driven many to claim that democratic socialism is popular too. It may well be, especially in New York City. But what plays in NYC may not have legs far outside the Big Apple. Indeed, Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in neighboring New Jersey, which shares much of the same media market, didn’t run as a democratic socialist and beat primary candidates who more or less did.
But punditry is not my aim here. My problem is with these periodic, poll-driven, “socialism is coming” fads.
For starters, issue polling — even when done well — is not very reliable. Change one word and you’ll get very different results. For decades, if you call a program “welfare,” Americans won’t like it. Call it “assistance to the poor” and Americans like it whole a lot more.
It’s also difficult to keep other issues from influencing issue polling. Capitalism’s popularity dropped — particularly among Democrats — during President Trump’s first term. It has dropped again during his second term. Is it really so hard to imagine people associating capitalism with the avowed party of capitalism? When that party is in power and is unpopular, it shouldn’t be surprising that the thing it claims to stand for is (slightly) less popular too?
And then there’s the messy fact that Trump’s brand of capitalism isn’t exactly the uncut free market stuff (that I like). It’s not socialism, but it’s definitely close to “state capitalism” — a system involving massive government interventions in the economy, usually on behalf of favored industries. Most serious libertarians would rather eat glass than call Trump’s program of massive tariffs, cronyism, industrial planning and partial government ownership of industries “capitalism.”
There’s a famous — and widely attributed — line that the problem with socialism is socialism, but the problem with capitalism is capitalists. When the administration is run from the top by private-jet-flying billionaires seemingly getting richer with insider deals and literally cosplaying “The Great Gatsby” at a time when SNAP benefits are running out for 40 million Americans, you’d think capitalism would be in even worse odor.
But take Trump out of it. When the status quo is unpopular, if you call the status quo “capitalism” they’ll have problems with it. Call the economic status quo “capitalism” and a lot of people will choose option number two, whether you call it “socialism” or not.
It’s not like the new “socialists” have cracked the books in their free time and suddenly have a newfound respect for Karl Marx, Sidney Webb, Michael Harrington or some other socialist thinker.
Socialist intellectuals have a hard enough time agreeing on what socialism is. The best definition the very well-read editors of the socialist journal Dissent could come up with in 1954 was “socialism is the name of our desire.” The idea that millions of Americans have a fully formed and coherent understanding of the concept, never mind know how to implement socialism, is preposterous. Asking people if they like socialism or capitalism is a “vibes” question and little more.
Of course, socialists are entitled to be happy about improving vibes. But the best way to make Americans sour on socialism is to put socialists in charge — which is why I’m not too worried about America becoming a socialist country.
He also blames Trump for capitalism’s bad polling. But Trump is a socialist.
The TDS is strong with this one.
also known as “JarJar Fatberg”, Trixie’s buffoon spawn.
Only if people like banging their heads against a stone wall every hour and expecting something other than bleeding and severe headaches - before they die of brain bleeding.
And that’s the best that socialism will do.
Is there such a thing as a professional buffoon?
Oh, I know the spawn of Lucianne is a fan fav around here.
I have popcorn nearby.
“Give me free stuff, and make that other guy pay for it.”
The TDS is strong with this one.
NOT surprising with the Son of Lucianne.
Apple, tree and all.
“A new NBC poll now suggests that a majority of registered voters don’t like capitalism.”
Then go to North Korea and polish boots for Dear Leader. And stay there.
Its only “making a comeback” because schools don’t teach about it, or teach about it objectively.
The only people for socialism are people who haven’t lived under it. I know plenty of people who escaped it and they don’t want it. And don’t want it here.
So, like a lot of the pundit class, he just preaches to the choir.
A fad, just like it was a fad in Nazi Germany. The man wrote a book of socialism, Hitler style. He should know better.
Our constitution guarantees/demands a certain form of government. Every state had to also agree their form of government would also be a (or type of) constitutional republic. Socialism isn’t that kind of govt, and is opposed to a constitutional republic form of government. So no, it won’t fly.
Islami Mamdani isn’t about socialism….it’s a ruse for votes from the infidels.
It’s all about JIHAD and death to America and Israel.
The muslims know this and they’re all celebrating the impending death and telling the Jews to get out of NY:
https://www.newsrael.com/posts/iw30ferkxc
Infidels AOC and Bernie have been had…..ignorant idiots, both of them!
AOC and Bernie have to be two of the most naive people on earth.
They fell for the “socialism” ruse hook line and sinker….
Once Islam has enough jihad jackasses elected into the US government, their heads will be chopped off.
Mamdani’s “acceptance speech” was a screaming threat to Trump because Trump is standing in the way of jihad.
Beat me to it. Wife makes our old fashioned style in a pan. Real butter.And powdered cheese! Oh yeah.
Cuba, Venezuela and China would be good options for socialistas too.
What part of “...a majority of registered voters...” don’t you understand ?
This has been building for a long time, because oblivious Boomers ignored the warning signs of a society where younger people, especially younger White men, see no prospects and have been demonized by EVERY institution they have dealt with their entire lives.
People with no stake in a System, and have no hope for the future, will not fight for the continuation of that system.
In fact, they are going to support potential elites proposing radical change. Even if it is “demonic socialism” or “evil nazees”
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