In Case of Fire: Yell "Commie!"

I find it fascinating – from a tone-deaf perspective – that MAGOP officials have no qualms trying to paint Democrats as “communists,” without clearly having any idea what communism is and without the slightest evidence that those they are trying to smear have done or said anything that has anything to do with communism (which is about the state ownership of business that controls the production and distribution of material, and a classless society) – yet are outraged (outraged, I say!!) if their party is called “fascist,” despite that it actually does follow, quite literally, the core tenets of fascism.

(There are three such key principles.  One is a push to discredit or eliminate any opposition sources of authority and leadership, including public trust in elections.  The second is an intense use of xenophobia and overt reliance on patriotism to demonize foreigners or those who are different.  And third is the authorized use of force and brutality Sound familiar?)

Tone-deaf, yes, but not even remotely surprising.  After all, this is what the then-Republican Party has been doing for the past 70 years, starting with McCarthyism, the Blacklist and the House Committee on Un-American Activities.  (And shockingly, considering that during these past 70 years, many of which when Democrats controlled the White House, Senate and House of Representatives, the United States did not become communist.)

It’s understandable for two reasons why this has cropped up recently as a dittohead issue for the MAGOP. 

The first is because several candidates who identify themselves as Democratic Socialists have won primaries and general elections this cycle and because the platform of the Democratic Socialist Party has become public.

To start with, a Democratic Socialist is not the same as being communist, nor even socialist.  There’s that pesky first word, “Democratic.”  And words really do matter.  A Democratic Socialist is no more a socialist than a hot dog is a breed of canine.  A Democratic Socialist is someone who, yes, supports many socialist programs (which include, by the way, Social Security, Medicare, public transit, agricultural subsidies, the U.S. military and more), but operated under the system of democracy.

And as for the Democratic Socialist Party platform – yes, it was pretty lunatic, with positions like getting rid of the Senate and rewriting the U.S. Constitution).  But – not only are neither of those crazy things communistic, just loopy, I’m not aware of any Democratic Socialist currently in office or who is a candidate on a Democratic Party ticket who supports those issues.  I suspect that few MAGOPs could even tell you any positions that are in their own party platform.  (Though, in fairness, not getting involved in unnecessary foreign wars is one of them, and their party’s leaders had no problem ignoring that.)

And the second reason for MAGOPs to have started trying to make an issue of Democrats supposedly being commies is because they’re being crushed in the polls, the public hates their handling of almost all policies, and they have next to nothing else to run on.

By the way, it’s also worth noting that Trump has literally taken actions that are far more communist than anything the most far-left Democratic Socialist in office or running has ever merely just uttered.  This starts with Trump having the government buy ownership in multiple businesses and becoming part-owners.  As Fortune magazine noted –

“The Trump administration has invested roughly $26.7 billion across 30 equity or quasi-equity deals, headlined by a 9.9% stake in chipmaker Intel that’s now worth $42 billion. 

Others include $400 million into rare-earth miner MP Materials…the “golden share” in U.S. Steel retained as a condition of its sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel; or the flurry of stakes in quantum computing firms.

But this isn’t really about the Democratic Party being commie.  It isn’t and never has been.  Nor are Democratic Socialists the core of the Democratic Party.  Nor are the socialists or commies.

As much as anything, this is about the MAGOP being panicked.  And actually being fascist.  I wrote about this initially back on April 9, 2018 – and then updated it here on Nov 15, 2021.  So, this is old news.  Been there, done that.

And I understand that MAGOPs hate being called fascist – either because they don’t know what fascism actually is, or do know but just don’t like being called fascist.  But then, who would?  Even, it turns out, fascists.

Pro Tip:  If you don't like being called a fascist, then don't act like one, or don't support those who are.  It's really that simple.

As the Chad Mitchell sang in Michael Brown’s song written 64 years ago in 1962 –