Not that long ago, socialism was a taboo term in the American political lexicon. But over the past decade, socialism, specifically “democratic socialism,” has become a potent political force on the Left.That is a shocking turn of events, considering that since World War II, socialism has been seen as a principal menace to the American experiment.
As someone who grew up in the twilight of the Cold War and vividly remembers the post-Cold War zeitgeist, I cannot forget how much socialism was lampooned by the likes of Saturday Night Live and late-night comedy hosts. Back then, it was crystal clear that socialism did not work, was immoral, and directly conflicted with America’s founding ideals.
After the 2008 financial crisis and the bailouts of too-big-to-fail banks, automakers, and airlines, I think the socialist seed was planted in the United States.
In the years since, crony capitalism has crept into many more sectors of the U.S. economy, further frustrating Main Street Americans against Wall Street and Washington.
In 2015, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) championed democratic socialism as he nearly became the Democratic Party’s 2016 presidential nominee.
