Perhaps the most terrifying thing about today’s self-described Democratic Socialists is that they don’t understand their own prescribed ideology, a fact that New York Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently proved with aplomb. (RELATED: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Flubs First TV Interviews After Surprise Victory).
Ocasio-Cortez appeared on “The View” following her shocking upset of incumbent Democratic Caucus Chair Joseph Crowley. When Meghan McCain asked her to describe “democratic socialism,” she failed to give a clear answer.
“Do you think that the future of the Democratic Party is socialism?” McCain asked.
Ocasio-Cortez first tried to argue there was a significant difference between her beliefs and socialism.
“First of all, there’s a huge difference between socialism and Democratic socialism,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Democratic socialism, and really what that boils down to me, is the basic belief that I believe that in a moral and wealthy America and a moral and modern America, no person should be too poor to live in this country.”
“That’s what I believe. I can understand that there may be some divisions. You know, I don’t think people wake up in the morning and say, ‘I’m a capitalist!’” she added.
Ocasio-Cortez then went on to argue that she believes the Democratic Party’s future is about the “working class”. She conveniently failed, however, to go into any specifics about how “democratic socialism” is any different from “socialism.”
In a word, Ocasio-Cortez’s worldview is completely delusional. Socialism as an ideology is not magically different just because people voted for it via the democratic process.
Socialism ALWAYS Fails
Furthermore, there’s not a single instance of a truly successful socialist country because the socialist state-controlled economy drives up the cost of basic necessities to the point that people can’t afford to live. That is literally the exact opposite of what Ocasio-Cortez believes democratic socialism would achieve.
Perhaps Ocasio-Cortez and her generation are far enough removed from the Cold War that they simply cannot grasp how deadly socialism truly is. Yet, even that’s not an excuse. They could easily look to Venezuela and see exactly why (democratic) socialism doesn’t work.
More likely, millennial fascination with socialism is driven by the fact that they’re being forced to bear the economic brunt of the mistakes of their parents’ generation, and, frustrated and entitled, they’re turning to socialism in droves. Whether they understand the ideology or not. But if they would just take a moment to study the facts, they’d quickly understand that socialism is not the way forward. God help us all.
