Ugh! This is why we Democrats and liberals lose more often than we should.
When asked by MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to explain, "What is the difference between a Democrat and a socialist?" DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) could not provide a clear answer. Her bungled response lit up conservative websites far and wide.
The distinction is not at all difficult to explain.
Under more stringent forms of socialism the government owns the means of production. Most of us would get our paychecks from the government, not from private employers. Democratic socialism, of which Bernie Sanders follows, is a bit different. It is Western-European style socialism where there is more ownership of private property and mixed economics, partly socialism and partly capitalism. For example, the major airlines were once owned and operated by the nation; Alitalia, British airways, etc. At the same time many smaller businesses still exist.
The liberalism followed by genuine Democrats in the United States is different. This liberalism still follows a capitalist economic structure. Government does not exist to own and operate the means of production but to curb the excesses of more reckless forms of capitalism. We liberals believe in private property. But unlike conservative libertarians, liberal Democrats understand that private property comes with a social mortgage. And unlike conservative libertarians we recognize that once too much private property is concentrated in the hands of a very few representative democracy itself can become threatened. To that end, government has a necessary role to play in order to ensure the general welfare of the American people.
You see Congresswoman, it’s not hard at all to explain the difference!
4:24 AM PT: