Depends On How You Define “Socialism”

They will win more elections with progressives than never Trump Republicans, or, specifically, by championing very popular economic progressive policies supported by a majority of voters.

— Wajahat Ali (@WajahatAli) October 3, 2026

In European history (which is our basic cultural heritage), roads were owned by kings. Who also provided whatever rough justice and security there was. Rich people had private roads, even in London, as late as Blake’s day. They bought their own fire protection, too. And police were more likely to favor the rich, because that’s who paid for them. Education was a private matter, too. Even libraries were private.

Ben Franklin, radical socialist that he was, started the public library idea. Police eventually became a public obligation, as did firefighters, and open public roads available to all. (We still have gated communities. Blake would recognize that.)

All socialist, really. 

I just visited my college town where, as I’ve said before, the city built a hotel in the 50’s, because they needed one to help attract commerce. Height of the Red Scare, but nobody thought anything of it. It’s still in use, btw. LBJ started the LCRA in the same decade (as a U.S. senator) to provide electricity to rural Central Texas. It still operates.

If that ain’t socialism, what is?

The point is, we did this before without screaming about it. That started with Reagan and the Chicago School of Economics, which was so anti-Keynesian it proved Keynes right. And we’re still all Keynesians (well, by Milton Friedman’s standards). We just call it capitalism because we still think socialism is the doorstep to communism and Soviet domination. 

Seriously. Why else is it scary? I mean, even MTG has given up on the Commies scare.

I agree progressive policies are popular. But people are still voting for labels. And word is the Latino bloc has turned against Trump, but not so far as for Democrats. So you can’t really say AOC’s positions are secretly super popular. They may secretly be popular; but getting people to vote for the actual candidates connected to those policies is still another matter.

And will be, for awhile.