It’s election time, and there will be many campaign ads, candidate stories, and political issues in the mainstream news and social media.
Republicans and Democrats, the two main political parties, will spend millions to get their messages to all voters.
Donald Trump and some Republicans have been tossing around the labels of socialism and communism when discussing Democrats. Because of Trump’s low approval ratings, words like socialism and communism are being used as a distraction and a way to trick or confuse the uneducated voter.
What is the definition of socialism?
A look on my phone from artificial intelligence says that socialism is an economic and political system where the community or government owns and controls the major means of production, such as factories, tools, and land, instead of private ownership by individuals.
Socialism is nothing to fear now, and it is not creeping into our society. Democrats do not want socialism. And Democrats do not support communism.
A few candidates have run under the banner of Democratic Socialist, and some have been unsure what this means.
Is the Democratic Party turning towards a kind of Socialism? The answer is no.
Democratic Socialists have won a few races, but they still support the policies of the Democratic Party. They may want to replace capitalism and have working people more in control of their own lives, but no major movement or sect has emerged within the Democratic Party to push this idea forward.
If anything, the conversation is about the best way to serve the people and elevate all.
I don’t personally know anyone in the Democratic Party who wants to end capitalism and go socialist, but I do know progressive Democrats who are making a difference.
Progressive democrats support issues like universal healthcare, climate change solutions, protecting the environment, taxing the wealthy, corporate campaign donation reform, living wages, international diplomacy, affordable or free college, and social justice.
More people have been open to progressive issues, and if there is an evolution within the Democratic Party, I believe it’s towards the progressive agenda, which benefits and supports all. An important question is how to pay for ideas and solutions.
I personally want entrepreneurs and capitalists to be very successful and profitable, and then I want these companies to pay their fair share to make society better.
Higher taxes on corporate America and wealthy citizens should help pay for and/or subsidize healthcare, food costs, energy expenses, transportation solutions, affordable housing, and public safety.
Tax dollars helping families and individuals is a key Democratic position, and the idea of a safety net to protect vulnerable individuals is behind many policies. A social Democrat is another term one could be, and I think I fall under this category with a progressive bent.
A social democrat supports a center-left economic model that combines a capitalist market economy, which helps pay for an efficient welfare state, with sound government regulation.
Denmark and Sweden are examples of social Democratic countries with high taxes, which help pay for services and needs of their citizens.
No one is suggesting we be like Denmark and Sweden; however, it doesn’t hurt to analyze the ‘best’ of these countries when it comes to taking care of their citizens and residents.
Regardless of where one falls on the political spectrum, I believe Democrats are for the needy, poor, families, and working people.
Donald Trump and the Republicans, on the other hand, are a different breed, and they are experiencing their own internal challenges this election cycle.
Trump now has control of the Republican Party, and it appears there is a major divide or split happening due to Trump’s actions and policies, which have hurt many Americans.
Many MAGA supporters are grumbling and unhappy, and Trump’s unpopularity is evident coast-to-coast.
Some Republicans are staying away from Trump because of the failings of his administration in this second term. Trump’s high tariffs and his unwanted Iran war have contributed to an increase in inflation, high gas prices, high diesel costs, higher food costs, and generally higher consumer bills.
Economically, many Americans are hurting while many friends, family members, and donors of Trump are profiting from pay-to-play politics, insider trading, and government corruption. Trump’s obsession with personal memorials, new structures, and expensive improvements has also turned off many voters.
Traditionally, the Republican Party has stood for conservative values, free and open economic markets, lower taxes, states’ rights, pro-business, a strong defense, and limited government. Now, however, very little of substance is getting done. It all seems about Trump and his legacy.
With Trump as president, political issues and policies have been all over the place, with controversial actions and decisions haunting the Republican Party.
A stalled Iran war, high cost of living, a thug-like ICE agency, anti-brown immigrant actions, protester deaths, Trump family enrichment, January 7 pardons, pay-to-play pardons, bickering with allies, Kennedy Center woes, and cozying up to dictators are examples of Trump’s negative vibes lingering during these crucial times and hurting the GOP.
Moreover, Congressional Republicans’ inability to pass meaningful legislation on artificial intelligence, affordability, gun control, pay-to-play corruption, Middle East peace, aviation safety, voting rights protections, tariff relief, insider stock trading, and high gas prices is an indication of an inactive Republican-led government and a failing Trump administration.
Voters will have a clear choice this year in this political environment. The Republican path and the Democrat path are different, and voters just need to watch the news and check their savings accounts to determine what is best for them.
2027 is right around the corner, and there is too much at stake to continue the status quo at the federal level. Congress has been weak, afraid, and ineffective. It has not been the watchdog we need over the executive branch.
Checks and balances is a fundamental principle that the United States of America must recapture and never lose again.
Your vote is your voice. Now is the time to utilize it. Don’t forget to vote.
WILL ESPEROretired from the Hawaii legislature after serving 19 years in the state House of Representatives and state Senate. He is currently a novelist, poet, and supporter of the arts. Lingering Thoughts provides a glimpse of his perspective on current events and issues.
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