Why we need economic growth more than we need democratic socialism

I write with only a little exaggeration that my jaw nearly hit the floor while watching the Democratic Party’s presidential candidates discuss the merits of socialism during last week’s debate. The Washington Post’s E.J. Dionnewrites that viewers of the debate “experienced something historic: For the first time in the modern political era, Americans got to watch leaders of a mainstream political party debate the relative merits of capitalism and democratic socialism.” This historic moment makes me want to stand athwart history, yelling “Stop.”

Of course, the support of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) for “democratic socialism” and his opposition to capitalism puts him to the left of the other Democratic candidates for president — including Hillary Rodham Clinton, who came (with insufficient vigor) to capitalism’s defense. (Though it is perhaps notable that when asked this summer by Chris Matthews for “the difference between a Democrat and a socialist,” the chair of the Democratic National Committee was unable to provide an answer.)   Read more