A new poll has found that slightly more than one quarter of Americans have a favorable impression of socialism despite democratic socialist Bernie Sanders leading the race for the Democrat nomination for president.
The new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 28% of adults say they view socialism favorably while 58% have an unfavorable view.
This could spell trouble for U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) who is currently leading the race to become the Democrat nominee for president. Sanders calls himself a “democratic socialist,” which could come back to bite him this November according to these new numbers.
Notably, 50% of Democrats viewed socialism positively while a minority (46%) viewed it negatively.
Also of note, only 23% of independents approve of socialism while a striking 59% disapprove of the ideology. It seems every general election, politicians try to run to the middle in order to win over independents, who are seen as a key voting group. This 36% disparity between independents who approve of socialism, and those who disapprove, is a warning indicator for those who are running on a socialist platform this election season.
Republicans overwhelming view socialism negatively with just 7% seeing it as a positive thing and 76% seeing it negatively.
Those who see socialism favorably also skew heavily towards younger generations with 38% of those ages 18-38 seeing socialism positively compared to only 28% of adults viewing it the same way.
It seems that those who see socialism the most positively are those who have no experience with it. Indeed, those who have experienced and lived under a socialist regime almost always see it negatively and warn others not to adopt that system of government.
Recently, The Daily Citizen covered the story of two Venezuelan refugees who are visiting college campuses around the United States, warning them not to support socialist policies. These two asylees have seen first-hand the destruction that socialism has brought to their country, and they’re urging college students to “not fall into the trap” of wanting free health care and free college tuition because “those kinds of offers are not sustainable in the long-term.”
Related Articles:
New Poll Finds Increased Support for Communism and Marxism Among Millennials
Professor Resigns from Columbia University Because It’s More Communist Than the Country He Fled
Two Venezuelan Refugees Warn American College Students About the Danger of Socialism
Why American Youth are Drawn to Socialism
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