Many Trump-leaning Republicans accuse their political counterparts of being "communist". Reality Check’s John Avlon speaks with Russian dissident and former World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov about what real communism is and why Americans shouldn't resort to extreme name calling.
I’m starting to think these “educated” congressmen don’t understand the meaning of communist/fascist…
@Cam G lmao shut up harpie. I just defined it to you by giving you a real example.
@Ian Lavender *throws you a towel* You’ve got some white oligarchs jizzum on your chin. Better get that cleaned up. Walensky’s bringing you the meat, again.
@Joe Mama
Right = capitalism
Left = socialism
Fascism= the binding of personal, government and corporate. Aka socialism.
@Cam G “fascism is right winged”
🤣No🧐
@Cam G <- thinks NAZIS were fascist 🤣
Soooo, you don’t need an education at all to become a republican? Explains Boebert…
@Nando The simple minded ideology embraced by the by the lesbian dance theory “College Educated”. lol.
Yes I have a College Degree in Science.
@bob trump .. You say “democrats = commies”. is that a fact ?? can you tell us how you arrived at that ? or are you just repeating what others have told you?
@Eric << an0ther commie
That’s VERY clear
Both the Republican and Democratic Parties are infested with Roman Catholics, and they shall unite to lead people to the Antichrist. “These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast” (Revelation 17:13). Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Establish the Kingdom in Jerusalem, and keep the world safe from Democracy!
” For if leisure and security were enjoyed by all alike, the great mass of human beings who are normally stupefied by poverty would become literate and would learn to think for themselves; and when they had done this they would sooner or later realize that the privileged minority had no function, and they would sweep it away. In the long run, a hierarchical society was only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance…” – George Orwell “1984”
Sadly, it seems the Reich Wing Party will likely ban these kinds of books because they hurt fascists and fascist sympathizers’ feelings.
@Rolbell Brave New World has been banned in many GOP circles and 1984 is going bye bye as I type.
Looking at the political discussion in the USA, it must be a hierarchical oligarchy only possible on a basis of poverty and ignorance.
What is your point?
@bngr bngr Re-read the last sentence again and again, and think about it. The point is there.
It’s a sad day in America when Russian state TV just airs Fox News clips and trump rallies
@Bradyn Lotterman I’m glad. 👍
Sadder day when russia only invades under biden… twice.
Air whatever you want
The scoreboard tells the tale. Russia invades under biden before trump. Invades under biden after trump.
And Russia is a communist government
@soylentdean I guess you enjoy seeing pregnant woman , mothers and children being blown up. While Russia plays over and over again Propaganda anti American video’s Featuring Trump, Tucker Carlson etc.
Obama said, “Putin is no threat.” That’s because Democrats always colluded with Russia.
Be a Dem or Rep, I don’t care. But I have zero respect for anyone supporting someone like Marjorie TG.
Do you feel the same about Joe Biden? He thinks you can’t be black if you don’t support him.
I feel the same way about people who support Biden
She’s like a living Karen meme
@soylentdean Have you ever seen AOC’s questioning people on congressional panels. She asks pointed, intelligent questions that are directly related to her subject during the questioning. She is better than almost any other politician at this and your inept attempt at denigrating her shows exactly how idiotic you are.
True
I will never vote for any republican other than kensinger and Chaney they are the only ones with a backbone and living in reality !
Reality… 🤣 Are YOU still blaming Republicans for “overcrowded” hospitals, going unmasked these past 2+ years and giving a big middle finger to the experimental, non-recourse “shot” YOU were FOOLED into taking?
Kissinger has had decades of referring to the left as communists started at the time of Vietnam War!
When all you have to bring to the table are fear and hate…when policy and accountability terrify you…you *have* to rely on inaccurate labels to try to define those you disagree with as “the enemy”
@Warrior for Humanity … If you are racist, then you must expect to be called such.
@Sophie N Really? Tell me how Trump was a “Russian Asset”. This should be good. Did Trump allow a Russian company to gain control of a third of the US Uranium assets? No, that happened under Obama / Biden. Did Trumps son get 3.5 million from Elena Baturina the wife of the mayor of Moscow? No, that was Hunter Biden. Did Trumps secretary of state, have a husband go to Russia and get million dollar fees for giving speeches? Nope that was Hillary Clinton, under Biden. Was Trump making deals with Russia’s ally in the Middle East? Nope that was Obama/ Biden. Was Trump asking Russia’s ally Venezuela to pump more oil? No, Trump had sanctions on Venezuela, but Joe Biden is asking for Venezuela oil. Which president said “tell Vladimir I will have more flexibility after the election? Was that Trump? No it was Obama. Who refused to send Patriot missiles to Poland? That was Obama. Who gave Poland Patriot missiles? That was Trump. Who had sanctions on Nord Stream 2? That would be Trump. Who removed the sanctions the first week in office? That would be Biden.
@Sophie N I need to do some research? LOL!!! In a presidential debate, Mitt Romney said Russia was a geopolitical threat. Obama’s response was to laugh at Romney and say “the 1980s want their foreign policy back”. Wow, how wrong was Obama and the left on that one? In September of 2018 Donald Trump spoke at the United Nations and warned of Europe’s dependence on Russian energy. And the left continued to call him “Putin’s Puppet” when he was actually against Russia. Wow, how wrong was the left on that one? When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton presented Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with a red button with the English word “reset”, how wrong were they on that one? Which administration removed sanctions on Nord Stream 2 the first week they were in office? What administrations were in power when the Russians invaded Crimea, and the Ukraine? Now, on the other side, (being tough). Which administration gave Poland patriot missiles? Trump. Which administration gave Ukraine anti tank weapons and not just money that could be squandered? Trump. Which administration pushed for American energy independence? Trump. Which president wanted to sell US natural gas to Europe, calling it “freedom gas” as an alternative to Russian supplies? Trump. And at every turn the leftists were in the way. The leftists stupid policies put in place all the things that lead to this mess with Russia. And now Joe Biden is working WITH RUSSIA to broker a Nuke deal with the Iranians, while the Russians are invading a sovereign free country.
@Steele Wheels It was R.Reagan with the cry of “greed is good” along with Newt Gingrich and his cry of “free markets” that did away with the regulations this caused…A) Enabled Co’s to find cheaper labor over seas, which also empowered China. B) Enabled the hostile takeover of smaller Co’s by bigger wealthier ones creating near monopolies and “too big to fail”, that have basically snuffed small business. C) Allowed Commercial banks to merge with Investment banks, investment houses and Rating houses which led to the 2008 economic collapse. Wich happened on the 2nd term of GWB. D) It was this 2008 collapse which nearly bankrupted the country and reverberated around the world which caused people to lose their assets. Obama was left holding the bag and being blamed for the hard times the country went through.
Every Republican administration since Reagan has run under the banner of deregulation and “free markets”. Every Republican/Conservative administration has packed the courts with corporatist under the guise of cultural warriors, that’s why they will never overturn Roe v. Wade. It was the 5 conservatives judges in the SCOTUS that passed “Citizens United” and “Corporations are people” laws, while the 4 democratic judges opposed it. It has been every Republican administration that has passed laws that benefit corps and given tax breaks that goes mainly to the wealthy, just like the last one which was orchestrated by trump and Ryan. It has been the Conservatives that have stood on the way of passing laws to curb Hedge funds managers, and have made sure that capital gains are taxed lower than income. It was Republicans who stood on the way of passing laws to restrain banks after the 2008 collapse.
Republicans attempt to destroy the EPA and any agency that they see as an impediment to corporate profit. They would rather see the planet devastated by climate change than let Corps lose a cent of profit. It has been the conservatives that whenever any plan or policy that is beneficial to the public rather than Corporations have viciously fought it while yelling “communism” while these are standard benefits in most of the modern world and even some 3rd world nations.
All of this has led to massive income/wealth inequality which is setting the world on fire. That has 0.1% holding nearly 80% of the wealth, while the 99% fight among themselves for the piece of the 20%. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see the outcome, which has people pointing fingers at those who have even less and basically no power as somehow being the culprit. Wich is now putting democracy in peril.
“We have a choice. We can have great wealth in the hands of a few, or we can have Democracy. But we can’t have both. ” – Louis Brandeis.
@soylentdean It was R.Reagan with the cry of “greed is good” along with Newt Gingrich and his cry of “free markets” that did away with the regulations this caused…A) Enabled Co’s to find cheaper labor over seas, which also empowered China. B) Enabled the hostile takeover of smaller Co’s by bigger wealthier ones creating near monopolies and “too big to fail”, that have basically snuffed small business. C) Allowed Commercial banks to merge with Investment banks, investment houses and Rating houses which led to the 2008 economic collapse. Wich happened on the 2nd term of GWB. D) It was this 2008 collapse which nearly bankrupted the country and reverberated around the world which caused people to lose their assets. Obama was left holding the bag and being blamed for the hard times the country went through.
Every Republican administration since Reagan has run under the banner of deregulation and “free markets”. Every Republican/Conservative administration has packed the courts with corporatist under the guise of cultural warriors, that’s why they will never overturn Roe v. Wade. It was the 5 conservatives judges in the SCOTUS that passed “Citizens United” and “Corporations are people” laws, while the 4 democratic judges opposed it. It has been every Republican administration that has passed laws that benefit corps and given tax breaks that goes mainly to the wealthy, just like the last one which was orchestrated by trump and Ryan. It has been the Conservatives that have stood on the way of passing laws to curb Hedge funds managers, and have made sure that capital gains are taxed lower than income. It was Republicans who stood on the way of passing laws to restrain banks after the 2008 collapse.
Republicans attempt to destroy the EPA and any agency that they see as an impediment to corporate profit. They would rather see the planet devastated by climate change than let Corps lose a cent of profit. It has been the conservatives that whenever any plan or policy that is beneficial to the public rather than Corporations have viciously fought it while yelling “communism” while these are standard benefits in most of the modern world and even some 3rd world nations.
All of this has led to massive income/wealth inequality which is setting the world on fire. That has 0.1% holding nearly 80% of the wealth, while the 99% fight among themselves for the piece of the 20%. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see the outcome, which has people pointing fingers at those who have even less and basically no power as somehow being the culprit. Wich is now putting democracy in peril.
“We have a choice. We can have great wealth in the hands of a few, or we can have Democracy. But we can’t have both. ” – Louis Brandeis.
Viewing one’s opponents as “communist” is essentially McCarthyism in a nutshell.
@Joey Whorley Smaller Government is code for no checks or balances.
@RUSTY VENTURE Oil companies are private companies. They haven’t been drilling since covid. They did rake in $174 Billion in 2021, as the supply is shrinking. They love to blame democrats every time they play this game. Republicans let them dump and spill and destroy all they want, with no accountability.
@John Patrick Donald did indeed call the media the enemy of the people. Alternate facts are not news. Regarding arms. Nobody wants your fucking guns. This is a Donald quote.
Trump: “We’re going to take the firearms first and then go to court, because that’s another system. Because a lot of times by the time you go to court … it takes so long to go to court to get the due process procedures.”
@Warrior for Humanity the fastest way to not being called a racist is to stop saying racist remarks. Typically you only get called that when you make that type of remark.
@Joey Whorley you listen to propaganda and spout it like Carlson. The taxes went up on middleclass families with 5 and above members. I’d do the math for you but you clearly swallowed the bs spouted by the Republicans.
I’m surprised the GOP hasn’t put together a fact finding crew and gone over to Russia to let Putin know what a genius he is, yea and take that Trump with you. And when your done, stay there!
Democrats should stop calling their political opponents racist. Self-righteous hypocrites
You guys have really taken that out of context.
OMG!!!!! How about politicians and hate news media not call people Nazis just because a person has a different view from globalist!
They were busy not facilitating an invasion of Ukraine. Only democrats do that.
Lol the scoreboard doesn’t lie. Invasion under biden before trump. Invasion under biden after trump.
No Invasion under trump. Period. Score.
They won’t stop. It strikes a fear-chord with their base even though they obviously don’t know what the word means.
The best part about her is she can’t even spell more than half of the thing she calls people!😃🤣😎
I think they should continue doing so. Using communist or socialist as a cuss is a very effective way to introduce themself. To everyone outside the US it means: Hi, I’m poorly educated and from the US.
Probably because you’re on a US news outlet right? I doubt you’re checking out Hong Kongs outlets speaking on communism am I right or even able to understand other languages where communism is relevant. Good for you though can’t wait till those americans get theirs right 👍 @gailaholza2
You mean just like leftists calling people racist?
@Warrior for Humanity Not exactly, but youre quite close. It’s like idiots calling someone leftist. That also translates to: “Hi, I’m poorly educated and from the US”.
@Logan W Understanding the difference in using communist as a cuss and using communist by its regular meaning is obviously far too complex for you.
@Jeany Luisa no sometime saying communist is actually saying communist. Its not a slur just a fact.
When people who are too young to know what the cold war was like constantly hear things like being green and health care being called communist they begin to assume that they must be communist.
Biden and Harris are the biggest disappointments of modern times and 100 generations to come. Worst in USA🇺🇸 history.
Harris behavior on the World stage today was incredibly childish, foolish and inexcusable. She’s a cackling, incoherent 2 year old.
Biden and Harris are both total embarrassments on the World stage.🤦♀️
We the citizens of the USA🇺🇸, sincerely apologize to the people and leadership of Ukraine🇺🇦.
both are, when they’re accomplished via government force and coercion
@bngr bngr your comment about avoiding ww3 should have a million likes already.
Keep commenting and pushing peace, freedom and sanity. Maybe it will catch on?
No such thing as being too young to know. Many of the younger generation are better educated than generations that lived through it. However, I agree. “Communist”, “Fascist”, “Nazi”, “Racist” those terms get thrown around, so we should only really apply them where they work.
“Green” and “health care” are both ripoffs, because super-rich politicians in both parties don’t care about people or the planet.
He’s right- it IS worth calling these dirt-bags out. Shame on Kevin McCarthy and Greene.
The Republican definition of Communist/Socialist/Marxist: “Any idea, person or thing I don’t like!”
Not true at all.
You are fake news.
@Nando well, to be fair. A white supremacist is a white supremacist and they know who they are and what damage their beliefs and actions do to America and the world. The same goes for radical feminism and religious extremism.
Ask a Canadian about their Health Care System. It’s not pretty.
@Nando And the guest called that out too.
LordZontar, tell me how that isn’t what many Democrats do
What I’d like stopped? Politicians name calling (that’s both sides) and using buzzwords as a platform instead of actually discussing issues.
What exactly does calling out AOC a communist do for me as an average American? Will that put bread on my table? Keep my taxes fair? Keep us safe?
All I hear from the Right are complaints, buzzwords and insults. Where are the issues? More importantly, where are their solutions?
They don’t want to solve issues, they want things their way or they complain or worse they will riot like ungrateful little brats. It’s their way or it’s the highway money talks and bullshit walks.
They love money and they love power they ain’t for the hard working people of our country.
They don’t have any solutions, only insults and name-calling.
Yes, it’s mind blowing hearing Republicans calling programs designed to help regular American “Communism”. This is heartily welcomed by the 1% who wish the present system to continue, the inequality to continue for their own personal financial gain. Not all the 1%, some of whom realize that greater equity is good, not only for the average person but also for themselves.
It was R.Reagan with the cry of “greed is good” along with Newt Gingrich and his cry of “free markets” that did away with the regulations this caused…A) Enabled Co’s to find cheaper labor over seas, which also empowered China. B) Enabled the hostile takeover of smaller Co’s by bigger wealthier ones creating near monopolies and “too big to fail”, that have basically snuffed small business. C) Allowed Commercial banks to merge with Investment banks, investment houses and Rating houses which led to the 2008 economic collapse. Wich happened on the 2nd term of GWB. D) It was this 2008 collapse which nearly bankrupted the country and reverberated around the world which caused people to lose their assets. Obama was left holding the bag and being blamed for the hard times the country went through.
Every Republican administration since Reagan has run under the banner of deregulation and “free markets”. Every Republican/Conservative administration has packed the courts with corporatist under the guise of cultural warriors, that’s why they will never overturn Roe v. Wade. It was the 5 conservatives judges in the SCOTUS that passed “Citizens United” and “Corporations are people” laws, while the 4 democratic judges opposed it. It has been every Republican administration that has passed laws that benefit corps and given tax breaks that goes mainly to the wealthy, just like the last one which was orchestrated by trump and Ryan. It has been the Conservatives that have stood on the way of passing laws to curb Hedge funds managers, and have made sure that capital gains are taxed lower than income. It was Republicans who stood on the way of passing laws to restrain banks after the 2008 collapse.
Republicans attempt to destroy the EPA and any agency that they see as an impediment to corporate profit. They would rather see the planet devastated by climate change than let Corps lose a cent of profit. It has been the conservatives that whenever any plan or policy that is beneficial to the public rather than Corporations have viciously fought it while yelling “communism” while these are standard benefits in most of the modern world and even some 3rd world nations.
All of this has led to massive income/wealth inequality which is setting the world on fire. That has 0.1% holding nearly 80% of the wealth, while the 99% fight among themselves for the piece of the 20%. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see the outcome, which has people pointing fingers at those who have even less and basically no power as somehow being the culprit. Wich is now putting democracy in peril.
“We have a choice. We can have great wealth in the hands of a few, or we can have Democracy. But we can’t have both. ” – Louis Brandeis.
Coming from the people who call everyone who they disagree with fascist and nazis nobody wants to hear your opinion
Same goes for Democrars calling Republican Nazis
I have to agree with you and those who commented prior to your remarks. Education is most important, some remarked that certain novels were required reading. What is going on in many schools with many books being banned, this is a new beginning to an old problem, mind f—king. To define communism, all one has to do is refer to WW2 and hitler. Today’s version of communism is loosely used to make something useful and beneficial to the greater majority unacceptable and unamerican. In all reality those shouting about communism are the one’s who want that way of life for us in America. This is not a new attitude, I must say I haven’t felt the awareness and the effect as strong as I have since Trump was in the WH, and it is has spread nationally. When it rolls so easily off the tongues of our elected leaders, that’s an epidemic, a shot in the arm will not protect us.
@Louise Collard Same goes for calling Republicans “racist” and “Nazis”
I have a degree in political science and it really irks me how people just throw around terms that they know nothing about. I laugh when Republicans call Dems both Fascists and Communists because it’s impossible to be both. One is on the far right of the global political spectrum and one is on the far left. You can have tyranny and communism but not fascism and communism. Also socialism and communism aren’t the same thing.
@bgoodfella7413 you are incorrect. Fascists we’re centralist, authoritarian.
@Florida Mann Ok, my bad.
I am still a horrible person. I lived in Winnipeg, sorry.
@Jonathan Mol Im not an expert on communism but what happened during the Bolshevik period made people aware how dangerous the ideology of communism was until today. From modern communication techno we saw the atrocities in CN, NK, RU and around the world. Thé US is far from it yet politicians have no respect to their citizens. Twisted politics, misinformation to gain votes. Education is important and should be given free as part of a Social structure and security of the country. Yet they branded it as communism because it’s free.
@Per-Einar Dahlen i do agrée. Ism belief is very dangerous. Most of Europe are Social Democrats where the basic necessities like Free Education and Universal Healthcare we’re provided including countries infrastructure. Thé politicians ignorance destroys the country. Too much Capitalism kills the people. There are too many homeless with nowhere to go. Reading from the news that even simple dental care is very expensive when it’s free from here. I felt sad for the people. Yet Universal Healthcare were being opposed, having that notion « free » is communism.
@Marie Rocher Its really sad that the richest country have the most homeless. Just shows how greed wins over decency.
A lot of homeless are in dire need of mental help and secure living conditions the rest of us take for granted.
The irony is U.S.A could reduce the military spending with no problem, and solving most basic issues. But no, the military budget are increased by both parties without hesitation. The patriotism only lacks at home in the U.S.
Exactly! This is one of the most frustrating Parts I’ve seen in American politics. Don’t get me wrong, the Dems do stupid stuff like this to, the GOP is simply maddening.
The irony is that even Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Pol Pot were NOT ‘communists’, they were ‘totalitarian despotic dictators’ who used the words ‘socialism’, ‘communism’ and ‘Marxism’ as a way to gain popular public support. Their extreme policies were nothing like what Marx was envisioning. Marx himself and Engels would be horrified at how the words ‘socialism’, ‘communism’ and ‘Marxism’ have been distorted into the very antithesis of their intention. The word ‘socialism’ comes from the word ‘social’ (meaning: relating to society / needing companionship and therefore best suited to living in communities). The word ‘communism’ comes from the ‘commune’ (meaning: a group of people living together and sharing possessions and responsibilities), and ‘community’ (meaning: a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common / a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals).
Social democracy is a form of ‘socialism’. It’s the form of government used in the Nordic Model (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) where not only are they in the TOP 10 working democracies in the World (US is 36th and considered a deficient democracy), they are also ranked in the TOP 10 for happiness (US is ranked 14th).
Finally, genuine socialism (not the tropes) is in fact more democratic than capitalism, because labor unions where workers get to vote for pay and conditions within the work place are encouraged under left-wing social democratic policies, and are resisted under right-wing conservative capitalist administrations and organizations, because it takes power away from the wealthy ruling class (the bourgeoisie) and increases power to the collective masses of poor and working middle-class (the proletariat). Genuine ‘socialism’ evens the playing field in the class struggle between the rich and powerful and the poor and weak. Capitalism just encourages the adages: “might makes right” and “the strong do what they can, while the weak suffer what they must”.
We shouldn’t conflate political and economic systems, they are connected but different. All political and economic systems have their own problems, but social democracy is the best balance between the extremes, and it’s the most fair and just for the majority of society. The happiness of citizens in Scandinavian countries is working proof of that; a market economy with social values where no one is left behind.