Socialists set the record straight on alleged Democrat socialists in Congress

A moment from America’s past: Painters go on strike at the new Internal Revenue building in Washington, D.C., July 19, 1937. The Library of Congress caption reads: “Bryce P. Holcombe, Painters Union Business Agent, issues instructions to Albert Giacalone(?), striking Union Painter as he began picketing of Union Painters. Cause of the strike is the employment of non-union men by the firm holding the contract for the job. Today's walkout means that Union Painters have stopped work on all federal projects and the situation might develop into a complete strike on government buildings in the Capitol.” [Photo is from Harris and Ewing Collection, the LOC.]

Now entering the Internet Hall of Flame: socialists are infuriated because select right wing bloggers have published a list of Democrat members of Congress who are allegedly members of a group devoted to socialism.

Problem is, said the Democratic Socialists of America, the Socialist Party of America does not exist.

And to clarify the record, DSA offers an explanation: “The American Socialist Party is not the Socialist Party USA and the Socialist Party of America has not existed since 1973 after it had a three way split...This page is about the Democratic Socialists of America which is not a party but rather a PAC, political action committee.”

And to express some righteous indignation, there’s a video to dispel the stereotype of the common socialist. The caption: “This is how the center-left views the ignorance we have read from the witch hunting.”

The actual list being published on a number of blogs is the roster for Democrat congressmen in the Progressive Caucus, according to DSA. I spotted one infamous  name—Rep. Alan Grayson who hails from Florida Dist. 8. It’s sort of hard to imagine Grayson, who called a female Clinton adviser a ‘K Street whore,’ being progressive enough to claim he’s not gender-biased.

The header to the DSA article said, “Attention to all the Republican & Tea Party pundits and bloggers.”

The ‘Republican’ part caught my eye, and I decided I would just do the right thing and provide a column clearing up the record.

But when I re-read the part about the three way split, the PAC and the Progressive Caucus, it all seemed a bit silly. Do Democrat congressmen contribute to the DSA PAC? I have no idea, but it seems appropriate, don’t you think?

Here’s the DSA mission statement: “We are socialists because we reject an international economic order sustained by private profit, alienated labor, race and gender discrimination, environmental destruction, and brutality and violence in defense of the status quo...We are socialists because we share a vision of a humane international social order based both on democratic planning and market mechanisms to achieve equitable distribution of resources, meaningful work, a healthy environment, sustainable growth, gender and racial equality, and non-oppressive relationships.”

Having read the mission statement, I’d have to say the group has pretty much got what it wanted from our current Congress and White House. Wealth redistribution is going very well, with a lot of it redistributed outside the USA.

The government now has control over student loans and DSA can now celebrate more than 700 Floridians losing their jobs because of that—a little unforeseen ‘alienated labor’ maybe? The government now owns a car company and as a result many dealerships were closed—let us now praise democratic planning. I think DSA is still working on that brutality and violence, though. Maybe they could take some tips from the New Black Panther Party.

What’s interesting to me is that a group who promotes a comedy skit based on broad stereotypes—if you’re a conservative, you got beat with a Bible by your daddy every day and like that—could be miffed about anything. The corny video is one long stereotype, although I admit humor can be effective in calming/conning the masses. Look what it's done for Vice-President Joe Biden.

The Democrat Party at present is pursuing a socialist agenda, in deeds if not in political declarations. Why not just come out and admit it and be done with it? Aren’t you progressives proud of what you’ve accomplished in the four years Dems have held absolute control of Congress and the nearly two years you’ve held the White House as well?

I’d think socialists would be sending the Democrat National Committee a big old bunch of dandelions—they’re free, quite common and you can eat the green part.

And I’d think conservatives would make good use of the check-your-sources-twice rule of thumb. We don’t want to upset the socialists—they’ve got enough collective angst to go ‘round the world a dozen times.

 (Commentary by Kay B. Day/Aug. 16, 2010)