Republicans can thank themselves for socialism

Manny Fidel: The back-and-forth between Republicans and Democrats on socialism is enough to give you whiplash. But one thing is true: socialism is on the rise. 43% of Americans now say that some form of socialism is good for the country, compared to just 25% in 1942. Comrades are popping up like Starbucks all over America. As much as Republicans hate this, it turns out they have themselves to thank.

It is their own policies and actions that have positioned democratic socialism as a legitimate option for Americans. Congratulations; you’ve played yourself. Here’s the trend. Republicans dismantle moderate liberal policies. They attack those policies as socialism and institute their own far-right ideas. That causes Democrats to respond with an even more left-leaning proposal. And because of that back-and-forth, more Americans are now considering giving some form of socialism a chance.