A Siena College poll found that while the majority of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s constituents approve of her politics, they don’t identify as democratic socialists.
If anything, this proves that, like their favorite congresswoman, they might not be completely sure of what the term means, despite supporting policies that would essentially put much of our economy in the hands of the state and give bureaucrats even greater powers over people’s private property.
Siena College found that 57% do not agree with Cortez on her opposition to Amazon settling in Queens. And at least 58% said they support Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s efforts to get Amazon to reconsider. Still, 52% of voters in New York’s 14th congressional district say they approve the freshman congresswoman, making her New York’s most liked politician.
But despite their love for the young lawmaker, 70% of voters do not call themselves democratic socialists, a term Cortez often uses to label her politics. Still, 60% support Cortez’s plan to increase taxes on anyone making more than $10 million and about 75% agree that college tuition at public colleges should be “free.” In other words, they support the idea of further property confiscation in order to fund higher education.
In addition, three-quarters also want to ban so-called assault weapons, implement Medicare-for-all, and institute a federal jobs guarantee, a policy that would turn having a job into a government-protected right.
If implemented, the policy would work on the premise that everyone is entitled to a “good job,” and that bureaucrats are tasked with making sure jobs are are “fitted to people, not the other way around,” as this HuffPost writer puts it.
Making long story short, a federal jobs guarantee would be an assault against employers and their property rights, as this policy would strip them of their right to pick employees based on their skills and on whether they are a right fit for their business. It would also hurt employees, as they would not be free to enter a voluntary contract with an employer. Needless to say, Cortez is a vocal supporter of this plan.
Democratic Socialism Is Socialism
Communists and democratic socialists all want the same thing: to create heaven on earth by abolishing private property. But unlike communists, who believe in a revolutionary and immediate change, democratic socialists want to implement gradual reforms. In the end, the goal is the same. And the changes, whether implemented by force through revolution or gradually by a democratically elected congress, all have the same consequences.
As soon as the pricing system is severed in a democratic socialist society and entrepreneurs no longer have any incentives to compete in whatever is left of the market, the economy collapses. When that happens, the powers that be take over.
In order to keep the order, as starving individuals will end up rebelling against their rulers, central planners will unleash the military against them, forcing citizens to follow their orders or face the wrath of the state.
Until then, however, democratic socialists will swear that both material abundance and equality can exist in a socialist society. And that tyranny is what exists when capitalism reigns supreme.
As professor Anthony P. Mueller explains, socialism proves that society cannot be centrally planned, much less turned into heaven on earth. In the end, all socialists manage to achieve is the very opposite.
Cortez’s supporters may not call themselves democratic socialists, but the policies they defend all lead to the same end result — whether they like it or not.
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