In Memory of William Blum, Socialist, RIP
Given a certain mood in a few local disqus threads the following two essays seemed aprops: Bernie Sanders: Just What Kind of Socialist? - LA Progressive Trump and Russia: What Can Go Wrong? Longish excerpt: Bernie Sanders: Just What Kind of Socialist? BY WILLIAM BLUM POSTED ON FEBRUARY 5, 2016 "Self-described socialist” … How many times have we all read that term in regard to Vermont senator Bernie Sanders? But is he really a socialist? Or is he a “social democrat”, which is what he’d be called in Europe? Or is he a “democratic socialist”, which is the American party he has been a member of (DSA – Democratic Socialists of America)? And does it really matter which one he is? They’re all socialists, are they not? Why does a person raised in a capitalist society become a socialist? It could be because of a parent or parents who are committed socialists and raise their children that way. But it’s usually because the person has seen capitalism up c...