@randahl Ah, but, maybe the Heritage Foundation is measuring the "wrong sort of freedom"?

Americans tend to go for "freedom to" (do whatever the fuck you like to other people), whereas the rest of the world tends to go for "freedom from" (having nasty things done to you).

@randahl

"socialist" for the vast majority of americans functions on the same level of intelligence education and meaning as a toddler calling another toddler "bad meanie poopiehead"

all garden variety discourse over the word is completely pointless and stupid

@randahl It's not just Republicans. I've had a very long argument with a Bernie Sanders supporter when I cited people from Nordic governments saying they weren't socialists.
It's not the only term that's misused though. Liberal, conservative, and republican for example....

@randahl Very few Americans understand the Scandinavian economic models. But I think that institution was using that survey as a hammer more than anything else. They wanted to put America low on the list so that they could argue repeal for as much as possible.

@randahl Our capitalists restrict our freedom for the sake of their freedom. That's prolly less socialism and more fascism. Or something like that. I definitely feel this when it comes to health care options.

@randahl not only repubs,but also establishment dems, too.

@randahl government integrity rose under trump admins per this list. That's how seriously anybody should take this.

@randahl #DemSoc

@randahl I kind of like telling my Canadian friends and family about my life in the socialist workers’ paradise of Denmark 😂 … and they are all jealous!

@randahl

I’m gonna be bold and tell you to reframe the epithet. A long time ago, I got tired of the death, amatory nature of this. To draw on a religious reference it’s false witness.

Socialist nation is a nation where the people decide what happens. They decide what they’re working conditions are like they decide what kind of services they provide to themselves through public services. This is different from a kind of society where arrogant rich, entitled people dictate what happens.

1/2

@randahl for Americans socialism is anything they are scared off. Big bad wolf of the American political landscape.

In other words, socialism is good.

@randahl
In Germany we say
„Viel Meinung, aber wenig Ahnung.“
(„A lot of opinion, but not much idea (of what is happening)“

@randahl like being mid inferno of commedia and being told you’re a socialist for leaving

@randahl

Republicans have long understood the power of words, twisting positive and even neutral terms into a negative attack.

As Orwell taught, without the words, you cannot even think of resistance.