How News Sources Portray Socialism Policy
This chart shows how major news sources across the ideological spectrum frame socialism policy, from left to right-leaning perspectives.
The Democratic platform expresses support for systems of socialized healthcare such as Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, the Republican platform acknowledges the importance of socialized healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, but expresses a desire to limit access to these programs to just the elderly and absolute impoverished. The Republican platform also condemns many aspects of the Affordable Care Act, implying a limit to the extent of socialized healthcare that the party will tolerate. On the Affordable Care Act specifically, public support is pretty consistently split along party lines; 64% of Republican voters reported that they regarded the ACA negatively, while 67% of Democratic voters reported the opposite.
Politicians Who Support Socialism
Bernie Sanders
“Democratic socialism means that we must create an economy that works for all, not just the very wealthy. Democratic socialism means that we must reform a political system in America today which is not only grossly unfair but, in many respects, corrupt. ... In my view, it's time we had democratic socialism for working families, not just Wall Street, billionaires, and large corporations.”
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
“For me, democratic socialism is about getting a modern and moral and wealthy society. No person in America should be too poor to live. To me, what that means is value—we value funding public education, we value healthcare as a right, we value treating people with dignity at work.”
Politicians Who Oppose Socialism
Donald Trump
“Here, in the United States, we are alarmed by new calls to adopt socialism in our country. America was founded on liberty and independence — not government coercion, domination and control. We are born free, and we will stay free. ... Tonight, we renew our resolve that America will never be a socialist country.”
Mike Pence
“Before us are two paths: one based on the dignity of every individual, and the other on the growing control of the state. Our road leads to greater freedom and opportunity. Their road leads to socialism and decline.”
