Nationalism is “a sense of national consciousness exalting one nation above all others and placing primary emphasis on promotion of its culture and interests as opposed to those of other nations.”
Trumpism is, of course, a blatantly nationalist movement.
Socialism is “any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.”
In practical terms, in today’s world, socialism has come to mean government involvement in certain aspects of society, such as education, health care and social safety-net programs.
Republicans are trying to paint Democrats as rabid socialists, but actually they ought to look in the mirror. Donald Trump seems to think he can command American businesses to stop doing business with China. He is interfering in markets with his irresponsible tariffs, offering subsidies to farmers to offset the effects of his tariffs, and giving handouts to coal companies to prevent their demise at the hand of the market. And he is trying to influence the Federal Reserve, which is supposed to be independent.
If there is a socialist party in America, it is Trump’s Republican Party.
So, considering all this, perhaps the GOP needs to change its nickname to Grand Old National Socialist Party.
Roger Terry, Orem
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