Trump Versus Sanders Is Not Capitalism Versus Socialism

Not since the chants of “Yes We Can” back in 2008, when the then-Illinois senator Barack Obama took the world by storm, triumphantly out-campaigning Hillary Clinton and blazing past a bamboozled John McCain (credit Sarah Palin), has an election garnered this much attention from the media and the public.

Out of the remaining five presidential candidates, the three strongest contenders are Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, real estate mogul Donald Trump, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Sanders and Trump are running the most electrifying campaigns due to their ability to speak plainly about popular topics while whispering (but usually shouting) one of the sweetest words into the electorate ear: change. No one sold change better than Senator Obama. As a matter of fact, that infamous slogan – “Yes We Can” – is still chanted eight years later at Sanders rallies. This year’s merchants of change continue to welcome a line of eager buyers. Sanders and Trump share a similarity in the anti-establishment message they’re voicing, but many agree they couldn’t be further apart when it comes to politics.

The notion that Trump is a capitalist and Sanders is a socialist is simply not true. Any voter who casts their ballot on the basis of this lie stands to be disappointed. Granted, the Vermont senator does not shy away from one of the dirtiest words in American politics – socialism – while his counterpart, media maestro Donald Trump, is comfortable playing to the tune of capitalist so long as his base keeps singing his praises. The ideology that capitalism is the American dream and socialism is part of the communist nightmare still resonates with many people. Based on that interpretation, Sanders is bad, and Trump is better. Therein lies the problem with pigeonholing these candidates, as neither is a socialist or a capitalist. While speaking to a crowd at Georgetown University, the World Socialist Website reported Bernie Sanders simply stating that he is not a socialist:

“The next time you hear me attacked as a socialist, remember this: I don’t believe government should own the means of production… I believe in private companies that thrive and invest and grow in America instead of shipping jobs and profits overseas.”

Trump, on the other hand, is the perceived capitalist, but how can he be when he is in favor of social programs? Trump is not in line with powerful CEOs, lobbyists, and politicians, who are in favor of cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. He stands with the people who fight to keep these socialist programs alive, as they help millions of Americans every waking day. Ballotpedia breaks down each candidate and the Federal Assistant Programs (read: socialist programs) they support. Ballotpedia covered Trump taking his stance on socialist programs at an Iowa Freedom Summit in January,

“… I’ll probably be the only Republican that doesn’t want to cut Social Security. I want to make the country rich so that Social Security can be afforded and Medicare and Medicaid. Get rid of the waste. Get rid of the fraud. But you deserve your Social Security.”

Americans are not voting for the capitalist party or the socialist party. Be wary of the media or society’s lowest rung of free speech advocates: internet trolls tweeting you into believing that Sanders is a weak, libtard, socialist/communist who knows nothing about economics, or that Trump is a racist, sexist, flip-flopping, greed-mongering capitalist. Every remaining presidential candidate is in favor of socialist programs (yes, even Trump) and capitalist policies (yes, even Sanders). The question is and should always be: which combination of policies works best for you and your country?

[Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images]