Top Congressional Republicans Decry Progressive Policies as Socialist

Top congressional Republicans in Washington, D.C. have recently decried progressive policies as either “socialist” or “socialism.” From environmental regulations to voting rights extension as well as campaign finance reforms, a potential Third Red Scare is gradually on the rise in the country.  

On March 5th during a debate on a Senate Floor, Republican Senate Majority Leader and Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell criticized a proposed House bill from the Democrats called For the People Act that would reform campaign finance laws, congressional redistricting, and expand voting rights. He said that this bill is a “one radical, half-baked socialist proposal.” The bill is unlikely to pass a Republican majority Senate.

Last Saturday, March 9th, while visiting his own home state, Californian Congressman Devin Nunes, who is a Republican Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, called California’s new law that limits non-biodegradable plastic straws only to individual customers who request them “socialism” on Twitter.

Anti-socialism rhetoric is on the rise amongst the Republican Party and the rest of the political right as the progressive anti-capitalist ideology is gaining steam amongst younger populations with political figures such as Bernie Sanders, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez leading it into the mainstream.