Social media commentators Wednesday scoffed at Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin’s declaration that the United States is “not going back to socialism,” noting America never had a socialist government in the first place.
Mnuchin’s remarks were a jarring variation of President Donald Trump’s assertion during his State of the Union address that America “will never be a socialist country.”
Journalist and MSNBC commentator David Corn tweeted “elements” of socialism have been ingrained in some longtime programs.
“‘Not going back’? So does he propose to abolish Social Security, Medicare, federal flood insurance, food stamps, school lunches, corporate welfare subsidies, and other elements of socialism that have long been part of the American tradition?” Corn asked.
Strategy adviser Brian Klein said the comments by both Trump and Mnuchin may backfire.
“The U.S. was never a socialist country,” he tweeted. "If he's talking Social Security or Medicare they just lost a major demographic.”
One poster advised “Mnuchin would be wise to Google what socialism is and contrast that to the US economy,” while another commentator accused Mnuchin of twisting the facts, tweeting, “Politicians utilize the word ‘socialism’ frequently to elicit a societal fear response… I despise manipulation of the public by government officials.”
Still another tweeted “Mnuchin is brainwashed with British Liberalism. FDR did what the Constitution required of him, Trump should do the same. Socialism?”
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