Thune: Today’s Democrat Party Is the Proud Home of Socialism

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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor: Thune’s remarks below (as delivered): “Mr. President, there’s no doubt that the Democrat Party has moved sharply left in recent years. “But this election cycle has seen the Democrat Party take a big step further – toward full-blown socialism. “New York City’s new Democrat mayor – a self-proclaimed democrat socialist – might be the most notable example. “But he’s far from alone. “Around the country, socialists have been winning Democrat primaries. “And it’s no exaggeration to say that socialism is rapidly gaining a prominent new role in the Democrat Party. “So let’s talk a little about socialism, Mr. President, and the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America. “And when you take a look at the platform, right away you see some predictable things – namely, government control of almost everything. “Health care. “Business. “Housing. “Education. “Energy. “All of these sectors would come under government control in a Democrat Socialist state. “And when I say government control, I don’t just mean they would be hit with a lot of regulations. “I mean government control. “Government would become the ultimate decision-maker for American families in most aspects of their life. “Take health care, for example. “We often talk about the doctor-patient relationship in medicine. “Well, under Democrat Socialism, that would be a lot more like the government-patient relationship. “It’s the government that would decide what health care Americans are eligible for. “What medications they can take. “And when and where they’re able to access care. “Americans, Mr. President, place a high value on choice and freedom. “But freedom and choice do not last very long when government takes over. “And under Democrat Socialism, Mr. President, government would be truly taking over. “I could dedicate a whole speech to what happens when government takes control of the economy and the means of production. “And of health care and education and energy … “But there’s more to the Democratic Socialist platform that I want to talk about. “Mr. President, I guess I have to hand it to Democrat Socialists, despite their plan for government takeover of most aspects of American life, they do have a couple of cuts on the table. “But the nature of those cuts is a big problem. “Democrat Socialists would like to defund the Pentagon. “They would like to abolish immigration enforcement. “And they would like to eliminate the police. “That’s right, Mr. President. “The official platform – the official platform – of the Democratic Socialists states that their goal is to, and I quote, ‘demilitarize police departments, disempower police unions, and redirect funding to public services as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system …’ “Think about that. “‘… as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system …’ “The official platform, Mr. President, of the Democrat Socialists of America. “Mr. President, I don’t think I need to explain to anyone just how unhinged that is. “If anyone thinks we can keep our communities safe while fully abolishing the police and prison system, I have some oceanfront property in South Dakota to sell them. “But the problem, Mr. President, is that Democrat Socialists do believe this. “Swept up in their utopian fantasies, they believe that by implementing the right system – socialism – they can somehow do away with human evil and remove the need for police or prisons. Or armies for that matter. “But of course, no system is going to be able to fully eliminate evil. “No matter how many social programs you put in place or how much education the government provides, there are always going to be men and women who choose to harm others for their own ends. “And the idea that we would eliminate the men and women who protect society from these people … well, Mr. President, again, I don’t think I need to explain to anyone just how quickly the peace and safety that we take for granted would evaporate – on both a local and a national scale. “And the Democratic Socialist platform doesn’t end there, Mr. President. “Everything I’ve discussed so far would remake our country on a massive scale, to the point of its being unrecognizable as the free, secure, and prosperous nation that we’ve known over the past 250 years. “But Democrat Socialists would take it even further. “Their platform calls for officially changing our system of government – for eliminating the Senate and replacing, and I quote, ‘the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress.’ “Those aren’t tweaks around the margin, Mr. President. “That is a full abolishment of the American system. “That is the elimination of the checks and balances that define our government and help prevent any one branch from exceeding its lawful authority. “And it is the elimination – the elimination – of real protection for minority rights. “I quote again: ‘… we know complete victory will require building a new society from the ground up,’ the authors of the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America write. “And that is exactly what they propose to do – eliminate the American system, and build another in its place. “And this, Mr. President, is the political organization that is currently finding a home in the Democrat Party. “Democrats are giving a home to an organization not merely dedicated to the radical expansion of government, but to the actual elimination of our system of government. “Why? “Well, Mr. President, at its worst, socialism moves into a full-blown communism – the economic system that characterized the Soviet Union and oversaw not merely the exploitation of workers and ordinary people but the complete loss of freedom for millions and the death of millions more. “And just in case you think that has nothing to do with the Democrat Socialists of America, think again. “The Wall Street Journal reports that several members of the Democratic Socialists’ National Political Committee are, and I quote, ‘dedicated Marxists and communists.’ “One of the organization’s national co-chairs, in fact, is a member of the Democratic Socialists’ Red Star Caucus, whose goal is not merely socialism, but communism. “Communism, Mr. President. “The hallmark of some of the world’s most repressive regimes. “And so I ask again, Mr. President – why are Democratic Socialists finding a home in the Democrat Party?”