Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Thursday, August 20, 2026

Democratic Socialists are capturing more votes than ever before ...

More

Alternate links: Google News | Twitter

here's today's post: "Abdul El-Sayed, fuck yeah" -- and fuck yeah, Democratic Socialists. thanks for reading, and please sign up for my daily newsletter to keep getting the good stuff --

[image or embed]

-- Jeff Tiedrich (@jefftiedrich.bsky.social) 10:50 AM · Aug 12, 2026

Comments

Admin's note: Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

---- off you lying sack of ----.

#1 | Posted by LegallyYourDead at 2026-08-18 05:52 PM | Reply | Funny: 1 | Newsworthy 1

Moderate Democrats are largely also crony capitalists. Much like old school Republicans. They're just not as bigoted, cold, calculating and corrupt as MAGA Republicans.

#2 | Posted by Whatsleft at 2026-08-20 06:04 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Carville is big mad.

#3 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2026-08-20 06:06 PM | Reply

The younger generation sees Democracy as failing them. With student debt to pay back many can't afford rent, much less the things like the utilities that come with it, the food, the medical they can't afford. Buying a house is totally out of reach most of them. According to Fortune magazine, 49% of them ages between 18 and 29 are still living at home. They can not afford to live on their own. The economy is headed downwards with Walmart, the favorite among most that age's shopping place lost 8% in their stock value. It is an early warning of what's coming.

Gas is up with Trump's war of choice. Everything that requires moved or made from oil, such as plastic, has gone up. Aluminum has gone up to make cans for food and it's other many uses. Food is up. Wages while going up some isn't keeping up with inflation. Jobs are being cut, looking for AI to make a difference. In some places it has but not in big payoffs over labor that was expected.

More are dropping out of seeking employment, because they've given up finally. Everyone is taking applications and few are being called for hiring. Even the adjusted employment report shows the upgraded report as no where near the first estimate with a drop in employment Businesses are keeping some of the employees the have but they are not hiring replacements. You got a job, you keep it because finding a job isn't easy anymore.

Many are foolishly living on their credit cards or taking short term payday loans and as a reelection paying for things by installment has become popular because all the money isn't needed up front.

You want to know why socialists are doing better in elections? Because both parties aren't getting things done. They are at loggerheads with each other over party politics and not doing what needs be done for the nation. According to Pew Research Center Congress has passed all its required appropriations measures on time only four times: fiscal 1977 (the first full fiscal year under the current system), 1989, 1995 and 1997. And even those last three times, Congress was late in passing the budget blueprint that, in theory at least, precedes the actual spending bills

#4 | Posted by BBQ at 2026-08-20 06:21 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Moderate Democrats are largely also crony capitalists. Much like old school Republicans.

It wild what I have been saying this for 4-5 years now and it was verboten, I was a Russian agent, when I said it.

NOW its gospel.

Its just fascinating to watch the denial of people like WhatApp, TruthNLies, SpeaksLikeNIdiot, DonorBot today.

I agree with BBQ,have been saying for 4-5yrs now when inflation first started. It wasn't Bidens fault though any critique was against the narrative;

Its the spending, anyone with half a brain can tell you that.

I should really be put on a pedestal, every Lumper should throw rose pedals at my feet, and proclaim, that I OneIronNaut is the greatest Drudge poster of all time.

*sigh*

#5 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-20 06:47 PM | Reply | Funny: 2

The younger generation sees Democracy as failing them.
4/BBQ

In my family it's capitalism. My Millennials are ready to sharpen the guillotines. Both have worked since they left college, one now in corporate US (I laugh) and one is an English teacher.

They learned this on their own, not that I was Mr. Chamber of Commerce. And they sounded nothing like this 10 years ago.

#6 | Posted by Dbt2 at 2026-08-20 08:24 PM | Reply

Only two choices for how the future goes, either we devolve into being a fascist, banana republic state where the super rich dominate, as in Russia, or we evolve into a country where all share in the wealth and have access to a great medical system and have decent housing.
Trumpism or Bernie-ism.

#7 | Posted by Hughmass at 2026-08-21 06:43 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

Careful now--much more of this Democratic Socialist thingy and Sen. Schumer is going to write a strongly-worded letter to someone, and that's the problem with old-guard Dems...

#8 | Posted by catdog at 2026-08-21 08:05 AM | Reply

This is how the fascists win.

#9 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-08-21 08:08 AM | Reply

AIPAC sabotaged and stifled US Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) when he ran for POTUS in 2016.

The AIPAC pod-people are strong and have well-infiltrated the US body politic.

This invasive species will smear and denounce all of the 2026 and 2028 DSA candidates.

Look how the AIPAC-ers have lost their minds over the competent and popular NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D).

Source: Bernie got screwed

"Muslim lover!"


"FUNNY"

#10 | Posted by C0RI0LANUS at 2026-08-21 08:16 AM | Reply

Its the spending, anyone with half a brain can tell you that.

Spending is only half the problem. The other half is revenue; something conservatives don't want to discuss!

#11 | Posted by FedUpWithPols at 2026-08-21 09:37 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Bernie Bros. revenge.

#12 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-21 10:19 AM | Reply

-You want to know why socialists are doing better in elections?

I don't it's fair to say that's really all that true........yet.

Because we're talking about a small handful of primaries....right?

There are reasons why democrats run to the middle when they certainly know they can stay out to the left.

We always have people pissed off at "democracy". Maybe we have more right now.

But as I've said and will continue to say........many establishment democrats originally ran as more progressive candidate.....then inch by inch....walked back to the middle. They couldn't get re-elected otherwise.

#13 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-21 10:29 AM | Reply

Bernie Bros. revenge.

Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-21 10:19 AM | Reply

I know. I'm loving every minute of it.

#14 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2026-08-21 10:35 AM | Reply

walked back to the middle.

Not anymore. In order to pay for all the socialist policies, they're going to have to vote for starving the MIC. People are tired of wars, and besides, unless we fight Russia or China, there aren't any shithole countries to fight anymore. Unless we attack Africa. It'll be the same as the Nordic Socialist countries. They don't pay a $trillion military budget. It'll be the same here.

#15 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-08-21 10:53 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

"It'll be the same here."
Agree, exect for out taxes will go up to the 40 percentile range.

#16 | Posted by path at 2026-08-21 11:20 AM | Reply

"The other half is revenue; something conservatives don't want to discuss!"

Do progressives?

Consider Finland. A household in Finland making 53K EUR ($62K) per year would have a tax rate of 34%. The tax rate for someone earning that same income in Boise Idaho, would be 12%.

Do you think someone living in Boise would be game for seeing their annual tax obligation nearly triple? And that's ignoring the fact that Finland also has a value-added tax.

#17 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 11:26 AM | Reply

The DSA is mostly theatrics. Their positions, especially when it comes to the economy, are not grounded in reality.

#18 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 11:26 AM | Reply

Right now, to pay of the national debt, each USan would need to write a check for ~117K.

#19 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 11:28 AM | Reply

Right now, to pay of the national debt, each USan would need to write a check for ~117K.
#19 | Posted by madbomber

^
Is this one of those DSA positions, not grounded in economic reality?

My share of the debt should be in proportion youy share of America's aggregate wealth.

So maybe more like $20.

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 11:44 AM | Reply

Do you think someone living in Boise would be game for seeing their annual tax obligation nearly triple?
#17 | Posted by madbomber

If it meant not having any black people around, probably.

#21 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 11:48 AM | Reply

Right now, to pay of the national debt, each USan would need to write a check for ~117K.

#19 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 11:28 AM | Reply | Flag:

My share of the debt should be in proportion youy share of America's aggregate wealth.

#20 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 11:44 AM | Reply | Flag:

Are we doing a massive, 1 time progressively bracketed levy to pay the debt? I had an agent come up with some fast brackets. If your net worth is under $193k, it'd be a 5% and come up with all of a quarter trillion dollars. That's the bottom 50% of American households and feels theatrical given the $40 Trillion debt. I wonder which states those mostly are in too..

Anyways, the next 40% is people up to $1.94M, at 10% of their net worth. The people getting taxed the hardest here are the higher real estate value blue staters in California, NY, the ones that flee to Florida for retirement, and be very, very bad for elderly people on fixed incomes if they own a home. However, that generates $5 trillion. Now we're getting somewhere, only 34.75 Trillion to go.

Now you're in the political donor class, the top 10%, with 25% 35% then 45% levies, to get the last $34.75 trillion. How that's supposed to work given they typically have relatively low liquid assets compared to stock holdings, is left unexplored.

#22 | Posted by sitzkrieg at 2026-08-21 12:31 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Gen Z turns against capitalism as DSA takes off
thehill.com

... Only 9 percent of Americans younger than 30 have a "very positive" view of capitalism, according to a new CBS/YouGov poll.

That shows a stark generation between Generation Z and older generations.

Thirty-three percent of people older than 65, or those in the baby boomer generation, said they have a very positive view of capitalism, while 23 percent of people aged 45-64, a group that includes Generation Xers and older millennials, view capitalism very positively.

Millennials in the 30-44 age range were closer to Gen Z, with just 15 percent saying they had a very positive view of capitalism.

Forty-one percent of respondents younger than 30 had a very negative or somewhat negative view of capitalism. That compares with 27 percent of those 65 and older, 32 percent of those aged 45-64 and 37 percent of those aged 30-44.

The data arrives amid a surge in democratic socialist victories across the U.S. -- and not just in progressive corners of the country. Florida state Rep. Angie Nixon (D) on Tuesday beat out the more moderate Alex Vindman (D) in the Democratic Senate primary in Florida, a state known for its sunshine, not socialism.

Ashik Siddique, national co-chair of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), said the polling illustrates what the group is seeing at the street level: Generation Z is ready for a big change.

"We've seen that polling and it's definitely striking, but to us, it really tracks with the experience that so many younger people have," Siddique told The Hill.

"Gen Z, especially by now, just like wasn't even raised with a lot of the assumptions that I think millennials were," he added. "Seeing the condition of the world today, our government spending so much money on militarism and expanding ICE and giving tax cuts to the billionaires to the tune of trillions of dollars while public services are being cut for most Americans " it's just like the contrast is really clear." ...

[emphasis mine]

#23 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-08-21 12:33 PM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

How that's supposed to work given they typically have relatively low liquid assets compared to stock holdings, is left unexplored.
#22 | Posted by sitzkrieg

It's well understood.

Take a tax free loan, just like how they pay for groceries.

#24 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 02:32 PM | Reply

"Not anymore. In order to pay for all the socialist policies, they're going to have to vote for starving the MIC. People are tired of wars..."

I don't think we are there. People are going to talk about being tired of wars but they're full of shit.

Despite how miserable people say they are and how sick they are of capitalism, wars, etc......they're not capable of changing.

They are extremely easy to scare. Which is why the GOP and much of the Democratic Party are pro-MIC and pro-law and order.

Nobody can stomach being labeled soft on defense or soft on crime.

Voters don't have the stomach.

And a few progressives defeating some establishment dems coupled with poll results is not evidence of this country being ready to move towards socialism in any way.

Yes, I'm being a doubting Tom here and for the 1 millionth time you can accuse of me of having sand in my ears and or head in the sand, pick your metaphor......but I think you're all wrong.

I don't give 2 shits about these dumb fucking polls. They're evidence of NOTHING.

In fact, I'm almost of the opinion these progressive primary victories and these poll results are almost entirely the product of the GOP. They are trying to get the democratic party set itself on fire before they actually gain some ground.

#25 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-21 02:34 PM | Reply

-Are we doing a massive, 1 time progressively bracketed levy to pay the debt?

This is my point. Anybody who even remotely says something close to that is setting themselves on fire.

#26 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-21 02:37 PM | Reply

Anybody who even remotely says something close to that is setting themselves on fire.
#26 | Posted by eberly

So instead, the country goes bankrupt and gets sold off in a fire sale.

Why can't you Republicans be fiscally conservative just this once, in your lifetimes?

#27 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 02:41 PM | Reply

-Are we doing a massive, 1 time progressively bracketed levy to pay the debt?
This is my point. Anybody who even remotely says something close to that is setting themselves on fire.
#26 | Posted by eberly

We'll see how the California Wealth Tax plays out.

#28 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 02:42 PM | Reply

We'll see how the California Wealth Tax plays out.

Most likely the same way as when Mamdani increased taxes on the wealthy in NYC.

Lots of fearmongering, but in the end, the wealthy paid their taxes.

Where were they gonna go, Texas? They're not dumb.

#29 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-21 02:53 PM | Reply

We'll see how the California Wealth Tax plays out.
#28 | Posted by snoofy

Just threat has driven billions out of CA coffers.

#30 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 03:13 PM | Reply

Where were they gonna go, Texas? They're not dumb.
- clown

Florida.

No state income tax.

#31 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 03:14 PM | Reply

So instead, the country goes bankrupt and gets sold off in a fire sale.
- snoofy

Yes, because spending will never go down as function of gdp. Noatter how high the taxes go.

It's an inevitablity, buckle up buttercup.

Just one more Tax bro, it will solve everything....am I right,,?

Yeah right. This goes back to you just believing what you are told, than looking at the evidence and coming to your own conclusion.

Is the spending by the all US governments linear or not? At what point does it consume 100% of gdp.

Finally does all this spending make America better or worse?

Show your work.

#32 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 03:26 PM | Reply

How that's supposed to work given they typically have relatively low liquid assets compared to stock holdings, is left unexplored.
#22 | Posted by sitzkrieg

I see snoofy is uninformed as usual.

Ro has the idea that the State will confiscate your shares until it can be sold.

Should the shares drop in price, like if the company fails, you'd have to make up the difference for the rest of your life.

#33 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 03:29 PM | Reply

Take a tax free loan, just like how they pay for groceries.
#24 | Posted by snoofy

*Sigh*

Buy, borrow, die is used for generational transfers.

Taxes are paid as well as the loan & interest. Just now the heirs or the estate inherit the assets with a "stepped-up basis," capital gains tax liability on that appreciation is effectively wiped out.

Which is reasonable, because it's been transferred to a new entity.

Snoofy just spinning yarn of flexible liquidity tactic into a dramatic tale of total tax avoidance.

#34 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-08-21 03:41 PM | Reply

"My share of the debt should be in proportion youy share of America's aggregate wealth."

Based on what, exactly?

Your opinion?

The rich should pay. The poor shouldn't?

Not very western European of you.

#35 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 03:53 PM | Reply

"If it meant not having any black people around, probably."

Boom!

Throw down the race card when you know the economics card is going to be a bust.

Appeal to emotion when rationalism no longer works.

#36 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 03:54 PM | Reply

"Take a tax free loan, just like how they pay for groceries."

But to be clear, unlike Europe, it would be only the rich in the US covering the tax burden, correct.

Low and middle-class households would see no increase in taxes.

#37 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 03:58 PM | Reply

"Nobody can stomach being labeled soft on defense or soft on crime."

I have to disagree.

The Trump regime has led the US to the greatest strategic military defeat in the history of the US. Ever. Not kidding. Crime? Maybe. But defense? That is something I fear we are no longer capable of. And that's what I do for a living.

#38 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 04:01 PM | Reply

#23

I have to wonder if this isn't because Gen Z did not exist in a world where socialism was prevalent. Where the horrors of socialism weren't front and center on a daily basis. Where the difference in standard of living between the socialist countries and the capitalist countries wasn't easily recognized.

#39 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 04:05 PM | Reply

Gen Z did not exist in a world where socialism was prevalent.

Neither did you.

There's never been a socialist nation.

A stateless, classless society where workers fully own the means of production has never existed.

You're really stupid.

#40 | Posted by ClownShack at 2026-08-21 04:39 PM | Reply

-The Trump regime has led the US to the greatest strategic military defeat in the history of the US. Ever.

And you think the result of that is going to be a smaller MIC?

I keep reading about how we're running out of stuff.

Do you imagine there will be a political safe space for Republicans and moderates to cut defense spending?

I don't know but that seems like a stretch.

#41 | Posted by eberly at 2026-08-21 04:43 PM | Reply

The rich should pay. The poor shouldn't?
Not very western European of you.
#35 | Posted by madbomber

I said people should pay in proportion to their wealth.
How is that not egalitarian?
Maybe you don't know what egalitarian means.

#42 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 04:46 PM | Reply

Throw down the race card when you know the economics card is going to be a bust.
Appeal to emotion when rationalism no longer works.
#36 | Posted by madbomber

Trump's mass deportation program is an actual example of throwing down the race card, because the economics card is a bust.

Trump's immigration actions have reduced GDP by about one percent, compared to not doing what ICE is doing. Are you capable of believing that?

#43 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 04:49 PM | Reply

Do you imagine there will be a political safe space for Republicans and moderates to cut defense spending?
I don't know but that seems like a stretch.
#41 | Posted by eberly

What did Dick Cheney do as George H. W. Bush's Secretary of Defense? He significantly downsized the military.

"Total military personnel strength decreased by 19%, from about 2.2 million in 1989 to about 1.8 million in 1993." --wikipedia

Did you not know this?

#44 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-08-21 04:56 PM | Reply

"Neither did you. There's never been a socialist nation. A stateless, classless society where workers fully own the means of production has never existed. You're really stupid."

Maybe I'm stupid..

But how about my best friend, who grew up in the People's Socialist Republic of Albania?

I don't know that you would want to discuss the virtues of "socialism" with someone who lived under it. Especially if that someone landed working with JSOC hunting Serbian war criminals and made his bones that way.

Is your name Donny?

I think you're seriously out of your element.

#45 | Posted by madbomber at 2026-08-21 05:16 PM | Reply

The following HTML tags are allowed in comments: a href, b, i, p, br, ul, ol, li and blockquote. Others will be stripped out. Participants in this discussion must follow the site's moderation policy. Profanity will be filtered. Abusive conduct is not allowed.

Anyone can join this site and make comments. To post this comment, you must sign it with your Drudge Retort username. If you can't remember your username or password, use the lost password form to request it.
Username:
Password:

Home | Breaking News | Comments | User Blogs | Stats | Back Page | RSS Feed | RSS Spec | DMCA Compliance | Privacy

Drudge Retort