![](\"https:\/\/cdni.rt.com\/files\/2019.02\/thumbnail\/5c5a689dfc7e938d378b45b0.jpeg\")
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Lawmakers watching President Donald Trump\u2019s State of the Union address were sharply divided along partisan lines until the president mentioned socialism \u2013 then they chanted \u201cUSA! USA!\u201d as if McCarthy himself was watching.<\/p>\n
Trump affirmed the US\u2019 capitalist future \u2013 never really in doubt, except in the rhetoric of a handful of members of Congress \u2013 as the audience arose in a standing ovation, chanting \u201cUSA! USA!<\/em>\u201d in a joyful if vacant show of patriotism.<\/p>\n Trump raised the specter of Venezuela as an example of socialism\u2019s pitfalls, smoothing over the part where crippling US sanctions and a deliberate debasing of the price of oil turned the once-wealthy nation into one of the continent\u2019s poorest.<\/p>\n US #sanctions<\/a> are responsible for the economic failures of most of America’s adversaries\u2014that’s their point. You can’t purposely set out to ruin a nation’s economy and then blame ‘socialism’ for its decline. Shame on Congress for that round of applause for ‘abject poverty,’ too.<\/p>\n \u2014 Anna eshet-David (@eshetDavid) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n \u201cAmerica was founded on liberty and independence, not coercion, domination, and control<\/em>,\u201d Trump said, as the camera zoomed in on a peeved-looking Bernie Sanders. Coercion of other countries, of course, was still \u201con the table<\/a><\/em>.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s paean to capitalism was easily the biggest hit of the speech, sparking multiple standing ovations and two bouts of chanting. Twitter was less enthusiastic, however.<\/p>\n Some tried to school the president with a quick civics lesson,<\/p>\n Friendly reminder that socialism is the reason you have a weekend and aren’t dying as a child in a factory #sotu<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Mr. Dr. Professor Patrick (@ryanjones0911) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Okay, okay… THEN Trump suggests there’s some sort of widespread push for socialism in America… ignoring democratic socialist programs like Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, public roads, public schools… should I go on? Stupid, Fox News red meat to foment his base. #SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sally Kohn (@sallykohn) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n From our public universities & libraries, to our public roads & bridges, to social security, the U.S. has long been a socialist democracy, not a province of King George III.<\/p>\n Our problem today – the public good – is being privatized by today’s King George III’s.#Socialism<\/a>#SOTU<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/uIjesk3gFy<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Emil Medellin (@medellinemil) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n and pointed out that the word doesn\u2019t quite mean what he thinks it means.<\/p>\n Don’t worry corporate America. Trump’s socialism comment wasn’t directed at you. You may continue receiving your giant government handouts. #SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Dave M* (@OiCommonSense) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Trump just said “We will never be a Socialist country” \u2014 John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Others noted that socialism was near the bottom of the list of threats to the American way.<\/p>\n Socialism isn’t scary. What’s scary is that we’re going to die from climate change while capitalists hide in their caves of luxury. They knew climate change was real and hid it from us. Now we’re coming for them. #SOTU<\/a>pic.twitter.com\/nsKeiX1ZSD<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 People for Bernie (@People4Bernie) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n I am just trying to understand, so socialism is the threat to our country but not white supremacy and white nationalism? #SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Linda Sarsour (@lsarsour) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n Imagine thinking socialism is the biggest threat facing the nation right now. #SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Sophie Ellman-Golan (@EgSophie) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n And Trump\u2019s defenders cheered, probably shouting \u201cUSA! USA!<\/em>\u201d from the comfort of their homes.<\/p>\n More than one person was reminded of the last time \u201csocialism<\/em>\u201d played such an outsize role in US politics.<\/p>\n Two things #SOTU<\/a> reaffirmed for me:<\/p>\n 1) Democrats still clap for supporting right-wing governments in the \u2018Middle-East\u2019 and coups in Latin America.<\/p>\n 2) Democrats are so scared of socialism they will gladly cheer a racist misogynist as long as he praises capitalism.<\/p>\n \u2014 Will Giron (@hamzgiron) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n The more things change, the more they stay the same.<\/p>\n “This country has socialism for the rich, and rugged individualism for the poor.” – The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. #SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Our Revolution (@OurRevolution) February 6, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/center><\/div>\n\n
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in a taxpayer-funded building
to a taxpayer funded Congress
the heads of the greatest socialist-funded military the world’s ever known
after giving $12billion in socialism to farmers
& demanding $ for a socialist wall#SOTU<\/a><\/p>\n\n
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