Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) looked at a new CBS News poll on Sunday and did not like what he saw. Democrats, according to the numbers, now like socialism more than they like capitalism. Fetterman's response was blunt, and it was glorious.
On Aug. 16, Fetterman posted a screenshot of an article covering the poll on X and let his own party have it. He said:
The Democratic Party is becoming the party of socialism.
— U.S. Senator John Fetterman (@SenFettermanPA) August 16, 2026
58% view socialism positively.
50% view capitalism negatively.
I’m a proud free market capitalist.
This is lunacy. pic.twitter.com/i88gX2VWXF
The CBS poll surveyed 648 Democrats about socialism, and 58% viewed it positively, 18% negatively, and 24% had no opinion. The same poll then asked 647 Democrats about capitalism, and the numbers flipped hard. Just 32% viewed it positively, while 50% viewed it negatively and 18% had no opinion.
These CBS numbers are deeply alarming.
— Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR) August 17, 2026
Democrats overwhelmingly support socialism and overwhelmingly oppose capitalism.
Socialism results in misery and poverty every time it is tried.
We must never allow the socialists to take power. pic.twitter.com/AuIh3TG5MY
A political party built on the fruits of the most successful economic system in human history now trusts socialism over the system that built it.
CBS found that enthusiasm for socialism runs strongest among Democrats who are college-educated, younger, or white. That tells you a lot. Make no mistake about it, this is not a fringe phenomenon confined to a few loud voices on social media; this isn’t the Democrat Party’s big tent letting in a small number of socialists, either. This is, quite clearly, mainstream in the party.
The problem for Democrats is that the country as a whole still prefers capitalism. Across all voters, 35% viewed socialism positively, compared with 46% for capitalism, while 42% viewed socialism negatively and 43% viewed capitalism negatively. The rest had no opinion either way.
Democrats are the outlier.
Fetterman has been sounding this alarm for months, and he deserves credit for refusing to soften it. Earlier this year, he described himself as a strongly pro-capitalist Democrat who rejects extreme anti-capitalist rhetoric. He credited capitalism with raising living standards around the globe throughout history.
ICYMI: Socialists Now Say That Shoplifting Is A-OK
The problem is that Fetterman's own party has been feeding this beast for years, and now it's too big to ignore.
Fetterman's clearest warning came last September, when he discussed Gallup polling with Forbes that found similar results. He recalled a trip to Croatia, a former communist nation, where he asked a local what they thought of Democrats flirting with socialism. "I literally was in a former communist nation, and I asked that, I said, 'Some people in my party, some of the Lefties are talking about socialism now. What do you think?'" Fetterman said. The Croatian was "mystified." "(The person I was speaking to was) like, 'That's the worst thing ever. ... You're going to need a reality check if you ever adopt any of those things, you know, like you are morons.'"
People who actually lived under socialism know exactly how the story ends. Democrats flirting with it might want to take notes.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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