On this week’s edition of ‘Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,’ moderated by Ed O’Keefe, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear joined a panel to discuss how socialist ideas are shaping Democratic politics. Beshear appeared alongside Republican Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska and Pennsylvania State Representative Anthony Salvanto, who is also CBS News executive director of elections and surveys. The program addressed how socialism is dividing the Democratic Party and whether mainstream Democrats are embracing these ideas.
With just about eleven weeks before midterm elections, Democrats are still choosing candidates to run for office in the fall, according to Yahoo News. President Donald Trump had recently said that Democrats want to turn the United States into a communist country, suggesting they are skipping over socialism. Beshear was one of the voices on the show, offering his view on how socialism is being discussed among Democrats.
He began by noting that a new CBS News poll shows 58 percent of Democrats have a positive view of socialism, while only 32 percent see capitalism in a good light. Beshear said he sees this shift as a reflection of how people are struggling with everyday costs like groceries and gas. He emphasized that people don’t want much, just to be able to work, support their families, and afford basic things like a home or vacation.
Beshear said he does not believe socialism is a successful system, but he supports focusing on results that help Americans. He pointed to Democratic governors as examples of leaders who are delivering outcomes for their people. In Kentucky, the average new job pays more than $32 an hour, according to Beshear.
He also mentioned efforts to build affordable housing on former coal mine sites with solar panels installed. Beshear said that the country needs more investment in housing to lower costs for first-time buyers. He noted that people can see progress happening across the country, especially in economic areas.
Beshear said federal funding should be tied to speed of construction to make sure projects move forward quickly. He added that people are also frustrated with how broken the government seems. Beshear said a constitutional amendment is needed to fix government problems, including ending partisan redistricting.
He also supported making the Voting Rights Act part of the Constitution and overturning Citizens United. Beshear suggested that the president and vice president should be chosen directly by voters.
IMAGE: Cropped image of Andy Beshear from a video of him speaking before a crowd of educators during a teacher’s rally at the Kentucky state capitol.. Photo: Mountain Top News / Wikimedia, taken 2018-04-13, CC BY-SA 3.0
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