Republicans in Congress passed a resolution Wednesday condemning the ideology of socialism and the destruction it has wrought throughout history.
While 219 Republicans were united in their opposition, House Democrats were split, with 109 voting for the condemnation, 86 voting against it and 14 others voting “present.”
According to the Washington Examiner, the final tally for the vote was 328-86, indicating a sizable chunk of Democrat opposition.
BREAKING: Here are the 100 House Democrats that voted against the resolution to denounce socialism. pic.twitter.com/1t503PcUCM
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 2, 2023
All in all, 100 Democrats could not bring themselves to condemn the historic crimes committed in the name of socialist/Marxist causes and governments.
Republicans like Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, who brought the motion to the floor, called the resolution in order to affirm that socialist polices have no place in America.
“Socialists are in the business of power, and it only takes one generation to believe their false promises and lose our freedom. It is a lie that socialism will solve your problems.” – @RepMariaSalazar
Socialism should NEVER take root in America. pic.twitter.com/GoMICtlVW4
— House Republicans (@HouseGOP) February 2, 2023
“Socialists are in the business of power, and it only takes one generation to believe their false promises and lose our freedom. It is a lie that socialism will solve your problems,” Salazar declared in her opening speech.
Salazar’s parents were forced to flee Cuba after the rise of dictator Fidel Castro and his socialist regime.
Young Kim of California also highlighted her personal experience with the infamous ideology.
“As an immigrant who grew up in South Korea during the aftermath of the Korean War, I know firsthand the horror, the destruction, that socialism has brought to millions of families in the Korean Peninsula under the evil regime of the Kim dynasty to now, Kim Jong Un,” Kim said.
“Socialism divided my family and friends between North and South.”
As reported by Fox News, there may have been a political angle for the GOP as well for wanting to adopt the resolution, as many Democrats have come out in favor of “democratic socialism.”
86 Democrats voted aganist a Republican-led resolution to Denounce Socialism.
The next time the Democrats say that Republicans are fearmongering when we call them socialist, remind them of this moment in history when 86 voted against this resolution.
We must DEFEAT Socialism. pic.twitter.com/7cCscJeU58
— Congressman Byron Donalds (@RepDonaldsPress) February 2, 2023
“86 Democrats voted against a Republican-led resolution to Denounce Socialism. The next time the Democrats say that Republicans are fearmongering when we call them socialist, remind them of this moment in history when 86 voted against this resolution,” Republican Byron Donalds of Florida stated on his Twitter.
Democrats were quick to denounce the vote as a useless ploy, saying that Republicans were using anti-socialist rhetoric to pave the wave for cuts in Social Security, Medicare and other social assistance programs.
“Americans know better than the fearmongering we see here today,” Democrat Maxine Waters of California said, according to Fox News.
“They know, for example, that when the pandemic hit and people were dying all across this country, it was the federal government that stepped in to provide trillions of dollars of support to small businesses, workers, ranchers, students, seniors, and would you believe it, even Republican members of Congress.”
Nydia Velazquez of New York framed the GOP efforts as a way for Republicans to label things they don’t like as socialist.
“Historically, Republicans have tried to label as socialist any Democratic actions that improve the lives of Americans,” she said, according to Fox.
“This is what Republicans call socialism. From climate action and public education to affordable care and Social Security, Republicans classify popular government programs to help working families as socialism.”
Republicans countered by saying Democrats were purposely over-complicating the meaning of the resolution to cover their ideology.
“Despite my Democratic colleagues’ claims, there’s nothing in this resolution about entitlement programs or banning social services or anything of the like,” said Patrick McHenry of North Carolina.
“If this resolution would just simply draw out my Democrat colleagues to just say, yes, they are in favor of socialism, maybe this is a worthwhile endeavor,” McHenry said in response to Brad Sherman of California, who argued that not all forms of socialism should be condemned.
The resolution focused on past atrocities of socialist figures and governments, citing Vladimir Lenin and the Bolsheviks in Soviet Russia, Mao Zedong of China and Pol Pot of Cambodia.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
