On Tuesday, while Fox News hosts on "The Five" discussed the latest polling on the president and his Democratic challengers, the mostly-conservative panel asked each other why voters seem to hold more favorable views of socialism than they used to.
Democratic commentator Juan Williams offered a suggestion: it might be because the GOP's strategy of demonizing Democrats as socialists has backfired. In other words, rather than tearing down Democrats, the strategy built up socialism.
"Let me just tell you something," said Williams. "The problem here is ... Trump and the Republicans are responsible for the popularity of socialism. You know why?"
"Why?" asked Jesse Watters.
"Because they keep saying every good idea and policy that the Democrats come up with, oh, socialism," said Williams.
"Name one," said Dana Perino.
"Just dismiss it, folks, it's socialism," said Williams. "Let's fix health care for America. Let's do something about student debt. Huh, socialism. And then you know that graph you showed, Greg, about the ages? Huh. How interesting that seniors who get Social Security and Medicare say oh, terrible thing, socialism — that's a socialist policy."
"Isn't that their money?" pushed back Greg Gutfeld. "I put a lot of money to Social Security. It's not coming back. I'll never see it again."
"No, it's not," said Williams. "Yes you have, but it does not cover the cost ... It's the young people who are putting in, who are paying for those policies — I think they're less likely to see Social Security than the seniors."
"I agree with you," admitted Gutfeld.
"You look at the GI bill, you look at so many things," continued Williams. "They are intended to mediate the excesses of capitalism, which has embraced everything from child labor, to slavery, to monopolies — that's capitalism!"
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