Democratic socialists seize the moment with extreme, anti-American views that badly tarnish the party

Socialism has long been deemed a dirty word in American politics. It smacked of a rejection of the capitalistic system that had fueled the country's rise to superpower status, too reminiscent of a dreamy, share-the-wealth philosophy that goes against the grain of fierce corporate competition. Looked at another way, the U.S. has a mixed system, with a government-run retirement program, government-run health care systems for the elderly and the poor, and a spate of programs to help farmers, small