Young voters arguably sent a message in last week's elections that a significant segment of the population is unhappy with President Donald Trump and his party. But Dr. Alex McFarland says Democrats fed that discontent by promising "free stuff" and enamoring them with socialism and communism.
Socialism is an economic system in which the government or the public owns or controls major businesses and resources. The stated goal is to distribute wealth and resources more equally so everyone has access to basic needs and opportunities.
Communism is a form of socialism that seeks a classless society in which property and resources are collectively owned, with no private ownership of major industries.
McFarland identifies some basic reasons for their rising support among young people.
"For one, young people have never seen America at her best," he notes. "The majority that have been to public schools have never heard of the greatness of America, the land of opportunity."
"The spiritual reason is the idea that the world owes me something, that I should receive things without having to work for them," the apologist states.
"Another thing is they might have heard of the promises of socialism, but they've never heard of the bad outcome of how everywhere Marxist economics is implemented, people end up suffering," he adds.
One commonly discussed historical example of this is the Soviet Union, which dissolved in 1991 after years of shortages of goods and services, inefficiency and declining economic growth while the communist government controlled most major industries and farms.
Likewise, economic mismanagement, falling oil production, corruption and other factors contributed to a severe economic crisis in Venezuela, including hyperinflation, shortages and mass emigration. The ongoing crisis followed the government's expansion of control over major businesses, including parts of the oil industry.
In both cases, too much government control, poor economic decisions and a lack of effective accountability contributed to serious economic problems.
McFarland says the "anti-American" Democratic Party is "really toxic to this country."
"The Democrat Party has lied to get voters," he reiterates. "Any message, any false promise, any vacuous lie that needs to be told, the Democrats will tell it to sway impressionable young voters."
Several Democrats elected last week openly identified as democratic socialists or were endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
Five DSA-endorsed candidates won U.S. House seats last week after campaigning on proposals such as Medicare for All, universal childcare, government-run grocery stores, higher minimum wages and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
