There was a poll not long ago showing that most people think a "socialist" is someone who likes to get together with friends and party. Therefore, calling someone or something "socialist" may not carry quite the wallop some conservatives imagine. What to do, except educate?
It takes a while, but education works. Early in the campaign season last year in Washington State voters reportedly were supportive of an income tax on "the rich" until they were persuaded (with reason) that any such tax would soon devolve to them. Taxes have a way of doing that, as citizens in states with income taxes can attest. When people realize, similarly, that "social justice" really means higher taxes, more regulations and runaway welfare, they may not think it sounds like so much fun.
Jonathan Witt, now at Acton Institute (and still a Discovery fellow, too), has written a piece for The American Spectator that examines several words of this sort. He also makes a kind reference to another colleague, George Gilder.
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