Socialist Chic

The hottest trends in new democratic socialism, which is nothing like lame old-school socialism.

Socialism is having a moment. Bernie Sanders has been the first credible socialist U.S. presidential candidate since Eugene V. Debs. A generation of Americans is waking up to the fact that the whole system is rigged to screw them out of money and power. And yet, this neosocialism is different from the old paleosocialism we learned to fear in grade school. For May Day, the day of the worker that is not Labor Day, we have created a list of what's so hot right now in proletarian spring fashion.

Face of the Movement

OUT: Che

IN: Bernie

Headgear

OUT: Berets

IN: Big furry Russian hats

Charismatic Socialist Leader of an Emerging American Nation

OUT: Hugo Chavez of Venezuela

IN: Justin Trudeau of Canada

Literary Foundation

OUT: The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

IN: The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class by Bernie Sanders

Propaganda Tool

OUT: Graffiti

IN: Facebook meme

Symbolic City

OUT: Detroit

IN: Detroit

Greatest Insult

OUT: Pinko!

IN: #BernieBro!

Pre-Eminent Spokesperson

OUT: Leon Trotsky, people's commissar of military and naval affairs

IN: H.A. Goodman, unpaid columnist for Salon.com

Slight Embarrassment

OUT: North Korean cult of personality

IN: Vermont's $9.60 minimum wage

Bad Guys

OUT: Pinkertons

IN: Superdelegates

May Day Celebration

OUT: International Workers' Day rally at Shemanski Park, Southwest Park Avenue and Salmon Street. Noon-4 pm Sunday, May 1. Free.

IN: Bloody Mary "Bloc Party" beginning at Kachka, 720 SE Grand Ave., kachkapdx.com. 11 am-2 pm Sunday, May 1. $30 for five bloody marys and five breakfast bites at bars along Southeast Grand Avenue. Tickets at eventbrite.com.

Willamette Week

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.