Marco Rubio Blasted For ‘Socialist’ Tweet Before Election Day

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., heard it from the general public and Democrats alike over his latest comments on socialism.

“Not every democrat is a socialist,” he stated through his Twitter account on Sunday. “But every socialist is a democrat.”

In the final days before voters cast their ballots for president, the Senate and the House of Representatives, members of the Republican Party have sought to demonize their counterparts on the other side of the aisle by labeling many of their positions, from healthcare on, as “socialist” platforms.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., responded with her own tweet, saying senators in some cases get their own form of socialized healthcare, citing the “ability to go to Walter Reed hospital & received socialized healthcare for free.”

Pouncing on Rubio’s sweeping generalization, one commentator responded by saying that “Not every Republican is a white supremacist, but every white supremacists is a Republican.” Others suggested Rubio wasn’t exactly clear on what socialism meant, noting imposing higher taxes on the wealthy is not a socialist agenda.

A profile of socialism as a political buzzword from CBS News, published in September, notes a socialist political trend would find that some of the main sources of production, like energy and the infrastructure, would be under the tacit control of the public.

“Under socialism, any surplus or profit from those sectors must benefit those same citizens,” the profile read. “Capitalism, meanwhile, calls for private owners to control the means of production and to keep any profit they make for themselves.”

There is a Socialist Party in the U.S., though none of its members currently hold public office. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, is one of the highest profile elected officials who publicly subscribes to a form of "democratic socialism" similar to many European nations.

Rubio is no stranger to criticism on social media. He heard it in August after posting a video that suggested religions could come under attack for anyone who runs for public office.

Rubio, named alongside a handful of Senate Republicans considering a bid for president in 2024, is not up for reelection on Tuesday.