Cleaver Votes Against Resolution Condemning Socialism
Missouri Rep. Emanuel Cleaver shocked some constituents Friday by joining the most liberal Democrats, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, in voting against a House resolution condemning socialism. The measure passed 285-to-98, but Cleaver’s stance could put him at odds with many voters in his Kansas City-area district and fuel ongoing debates over redistricting.
All the “no” votes came from Democrat members, two of whom — Janelle Bynum of Oregon and Deborah Ross of North Carolina — also voted “present.”
The resolution, sponsored by Republican Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar of Florida, the daughter of Cuban exiles, condemns socialism in “all its forms” and warns against policies that critics say echo repressive regimes abroad. Republicans pointed to Cuba, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union, where free speech is curtailed, private property is limited, and dissent is often punished.
Supporters of Cleaver and other Democrats attempted to downplay the vote, saying it oversimplifies complex policy debates. Others said it was a pretty clear-cut decision.
The vote comes as socialism gains attention in U.S. cities. Recent mayoral races in New York City and Seattle were won by self-described socialist candidates proposing $30 minimum wages, government-run grocery stores, and free public transportation-plans critics say may be unrealistic without major tax hikes.
The resolution’s text cited how socialist regimes have historically “collapsed into communist regimes, totalitarian rule, and brutal dictatorships” — including those of Russia’s Vladimir Lenin and Josef Stalin, China’s Mao Zedong, Cuba’s Fidel Castro — “led to famine and mass murders.”
For Cleaver, the vote underscores a growing tension between national party trends and local political realities. While he has long held a secure seat, opponents may use this vote to argue he is out of step with Missouri voters, especially in light that a new congressional map has been approved in Missouri, which includes many more conservative and rural voters in the new district outline.
–Dwight Widaman
