Democratic lawmaker slams capitalism, calls America 'a nation based on grift'

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Dem Rep. Mark Pocan criticizes capitalism and the GOP

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wisc., criticized capitalism and the Republican Party during his appearance on SiriusXM's "The Dean Obeidallah Show" on Friday.

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., bashed the Republican Party for "worshiping" on the "altar" of free market capitalism on SiriusXM's "The Dean Obeidallah Show" Friday.

"They [Republicans] don't want government to work. Isn't that the essence of it? When government is helping people, it undermines their reason for being as a party," Obeidallah opined. 

Pocan responded, "This is the fundamental core of what they believe in, right, that somehow the market should be what drives things, not democrative [sic] decision-making."

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U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) speaks at breakout session "Making Congress Listen: How to Transform Trump Anger and Movement Energy into Victories on Capitol Hill" at the Netroots Nation annual conference for political progressives in Atlanta, U.S. August 11, 2017. (REUTERS/Christopher Aluka Berry)

"Ultimately, we're watching the wealthy get way too wealthy. Corporations aren't paying any of their fair share, I was so glad to see what we did in the Inflation Reduction Act by having a minium corporate tax, but I guarantee within the next two years they'll find a massive loophole and once again we'll be fighting the same fight. Until we decide that actually people through a democracy make the decisions rather than somehow the free market is the altar that we're worshiping on that's going to be the problem that we're going to face," Pocan continued. 

"Trump is like the ultimate example of a shitty capitalist," Pocan went on. "He's the example of a guy who's a constant grifter, even as president the guy's a grifter." 

"You can't have a nation based on grift and have it sustainable," he said.

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Former President Donald Trump speaks at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., Wednesday, July 7, 2021.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Pocan's comments do not represent the first time a prominent Democrat has criticized capitalism. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Mich., has previously called for the destruction of America's political and economic systems, which she describes as oppressive. 

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., another member of the "Squad", also has been critical of America's capitalist system. She recently attempted to spark a bank run against J.P. Morgan Chase after its CEO refused to abide by her extremist climate demands.

Rep. Mark Pocan, D-WI, criticized America's capitalist system.  (iStock)

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Defenders of the capitalist system argue that, while imperfect, capitalism has lifted more people out of poverty around the world than any other system that previously existed.