Brace yourselves, America, because the future voters of 2028 apparently missed history class. A new poll from Rasmussen Reports and the Heartland Institute shows that 51% of voters aged 18 to 39 say they’d prefer a “democratic socialist” in the White House. That’s right — over half of young voters are basically saying, “Let’s give socialism another whirl. What could possibly go wrong?”

It’s the political equivalent of watching someone touch a hot stove, scream in pain, and then go, “You know what? Maybe I just didn’t touch it *right* the first time.”

Now, let’s be clear: this isn’t your grandpa’s socialism, where breadlines wrapped around the block and everyone wore the same gray jumpsuit. No, this is “democratic socialism,” the rebranded, Instagram-ready version that promises free college, free health care, and a unicorn in every backyard — all without any of that pesky math or economic reality. It’s socialism with a smiley face emoji, but it still ends the same way: broke, bitter, and blaming capitalism for not covering the check.

According to the poll, a staggering 54% of these young idealists say their parents or guardians were favorable toward democratic socialism when they were growing up. So yes, this isn’t just a TikTok trend — it’s generational indoctrination. The same people who once taught their kids to tie their shoes are now teaching them that Venezuela is just misunderstood.

“The fact that a solid majority of young Americans think democratic socialism is the answer to deep-rooted economic problems is stunning,” said Chris Talgo, a research fellow at the Heartland Institute. “However, when they grow up in an environment surrounded by adults who champion democratic socialism, it starts to make sense.” Translation: when you’re raised in a house where Che Guevara is a role model and “late-stage capitalism” is a dinner table buzzword, this is the result.

And let’s not forget the digital pipeline feeding this fantasy. Respondents credited online videos and podcasts (17%) and books (10%) as major influences. YouTube grifters and TikTok philosophers are now shaping political ideologies like they’re picking a new Marvel movie. It’s not civic education — it’s cosplay politics.

This is what happens after decades of Democrats controlling the education system, entertainment industry, and media megaphones. From the Obama-era push to “fundamentally transform” America to Bernie Sanders making socialism sound like a Vermont maple syrup commercial, the groundwork was laid brick by brick. Throw in a few years of Bidenomics and the inflation it dragged in like a stray cat, and now you’ve got millions of young people who think the problem with socialism is that we just haven’t *tried* hard enough.

Of course, the 36% who opposed democratic socialism in the poll deserve a medal for still having functioning brain cells. These are the people who’ve read a history book, balanced a checkbook, or at least watched a documentary that didn’t feature avocado toast recipes between chapters on Marx.

But let’s not sugarcoat this: the fact that the majority of voters under 40 are leaning toward a system that’s failed in every country it’s been tried is a five-alarm fire for American conservatism. The left has spent years slowly shifting the Overton window so far left that middle-of-the-road now means “only a little bit of government-run everything.”

The good news? Reality has a way of crashing the party. As these idealistic young voters grow up, pay taxes, start families, and realize that “free” isn’t actually free, some may wake up from their socialist slumber. But until then, the rest of us have to keep sounding the alarm — because if we don’t, the 2028 election could look like a rerun of history’s worst ideas with a new coat of progressive paint.

Let’s just hope America decides to swipe left on socialism before it’s too late.