Democratic Socialists: Learn what they’re up to

In Tuesday’s election, New York City — jockeyed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani — chose three Democratic Socialists to replace three otherwise Leftist Democrats, in what some pundits are calling a seismic shift to the Left by the Democratic Party.

It is that in New York City. The rest of America, not so sure.

Taking a point of personal privilege, the worst of the worst in NYC’s winner category is Darializa Avila Chevalier, a ferocious anti-Israel  partisan who attended a pro-Palestine rally on  the day after the October 7 massacre in Israel. She doesn’t believe in deporting anyone, and would also defund the police and close prisons.

Ask a rape victim how she feels about that.

The Democratic Socialists are defined by three antis – they are anti-establishment, anti-capitalist, and anti-Israel.  Progressive Dems who used to frame everything as race and gender have added class to the mix. It was a populist mix, and it worked, in a low turnout (under 20%) election.

Back to business.

It was a big win, but New York City and the Pacific Northwest are not representative of America.  It is hard to believe the Internationale will be sung in the Midwest and South.

Enjoy a few stanzas:

Arise, ye slavelings, from your slumbers!
Arise, ye criminals of want!
For reason in revolt now thunders
And ends at last the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions!
Servile masses, arise! arise!

Chorus.
Then comrades, let us rally
The last fight let us face;
L'Internationale
Unites the human race.

No savior from on high deliver,
No trust have we in prince or peer;
Our own right hands the chains must shiver,
Chains of hatred, greed and fear.
Before the thieves disgorge their booty
And give to all a happier lot,
Each at his forge must do his duty
And strike the iron while 'tis hot!

Catchy, no?

American Socialists are farther Left than the Socialist International, led by the Europeans.

The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) left the Socialist International (SI) in 2017 because DSA felt the global organization had abandoned its core anti-capitalist principles. Specifically, the DSA argued that several of the SI's European member parties had embraced neoliberal policies, deregulation, and austerity measures. 

Since the Democratic Socialists of America seem to be on the rise, we should know more about them.

Who shall we ask?

Why them, of course. Right here is their national platform. 

You can read it for yourself here in the Stu-niversity, or follow my reporting on it, with occasional commentary from me in italics. As always, you are welcome to disagree.

Before the bullet points, a brief preamble describes the inequities  of capitalism. 

The political and economic system is failing the working class, billionaires control access to basic human needs, the capitalist system is the cause of violence, unemployment, and climate change.

Black and brown workers  bear the brunt of capitalism’s cruelties, capitalists prefer to police and incarcerate workers, Joe Biden expanded the military budget and oil drilling, Democratic elites embrace Donald J. Trump’s racist immigration policies while supporting Israel’s genocide in Gaza, and want the largest corporations put under public ownership.

That’s quite a mouthful, with some of it being pure political propaganda.

And now, the bullet points:

• Fight mass incarceration and police brutality. DSA does not want anyone in jail, except for maybe the very rich.
• Medicare for all, meaning totally free healthcare — no premiums, co-pays or deductibles. Guarantees for reproductive and gender-affirming care. I would call that gender-denying care.
• Housing for all. Universal rent control. If you own property — sell!
• College for all. All public higher education will be tuition free, with no charges for room and board. Cancel student debt. Also abolish subjecting students to tests and grades, which are racist and classist.
• 32-hour work week with no reduction in pay or benefits. Plus option to not actually work.
• Green new deal. Massive public spending to delete fossil fuel with guaranteed support for fossil fuel workers, public ownership of major transportation and energy resources, and natural resources. Public ownership and operation of major transportation? You mean like the MVB?
• Free Palestine. End of military and economic aid to Israel, plus banning all weapons sales. Who will free Palestine from Hamas?
• Freedom of movement. Allowing workers to freely migrate, demilitarize the border, end all immigrant detentions and deportations. That is Open Borders, making a joke of nationality.
• Universal suffrage. Voting rights for people with criminal convictions, and noncitizens. Sure, let’s have all foreigners voting in our elections. They could hardly do worse.
• Reduce the power of the Supreme Court. Now that it’s conservative, we don’t like it.
  Some of it you may like. Some of it is clearly unAmerican by traditional definition.
  Now that you have met them, do you like where Democratic Socialists want to take you?