Of 257 Democrats in Congress, just 15 were willing to sign onto a coalition to combat rising socialism and communism. As part of their “Promise to America,” the 15 Democrats declare (among other things): “We are capitalist, not socialist,” “We want safety, not lawlessness,” “We are proud, not ashamed of America.”
In other words, more than 90% of congressional Democrats declined to sign onto a statement opposing socialism, at a time when Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates are surging. Yet rather than mount a group effort to stop the growing rise of socialism, most Democrats appear to have no problem with it.
But that should come as no surprise. After all, the DSA candidates aren’t inventing any new ideas or positions. They’re merely taking positions already embraced by much of the Democrat Party and just following them through to their logical conclusion.
Take immigration for example. For years so-called mainstream Democrats have insisted that illegal aliens should not be treated as criminals and should have pathways to citizenship.
Then Sen. Kamala Harris said in a 2017 post on X that “an undocumented immigrant is not a criminal. Give people a path to citizenship. The vast majority of folks we’re talking about are living a lawful life and paying taxes.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., (though a so-called “progressive” herself) declared: “Let me be clear: No human being is illegal.”
After then-President Joe Biden called illegal aliens illegal during his 2024 State of the Union address, Democratic Reps. Delia Ramirez, Chuy Garcia, and Joaquin Castro all said some variation of “no human being is illegal.”
The DSA also argues that no human is illegal. The logical conclusion of that is flat out calling to abolish ICE and end all deportations, which is what some DSA candidates are calling for.
New York DSA candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier has said “all deportations are wrong” even for those convicted of crimes.
The same pattern goes for police and prisons. Mainstream Democrats have spent years calling for police reform and an end to “mass incarceration.”
During her 2020 presidential campaign, Harris’ campaign had a plan explicitly entitled to “transform the criminal justice system” with a section on “End Mass Incarceration.” Biden likewise pledged to reduce federal incarceration. The DSA arrives at a more sweeping conclusion — but a conclusion that is ultimately the logical end of mainstream Democrats position. DSA candidates frequently endorse just abolishing prisons and police departments entirely.
Chevalier said: “A world without borders — just like a world without prisons or police — is possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward.” She also posted: “No. It means ending policing full stop. Period. No more police at all ever” in response to defund the police debates.
Willie. Burnley Jr, a DSA endorsed candidate, was elected to Somerville, Massachusetts City Council and co-founded the Defund Somerville Police Department organization.
Or take housing. Mainstream Democrats have adopted positions for more government-subsidized housing and expanding welfare. Biden declared that “Housing should be a right, not a privilege” and directed HUD to create a national strategy for “making housing a right for all.”
The DSA begins with the same premise but then advances policies that logically flow from it: yes, housing is a human right and therefore aggressive rent controls and freezes follow suit.
In each instance, the only difference is that Democrats simply try to hide the ball on the end goal of their positions. If no human is illegal, then why should there be deportations? If incarceration is unjust, why should prisons exist at all? If housing is a human right, why should markets and landlords determine housing prices? Democrats try to avoid answering those questions, but DSA candidates don’t. In fact, they embrace answering them. So many Democrats refuse to publicly distance themselves from socialism and these candidates because they fundamentally agree with them.
