DSA Myths

[SB_SB]

The polls showed her 20 points up before the party chairs were interviewed on national tv so she was thought to be a slam dunk before voters realized how extreme a DSA candidate could be. I see a gradual movement left led by young people, not the whack-a-doodle extremes seen on the DSA's website.

We will see how the future goes. But as you said, they're whack-a-doodles. Democrats should be speaking out against them.

 

[Moogy]

This- AOC said it best, "All this talk of communism and socialism and we can't even get Healthcare to everyone. We can't even get affordable HOUSING to the masses. We are so far from anything near socialism or communism that this is all faux outrage and scare tactics by the right"

AOC said: "All this talk about communism and socialism and while we're trying to implement it, we haven't come close to succeeding, as yet ... so, even though it's what we're all about, talking about it is a scare tactic or something."

Brilliant. Yes, AOC said it best.

 

[Moral]

Maga is pretty good at this divide and conquer thing.

 

[BelemNole]

The DSA literally wants to destroy our democracy as well. For some of us, we're fighting two battles now, the far left and the far right.

Remember, everyone had a jolly of a time laughing at trump when he said he might run. Remember that, the statement was, what harm can he cause, he's a single person. The thought was, here's no way he could take over the republican party. If one man can do, the DSA should have an easier time, especially with people downplaying what they're trying to accomplish.

So you're saying that we should be equally worried about the Green Party/Libertarian Party/Constitution Party as we are about the one CURRENTLY destroying the system? Because of the very real threat that....the mayor who was elected is filling potholes?

Sorry, I'll worry now about the *** cancer and later about my too much sun exposure.

 

[dpic73]

We will see how the future goes. But as you said, they're whack-a-doodles. Democrats should be speaking out against them.

They did that with their vote last night. Keep in mind her opponent was a less than inspiring candidate who had even dropped out of the race a month before so he missed out on a lot of early mail-in votes but won anyway. It might have been a small statement but it was a statement no less.

 

[jimneffer]

This post is totally different than your other posts.

your interpretation of my post may be totally different, but i can assure you, my opinion and position have not drastically changed in the past few hours.

 

[Tom Paris]

I have been to their website. Is that propaganda or their real platform?

I agree with most of what’s on their site but there are a few things that I don’t love. More of it is about helping everyday America and not the top 10%.

One thing someone didn’t like was abolishing the Senate. Sounds scary but what DSA wants to do is add more representatives. It’s kind of ridiculous that tiny population states like Wyoming and the Dakotas get just as much say as California and Texas.

 

[Tom Paris]

If it is such a small group then maybe the Dems should disavow DSA and put the whole episode to bed. But it sure seem the dem candidates are doing the opposite and giving it oxygen.

Why? Corporate democrats have been so awesome. Americans love corporate democrats so much they voted in a child rapist.

 

[Tom Paris]

Yeah I’m not arguing it is a small group. I’m questioning why the candidates are giving it so much love when they have general elections to win. The DSA has policy proposals that are so wack-a-doodle that it simply doesn’t make political sense to support them.

We’ll see. They are less wacky than this administration. DSA wants to help the masses. Trump wants to help the wealthy. Mostly himself.

 

[Tom Paris]

When you consider the tiny % the DSA is vs Democrats, we should not panic.
There is a trend in the Midwest and West of nominating moderate Dems also.
In Iowa Sand and Turek are mods.
In midterms all politics are local.

Yep. Turek beat the further left candidate in the primary.

 

[Tom Paris]

We need to learn from history and that history is now. Just look at what MAGA is doing to the republican party. To think that same thing can't happen to the democratic party would be very short sighted. I'm not saying to panic but I would consider them a threat. And when there's a threat, it needs to be confronted, not act like it doesn't exist.

Here we go both siding these 2 parties. We get what we deserve.

 

[fskillet]

Whatever gets Chuck Schumer and the rest of
his feckless group out of office is a win in my book.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

what is "the problem" you're discussing here?

i don't think moderate positions are necessarily pro corporate money in politics. but i think in practice, that's exactly what has occurred in recent decades. i don't foresee that changing anytime soon.

personally, i don't really care whether someone opposes corporate money in politics (or any issue, really) if you aren't willing to vote on who will change or address it. i've had my fill of politicians and other people who state what they care about or what their values are - but then vote for status quo at every opportunity.

again - i've never supported (here or anywhere else) DSA. but we have a decades of experience on what moderate, centrist dems say and do. if you think change is necessary, then you have to actually pursue change.

does that change have to be with a socialist? of course not. i guess it's just a coincidence that everyone actually advocating for change gets that label.

If you haven’t seen the average DSAer or progressive call moderates a problem then you have not been paying attention. I am simply saying the problem is not the moderate viewpoint, the problem is corporate money in politics.

Now as to change: I want change. I want corporate money out of politics. I want MAGA gone too. But I won’t vote for a socialist to get it. Not going to happen, and I don’t think that is an outlier position at all.

 

[Tom Paris]

i certainly don't love or agree with everything in the DSA platform

but the reality is that the democrat party has been DOMINATED by centrists and corporatists for DECADES. and that is a big reason why we are where we are.

the biggest legislative accomplishment of that time is what? a healthcare bill that picked around the edges and may have marginally slowed the rate of growth in cost (depending on whose analysis you use)

recent democrats - for all their ideals and beliefs - have not delivered any meaningful change or substantively addressed any issues that represented a real improvement in people's lives. and that has (in part) provided the opportunity for the sh*tshow currently dominating washington

so, i don't think DSA is the answer to everything. but I also don't think more of the same centrist/corporate democrats are either.

This. We will get an idea with NYC. If Mamdani’s agenda hurts New Yorkers they will vote him out. Right now he is beloved because he’s working for the majority. The Fox News scare tactics that all the wealthy will move out of NYC, one of the greatest cities in the world, was comical.

Actually let the left pass universal healthcare. I’ll bet you Fox News talking heads and all the Republicans trying to scare us will take full advantage. Show me that we will hate something so common sense that the rest of the world has it. If I’m wrong, vote them out. You can because Democrats don’t play this authoritarian game the Republicans are under Trump.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

We’ll see. They are less wacky than this administration. DSA wants to help the masses. Trump wants to help the wealthy. Mostly himself.

Agree they are less wacky than MAGA. And I agree their heart is the right place.

And if I hadn’t literally studied comparative economics between socialism and capitalism, including living for 6 months in Moscow while it was emerging from socialism, maybe I would feel different. But I know what socialism does to a nation. I’ve seen it first hand. I’ve studied it.

Socialism does not solve for the human power dynamic. Under socialist economies the elite have even more power over the masses than in capitalist regimes. This has been proven true in EVERY socialist country. There is no data point I’m aware of which would show socialism actually worked (distinguishing capitalist social democracies like Western Europe from actual socialism as espoused by the DSA). Socialism does NOT work and I won’t ever vote for anyone who thinks it does or gives tacit acceptance to that viewpoint. Just like I won’t vote for anyone who thinks fascist tendencies (looking at MAGA) are a good direction.

 

[Tom Paris]

Maybe you want to watch the DSA co-chair, who is beyond stupid try to speak.

Some people really have no business representing a party.

 

[Tom Paris]

This- AOC said it best, "All this talk of communism and socialism and we can't even get Healthcare to everyone. We can't even get affordable HOUSING to the masses. We are so far from anything near socialism or communism that this is all faux outrage and scare tactics by the right"

She’s rarely wrong.

 

[jimneffer]

If you haven’t seen the average DSAer or progressive call moderates a problem then you have not been paying attention. I am simply saying the problem is not the moderate viewpoint, the problem is corporate money in politics.

Now as to change: I want change. I want corporate money out of politics. I want MAGA gone too. But I won’t vote for a socialist to get it. Not going to happen, and I don’t think that is an outlier position at all.

i don't think the problem is the moderate viewpoint. i think the problem (as it relates to voters) is people who say they want change, but refuse to actually vote for anyone that represents it.

 

[Yellowsnow51]

I haven't done a deep dive on the DSA ideologies, but I suppose I'm not opposed to most of what I've seen (outside of the rage bait). However, maga (and some establishment Dems) are really using the DSA to stoke fear and propaganda. So lets look at their level of influence:

• DSA: ~120,000 members as of July 2026 vs. ~45.4 million registered Democrats as of April 2026
• So DSA members equal roughly 0.25% of registered Democrats or about 1 in every 380.
• DSA's largest chapter (NYC, ~14,200) is a rounding error next to New York State's 6.0 million registered Democrats.
  
  
• DSA currently has 2 House members (AOC, Tlaib) and is on track for five in the U.S. House after the general election, barring upsets and 0 senators vs. Democrats currently holding 214 of 435 House seats and 47 of 100 Senate seats.
• So DSA is about 1% of the House Democratic caucus today, potentially ~2% next Congress
  
  
• DSA: roughly 216 elected officials, mostly local and state-level vs. Democrats: they hold roughly half of the country's ~7,400 state legislative seats alone (~3,000+), plus 23 governorships, thousands of mayoralties, and hundreds of thousands of local offices.
• DSA's footprint is well under 1% of Democratic officeholders — though concentrated in visible places (NYC mayor, blocs in Albany and Chicago).
  
  
• DSA: dues-funded, roughly $5–6M/year in income historically, with a national surplus of about $2 million vs. Democratic Party: the DNC, DSCC, and DCCC alone raised a cumulative $310 million as of November 30, 2025, and all House and Senate candidates combined raised $2.1 billion through March 31, 2026.
• The entire DSA annual budget is roughly what a single competitive House race costs — and less than 15% of what Jon Ossoff alone raised in 2025 ($43 million).
  
  
• DSA: ~150 backed candidates this cycle, with 35 through their primaries so far vs. Democrats fielding candidates in essentially all 435 House races and 35 Senate races, plus 36 governorships and thousands of legislative seats

The DSA is an incredibly tiny wing of the DNC. Sure, it may grow in influence in the future, but really really hard to ever see that happening on the scale that MAGA did when it took over the Republican party.

Some of their ideas will influence and get absorbed in the DNC platform, but the fear, rage, and scare baiting by maga (and others) is outsized and stupid.

Don't be propagandized.

33% of Democrats polled said they like DSA candidates. What is your spin on that "myth"?

About a third of U.S. Democrats like political leaders who identify as democratic socialists

Democrats’ views on democratic socialists also differ by race and ethnicity, age, education, income and political engagement.

www.pewresearch.org

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

i don't think the problem is the moderate viewpoint. i think the problem (as it relates to voters) is people who say they want change, but refuse to actually vote for anyone that represents it.

I will vote for change agents if they actually represent a change I want. I don’t want socialism so I’m not voting for a socialist. Give me change, but change that I want to see. Corporations out of politics. Term limits. Limits to executive power and the like. Hell I will even accept some more mainstream social ideas like Medicare for all. But I won’t accept outright socialism. I won’t accept half the DSA platform.

Your logic akin to how conservatives justified voting for Trump. They held their nose and voted for someone who was a change agent from the status quo, despite not liking things about him or his policies.

 

[Tom Paris]

Agree they are less wacky than MAGA. And I agree their heart is the right place.

And if I hadn’t literally studied comparative economics between socialism and capitalism, including living for 6 months in Moscow while it was emerging from socialism, maybe I would feel different. But I know what socialism does to a nation. I’ve seen it first hand. I’ve studied it.

Socialism does not solve for the human power dynamic. Under socialist economies the elite have even more power over the masses than in capitalist regimes. This has been proven true in EVERY socialist country. There is no data point I’m aware of which would show socialism actually worked (distinguishing capitalist social democracies like Western Europe from actual socialism as espoused by the DSA). Socialism does NOT work and I won’t ever vote for anyone who thinks it does or gives tacit acceptance to that viewpoint. Just like I won’t vote for anyone who thinks fascist tendencies (looking at MAGA) are a good direction.

So you’re saying the current countries who have “more socialist ideas implemented” than we do - Canada, Scandinavia, almost all of Europe - are disasters? Those countries who have universal healthcare have a populace who are miserable? Because that’s how you read. I think the people who are terrified with socialism are thinking post WW2 Eastern Europe. I don’t want that. Much of the DSA stuff I see is to keep Capitalism but reign in the billionaires and corporations who are hurting everyone smaller than they are, make sure Americans have healthcare that doesn’t break them, a place to live, quality education for everyone, and blow up Citizens United.

 

[Tom Paris]

I will vote for change agents if they actually represent a change I want. I don’t want socialism so I’m not voting for a socialist. Give me change, but change that I want to see. Corporations out of politics. Term limits. Limits to executive power and the like. Hell I will even accept some more mainstream social ideas like Medicare for all. But I won’t accept outright socialism. I won’t accept half the DSA platform.

Your logic akin to how conservatives justified voting for Trump. They held their nose and voted for someone who was a change agent from the status quo, despite not liking things about him or his policies.

Weird because Republicans will NEVER give you any of that. People like AOC will.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

So you’re saying the current countries who have “more socialist ideas implemented” than we do - Canada, Scandinavia, almost all of Europe - are disasters? Those countries who have universal healthcare have a populace who are miserable? Because that’s how you read. I think the people who are terrified with socialism are thinking post WW2 Eastern Europe. I don’t want that. Much of the DSA stuff I see is to keep Capitalism but reign in the billionaires and corporations who are hurting everyone smaller than they are, make sure Americans have healthcare that doesn’t break them, a place to live, quality education for everyone, and blow up Citizens United.

Those are capitalist countries with social programs Tom. I have no issue with social programs like Medicare for all. I have a MASSIVE issue with the DSA platform which calls for actual socialism (government taking over private companies). Which calls for eliminating all police and prisons. Which calls for some new form of government that seems to be neither a democratic Republic with separation of powers nor a parliamentary system. That is WAY beyond Canadian healthcare. That is WAY beyond how Scandinavia runs things.

You keep whitewashing the DSA platform in our exchanges. The truth is right on their website which I meticulously detailed for you including exact locations where you can read their actual policies - I don’t think you ever responded to my last message on that. When I read those it brings shades of Project 2025 to mind. The DSA are absolute nutbags - akin to MAGA in my point of view.

To sum up: the average progressive is not a nutbag, but I think many are making a mistake when they associate themselves too closely with the DSA. And those who openly identify as DSA? Yeah I won’t vote for them.

 

[kidmike41]

I agree with most of what’s on their site but there are a few things that I don’t love. More of it is about helping everyday America and not the top 10%.

One thing someone didn’t like was abolishing the Senate. Sounds scary but what DSA wants to do is add more representatives. It’s kind of ridiculous that tiny population states like Wyoming and the Dakotas get just as much say as California and Texas.

The makeup of the senate is not adjustable in the constitution. To achieve that we would have to start over. Now congress we could definitely use more representation per capita.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

Weird because Republicans will NEVER give you any of that. People like AOC will.

I don’t live in her district so it’s kind of a moot point. But say she runs for president and wins the nomination - she will not get my vote unless she disavows the DSA positions I outlined for you in prior exchanges. If she does disavow and the choice is Vance or some other Trump supporter then she will probably get my vote.

If she doesn’t disavow, and instead supports actual socialism and the full DSA agenda, then I’m voting third party.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

Weird because Republicans will NEVER give you any of that. People like AOC will.

It’s not weird at all. I draw a line in the sand at actual socialism. I have made many posts about how much I abhor socialism when Trump does it (Intel and the like). Those posts weren’t because it’s Trump per se. They were because it’s socialism and Trump is the most socialist president of my lifetime.

So I’m not voting GOP anytime soon for the record - they need to purge themselves of all things MAGA. But I’m also not going to vote for the DSA platform just because I agree with a bit of it. The stuff I don’t agree with I REALLY don’t agree with. It vastly outweighs the stuff I agree with.

 

[DailyBuck7]

So you’re saying the current countries who have “more socialist ideas implemented” than we do - Canada, Scandinavia, almost all of Europe - are disasters? Those countries who have universal healthcare have a populace who are miserable? Because that’s how you read. I think the people who are terrified with socialism are thinking post WW2 Eastern Europe. I don’t want that. Much of the DSA stuff I see is to keep Capitalism but reign in the billionaires and corporations who are hurting everyone smaller than they are, make sure Americans have healthcare that doesn’t break them, a place to live, quality education for everyone, and blow up Citizens United.

You ought to investigate Canada. It is a disaster. Housing prices are super high. Terrorist burning of Catholic churches was permitted with virtually no consequences to the criminals in 2021 based on false allegations of mistreatment of indians.There are very long wait times for specialist doctors.

 

[DailyBuck7]

Some people really have no business representing a party.

How do you think she got there? People who think like her and who respect her, elected her. That reflects very poorly on the whole organization and the movement.

 

[tigres88]

How do you think she got there? People who think like her and who respect her, elected her. That reflects very poorly on the whole organization and the movement.

People like you, who think like you, respect trump and elected him. That reflects very poorly on you, our entire nation and your political movement.

please see your way out

 

[BelemNole]

Those are capitalist countries with social programs Tom. I have no issue with social programs like Medicare for all. I have a MASSIVE issue with the DSA platform which calls for actual socialism (government taking over private companies). Which calls for eliminating all police and prisons. Which calls for some new form of government that seems to be neither a democratic Republic with separation of powers nor a parliamentary system. That is WAY beyond Canadian healthcare. That is WAY beyond how Scandinavia runs things.

You keep whitewashing the DSA platform in our exchanges. The truth is right on their website which I meticulously detailed for you including exact locations where you can read their actual policies - I don’t think you ever responded to my last message on that. When I read those it brings shades of Project 2025 to mind. The DSA are absolute nutbags - akin to MAGA in my point of view.

To sum up: the average progressive is not a nutbag, but I think many are making a mistake when they associate themselves too closely with the DSA. And those who openly identify as DSA? Yeah I won’t vote for them.

Those are countries run by actual Democratic Socialists.
Countries who do more for their people than we do.
When people support "Democratic Socialists" this is what they're supporting.
No one is going to some random page that states the fever dream of some random intern.
The candidates that are winning are those that are promising what all other 1st world countries have.

So a candidate runs for office somewhere and tells you that he's going to work to get you healthcare and cheaper groceries and fix the potholes and people get onboard. Meanwhile on here we get a bunch of "but did you see that page on the DSA website!!!!"

 

[m.knox]

The Problem With DSA Democrats Isn’t Socialism, It’s Third-Worldism​

Sharia law or bust...

https://thefederalist.com/2026/08/1...-democrats-isnt-socialism-its-third-worldism/

Decades of immigration from Muslim-majority Third World countries has turned the Democrats into the party of militant anti-Americanism.

 

[DailyBuck7]

People like you, who think like you, respect trump and elected him. That reflects very poorly on you, our entire nation and your political movement.

please see your way out

I have many disagreements with Trump and most importantly with the Iran War which I think is a disaster that he didn't need to get into. Personally, I think he is often a very disagreeable and disloyal person. In his first term, he quite often did the right thing for the wrong reasons. Putting all of that aside, he can put two sentences together which your DSA leader and also your past presidential candidate could not do. He is the lesser evil.

 

[m.knox]

People like you, who think like you, respect trump and elected him. That reflects very poorly on you, our entire nation and your political movement.

please see your way out

Another authoritarian wannabe who doesn't accept democracy. Sad and pathetic, but expected.

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

Those are countries run by actual Democratic Socialists.
Countries who do more for their people than we do.
When people support "Democratic Socialists" this is what they're supporting.
No one is going to some random page that states the fever dream of some random intern.
The candidates that are winning are those that are promising what all other 1st world countries have.

So a candidate runs for office somewhere and tells you that he's going to work to get you healthcare and cheaper groceries and fix the potholes and people get onboard. Meanwhile on here we get a bunch of "but did you see that page on the DSA website!!!!"

The fever dream of an intern? This is an established organization which has people vote on their radical platform. The last time I heard someone whitewash a platform produced by a subset of the party like this was when conservatives were whitewashing Project 2025.

If it is indeed “the fever dream of an intern“ then it should be pretty easy for all these social democrats to disavow it. But as far as I can tell they are embracing it.

 

[BelemNole]

The fever dream of an intern? This is an established organization which has people vote on their radical platform. The last time I heard someone whitewash a platform produced by a subset of the party like this was when conservatives were whitewashing Project 2025.

If it is indeed “the fever dream of an intern“ then it should be pretty easy for all these social democrats to disavow it. But as far as I can tell they are embracing it.

No, it has people voting for candidates under their banner.
Are you suggesting that all dem and rep candidates are interchangable?

The candidates running are running as democrats. Clearly they do not support everything on the democrats platform. But we are here assuming that they support everything on this web page. Why? Why not judge them on what they say/do instead?

 

[m.knox]

I agree with most of what’s on their site but there are a few things that I don’t love. More of it is about helping everyday America and not the top 10%.

One thing someone didn’t like was abolishing the Senate. Sounds scary but what DSA wants to do is add more representatives. It’s kind of ridiculous that tiny population states like Wyoming and the Dakotas get just as much say as California and Texas.

Only in the Senate. In the House, TX and CA are represented accordingly.

Tommy, do you really not understand "United" in the United States of America?

 

[hawkeyetraveler]

No, it has people voting for candidates under their banner.
Are you suggesting that all dem and rep candidates are interchangable?

The candidates running are running as democrats. Clearly they do not support everything on the democrats platform. But we are here assuming that they support everything on this web page. Why? Why not judge them on what they say/do instead?

I will judge them on their views and vote accordingly. Did I say I would not? If I did imply that then that was unintentional. But if their view is outright socialism and/or they support the DSA platform (whose objective is outright socialism) then they won’t get my vote.

I also won’t turn around and vote GOP over it either. I would just choose a third party candidate or write in a name. It’s honestly pretty simple.

 

[kidmike41]

Only in the Senate. In the House, TX and CA are represented accordingly.

Tommy, do you really not understand "United" in the United States of America?

Federal Republic. People don’t seem to understand the founding of this country.

 

[Tom Paris]

Those are capitalist countries with social programs Tom. I have no issue with social programs like Medicare for all. I have a MASSIVE issue with the DSA platform which calls for actual socialism (government taking over private companies). Which calls for eliminating all police and prisons. Which calls for some new form of government that seems to be neither a democratic Republic with separation of powers nor a parliamentary system. That is WAY beyond Canadian healthcare. That is WAY beyond how Scandinavia runs things.

You keep whitewashing the DSA platform in our exchanges. The truth is right on their website which I meticulously detailed for you including exact locations where you can read their actual policies - I don’t think you ever responded to my last message on that. When I read those it brings shades of Project 2025 to mind. The DSA are absolute nutbags - akin to MAGA in my point of view.

To sum up: the average progressive is not a nutbag, but I think many are making a mistake when they associate themselves too closely with the DSA. And those who openly identify as DSA? Yeah I won’t vote for them.

Would you vote for AOC? Someone like Mamdani? I mean, I wouldn’t vote for someone who vowed to destroy Capitalism. Reign it in? Yep. Stop the cheats? Yep.

Truman called it 70 years ago. Everything that benefits the majority gets tagged as scary socialism.

 

[Tom Paris]

The makeup of the senate is not adjustable in the constitution. To achieve that we would have to start over. Now congress we could definitely use more representation per capita.

Yep. So it’s nothing DSA could accomplish. Unless they do what Trump has done and ignored The Constitution.

I don’t live in her district so it’s kind of a moot point. But say she runs for president and wins the nomination - she will not get my vote unless she disavows the DSA positions I outlined for you in prior exchanges. If she does disavow and the choice is Vance or some other Trump supporter then she will probably get my vote.

If she doesn’t disavow, and instead supports actual socialism and the full DSA agenda, then I’m voting third party.

I just saw this reply. Ignore my repeated question.

That’s too bad. I guess you’re more afraid of her than Vance or Marco. Disappointed.