They Admit It: The New Goal is to Destroy America

It’s clear that the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are gaining prominence, especially with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being the longstanding frontrunner in betting markets for the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee. What makes this interesting is just how extreme the DSA’s views are. While sometimes the DSA’s “defund the police” stance breaks into mainstream media, that’s actually one of their tamer stances in the larger scheme of things.

So join us today as we explore the DSA’s actual program and discuss what a DSA-led America what might actually look like. Sure is interesting!

Show Notes

DSA Structure

Founded in 1982 through the merger of two leftist orgs, the DSA is made up of a National Convention (its highest decision-making body which convenes every two years) and super autonomous local chapters.

* National leadership

* Is where all dues go; they’re then partially redistributed back to chapters

* Made up of:

* The National Political Committee (NPC): serves as collective leadership and a board of directors

* A Steering Committee that makes interim decisions, oversees staff and finances, charters and revokes chapters and commissions, and implements convention priorities

* The NPC and national staff provide resources, field organizers, training, shared tools (phone/text banking, compliance help), and national priority campaigns.

* Local chapters

* Are required to affirm the national body’s principles and basic democratic norms.

* Send delegates to the convention proportional to their membership

* At the convention, they set strategy & priorities, elect leadership, and adopt resolutions and platforms

* Do the day-to-day political work

* Have their own membership meetings, bylaws, officers, and sophisticated internal structures

* Youth wing: Young Democratic Socialists of America (YSDA)

Active Members

The DSA started growing explosively with Bernie Sanders’ 2016 campaign and the election of President Trump.

* Membership went from around 6500 in 2014-2016 to over 120,000 now (+ median age dropped significantly)

According to Peter Sterne (News & Opinion Editor @CityAndStateNY)

“As of the end of July, DSA has about 129,000 dues-paying members.

NYC-DSA has about 15,800 members.

Next 5 largest chapters are:

* At-large (i.e. not in a local chapter): 6,500 members

* LA: 6,000 members

* DC: 4,000 members

* Portland: 3,700 members

* Chicago: 3,300 members”

Every member of the DSA simultaneously belongs to the national organization and one local chapter (or “at large” if no group exists nearby)

* Which is rich because this August The Hill reported that “Ocasio-Cortez is not a member of the DSA’s national branch but maintains ties to her local chapter in the Big Apple.” (that’s NOT A THING)

DSA Stances

I’ve bolded all the ones I think are actually cool

Their current program:

* THRIVING WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES

* Freedom To Flourish

* “Expand public resources to support recreation, learning, and social spaces accessible to all. Establish paid family leave for all workers, a 32 hour work week with full pay and benefits, and a living minimum wage. Provide free, quality public education from pre-K to college and cancel all student debt.”

* Healthcare For All

* “Guarantee universal healthcare at no cost to individuals, including complete access to reproductive and gender-affirming care. Expand healthcare access and quality by investing in new public hospitals and clinics. Make all medical education and training public and free.”

* Housing For All:

* “Build new, publicly-owned social housing, strictly regulate investment properties, establish universal rent control, and guarantee right to counsel for all tenants.”

* Finish Reconstruction:

* “End the legacies of slavery and colonialism. Reinforce anti-discrimination laws. Honor all treaties and tribal sovereignty. Enact reparations and massively invest in good jobs, quality housing and infrastructure in neglected minority communities.”

* End Mass Incarceration and Police Immunity

* (this is basically reworded “abolish the police”)

* “Demilitarize police departments, disempower police unions, and redirect funding to public services as steps towards fully abolishing the police and prison system which protects the rich and jails the poor. Treat drug addiction and mental illness as health issues, not crimes. End qualified immunity and empower civilian oversight bodies with real authority over the police.”

* Feminism For All

* “Stop gender violence and end policies that oppress bodily autonomy and intimate life, including patriarchal restrictions on abortion, childbirth and childraising, gender expression and transition, marriage, and divorce. Ban sex discrimination and ensure fair compensation and support for all forms of labor, including care work.”

* Green New Deal

* “Pass a federal jobs guarantee. Implement massive investment in sustainable, publicly owned energy and transit infrastructure. Phase out the use of fossil fuels. Reclaim and repair our earth’s resources for all.”

* NOTE: A federal jobs guarantee generally means the federal government would ensure a paid public-service job is available on request to people who are ready and willing to work, especially if they cannot find adequate private-sector employment.

* WORKING-CLASS FOREIGN POLICY

* End The U.S. War Machine

* “End all foreign wars and close overseas military bases. Support and fully employ veterans. End immunity for U.S. war criminals and support the International Criminal Court’s mandate to prosecute war crimes.”

* Free Palestine

* “Recognize the rights of the Palestinian people, including the right of return, the right to resist military occupation, and the right to self determination in a free Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital. End all military and economic aid to Israel. Prosecute U.S. and Israeli leaders responsible for the genocide in Gaza.”

* Note: They’re SUPER against Israel. There’s one candidate, Nithya Raman, an LA city council and mayoral candidate, whose endorsement might be expelled from the DSA because she failure to properly probe or affirm her support for BDS (an international campaign seeking to pressure Israel over its treatment of Palestinians.) and anti-Zionism even though she was p