I have been involved in the political arena forever and a day. I have read about political parties since the inception of our country. Parties have evolved and some have disappeared like the Federalists and the Whigs. I have never seen a political party allow people who don’t even call themselves members of the party to consume a party. That is what is happening today with the Democrats.
The Democrats have decided to allow people who are not even really party members to run for office under their name and not be forced to abandon the party they truly are in and commit to being Democrats. Bernie Sanders is the Godfather of this movement. He has always identified as a Socialist, but that was long before the current variation of organized Socialists in America was formed in 1982. Sanders has always been listed as an independent but has caucused with the Democrats in the U.S. Senate. The Democrats give him full rights without ever asking him to be an actual Democrat and adopt the principles of the party.
The organization that has spawned the current movement is the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). Since members of this group advocate for the racist, failing public school system, they may not understand the simple elements of speech here that make themselves different from Democrats. The word “Democratic” is an adjective. Adjectives modify a noun that is the truly meaningful word. That means they are Socialists. That is the noun here. If you don’t believe that, go to the DSA website and you will read they state they are Socialists.
The group has grown dramatically as they have burrowed their way unopposed into the Democrat party. They are never asked whether they believe in the principles of the Democrats. They just point to the adjective (Democratic) and have won elections as “Democrats” while they are really what they self-identify as – Socialists.
To give you’re a better idea that they are a defined political party DSA had their biennial convention this past August in Chicago. An estimated 1,200 to 1,500 people attended. Sounds like an established independent political party.
Now, if you tell your left-of-center friend this they start screaming about how Trump and his MAGA movement has consumed the Republican party. But you must illuminate your friend on the basics of our language once more. You see those folks identify as “MAGA” Republicans. The MAGA is the adjective here. The noun is Republican. Do I agree with everything MAGA Republicans say? NO. But neither do I agree with everything the Beautiful Wife says, and we are about as philosophically aligned as two people can be. MAGA people are joining Republican clubs. They are Republicans.
There are currently an estimated 250 people elected to public office in the United States who are members of the DSA. I do not know all their names so I cannot tell whether they all ran as Democrats. I can tell you what they did not run as – Republicans or Socialists – the latter of which is what they actually should be running as.
The Los Angeles City Council has four members of the DSA amongst the 15 council members. Obviously, that is over 25%. The problem for residents who vote in these elections is these people are listed on the ballot as a Democrat. I can guarantee you that the vast majority of people voting for them have no clue that these four are actually Socialists. In fact, if you go to their listing on the LA City Council website none of them say anything about being a Socialist. That is a clear act of deception.
There are currently three members of the U.S Congress who are DSA members. The most well-known goes by AOC because her name doesn’t fit into a government form slot. The other two are the “wonderful” Rashida Tlaib and then there is the somewhat obscure Greg Casar. He is from Texas but lives in Austin – the bluest area in the state. He currently serves as chair of the Progressive Caucus in the House which probably should be renamed the “Socialist” Caucus. You can argue, but they did elect a Socialist as their chair.
It is rumored that AOC is thinking of running for President in 2028. What do you think she will run as — a Democrat or a Socialist? If she is nominated, which is not totally implausible, that will confirm that the party has gone full Socialist.
The big story is the takeover of America’s biggest city and financial capital by a Socialist – Zohran Mandami. He hasn’t hidden he is a Socialist, but he is running as a Democrat. It is fascinating to watch the tortured convulsions of Democrats deciding whether they are going to endorse him even though he is their party nominee, but not really a member of their party. Governor Kathy Huchul of New York, always a leader in the political backbone department, finally decided to endorse him. She could not find a single issue to say they agreed upon so she stated that Mandami would be a worthy partner in fighting President Trump. Talk about a positive agenda.
As the Democrats tried to dig their way out of the hole of the Biden/Harris debacle, they have had a horrible time finding a leader and an agenda on which to stand. Everything points to the fact they have a bigger problem. A group of people are hijacking their party who avow that they follow a political philosophy that has failed wherever it has been tried and is responsible for the mass murder of millions of people. Unless someone with real leadership takes over and denounces what is being done then the Democrat Party will wilt away.
