Are people overlooking how radical the DSA’s plan to remake US government is?

[SolitarySolace]

The debate over the DSA often gets reduced to policies people associate with Nordic or Scandinavian countries—healthcare, stronger unions, expanded social programs, and a larger welfare state.

But the Democratic Socialists of America are proposing much more than that.

Their current national program says the working class needs “a new political system.” It calls for abolishing the Electoral College, replacing the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress, and abolishing the Senate.

That is why I find it so troubling when people defend the economic policies they like while seemingly ignoring the far more sweeping changes the DSA wants to make to the structure of the federal government.

You can support those changes if that is honestly your position. I strongly oppose them. But they should at least be acknowledged and debated openly rather than treated like an insignificant footnote.

My question is whether support for the more appealing progressive policies causes too many people to overlook just how radical the DSA’s broader political agenda actually is.

Yes

No

[strateguy632]

yes they don't believe democrat want to abolish the senate.

[exitseven]

Yes, and when asked about it they usually just deflect.

[fishbone77]

They literally want to destroy America. This isn't hyperbole. They are dangerous and need to be thwarted.

[canamlusciouslad73]

Hopefully, the DSA scceeds in bringing America into the 21st century.

[SolitarySolace]

canamlusciouslad73 Then let’s be clear about what you’re hoping succeeds. The DSA’s current program calls for a “new political system,” abolishing the Senate and Electoral College, replacing the President and Supreme Court with institutions subordinate to Congress, and replacing the two-party system with proportional multi-party representation.

If you believe dismantling and replacing those longstanding constitutional institutions is what “bringing America into the 21st century” looks like, then we fundamentally disagree.

I believe modernization can happen within our constitutional republic. We do not need to tear apart its basic structure and replace it with the DSA’s preferred political system in order to improve the country.

But I appreciate the clarity, because this is exactly the point of my question: people should understand what the DSA is actually proposing and decide whether they truly want those changes.

[Jersey2]

They are a dangerous lazy greedy group.

[Anonymous]

Some people are but not everyone

[FrodoSkywalker007]

That's scary

[Anonymous]

And Project 2025 is what the other side wants.

[SolitarySolace]

@Anonymous Project 2025 is a separate discussion. Whether you support it, oppose it, or believe parts of it are too radical does not answer the question I asked about the DSA.

My poll is specifically about the DSA’s stated plans to radically restructure the federal government and whether people are overlooking those proposals because they support its progressive economic policies.

If you believe Project 2025 contains dangerous ideas, criticize those ideas on their merits. But pointing to a different political agenda does not make the DSA’s proposals less significant or remove the need to examine them honestly.

Two political movements can be scrutinized at the same time. One does not excuse the other.