David, you ignore that the socialists would be able to exert even more influence with complete control of every aspect of the government and thereby greatly increase their numbers starting in kindergarten. The education system is already one of their strongholds. The Supreme Court would be permanently packed. Medical care would become like that of Canada and the UK. Four new senators would likely result in permanent socialist control of the senate, and several million more socialist voters would likely mean permanent control of the executive branch. Our borders would once again be open, and criminals will thrive with no threat of prosecution. The USA military will be neutered. Iran will once again promise to behave, and we will pretend they are not developing nuclear weapons until Tel Aviv is vaporized. The USA will drift further toward dependence on socialist and communist nations for cheap goods which will cost us our last sliver of independence.
If we elect socialists to rule for six or eight years, it will become permanent. But, we will not have Trump and his influence and that would justify destruction of the USA.
To do that, they’d have to exercise some competence. MAGA has had unfettered control of the government and turned the people against them. Why would it be any different if socialists mismanage the country (playing devils advocate here because socialists aren’t a majority of elected Dems/candidates)?
MAGA is not unfettered. There are courts and a senate filibuster rule. As a counterpoint, when have socialists managed well? The possibility of recovery from total control by a party whose platform is to completely destroy the Constitution and the safeguards of its three independent branches is almost zero. The current administration obeys court rulings even when most are nothing but delaying tactics brought before liberal judges. Read the DSA platform.
David, I like the comparison of current politics here are similar to the Spanish Civil War. While I agree with much of what you say, I think at the time of the Spanish Civil War the Nazis were a known commodity and the free world understood that something needed to be done to stop the spread of fascism, so Americans voluntarily joined the International Brigade in order to do so. At that time, the threat of communism and what communism in the Russia style actual stood for was not understood to the same extent and there were many communist sympathizers. Once these idealists got to Spain and joined the ranks of the International Brigade, much disillusionment with the communists set in, particularly with the way the Russians conducted themselves by dominating the forces. It was only after WW II and the USSR's dominance of Eastern Europe did the free world really come to understand what the communists were all about. So much like Spain in 1936, Trump is a known (and despicable) commodity. The DSA members may or may not be similar to the USSR or CCP. The extent of their beliefs is an unknown but many of them appear to be as much a racist as the neo-fascists are in the GOP and the track record of many of the main stream Democrats is not that of a shining example to lead our country into the future.
Again, great article. It provides much food for thought.
Mayor Mamdani in NYC has approval numbers that any other politicians would kill for and is generally exceeding the expectations of those that had doubts.[1]
Brandon Johnson ran alongside the DSA here in Chicago, and is confident enough to run again (and probably lose)[2], but Chicago hasn't become a drab Stalinist city under his watch.
There's more than enough data out there to disprove the idea that the US DSA *might* run things like the Communist Parties of the Soviet Union and China. As someone who knows and actually interacts with DSA folks regularly, they're much more about having gov't work up to its potential than some grand ideological project of reprogramming the populace. To what extent they ARE reprogramming the populace, it's through folks like Mamdani demonstrating how local gov'ts can serve its local constituents (and Brandon Johnson discrediting the DSA by failing to live up to Mamdani's example).
It's almost like the constant mislabeling of anything remotely related to welfare or government services as socialism/communism makes people label themselves as socialists/communists.
There is no data to disprove the DSA platform which clearly states its direction. It is a political party that will lie and weasel word as necessary to gain its objectives. You should read it.
Your guy Trump has shown to what extent party platforms are binding and constrain candidates. I suspect toilet paper has more of an effect.
Data are observations from the real world from which conclusions may be drawn. There is plenty of that to see how interacting with the real world shapes and influences even (*gasp*) DSA candidates. You don't get to ignore that just because it contradicts your priors.
Not stated above is that today Trump and the GOP are seizing parts of companies (currently up to 32), and socialism/communism involves government controlling the means of production. So there's something to be said that they are currently the most communist at this time.
Even the far right influencers/media are stating the GOP needs to embrace socialism.
I do not believe "seizing" is the correct term in this case. There was no force involved and no dictatorial demands. I would classify the action as enabling the affected companies to do better rather than accepting barnkruptcy.
Curtis, I don’t think any of those companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. I also don’t know of legislation authorizing the federal government to take ownership interests in them.
Their balance sheets are really irrelevant here. Or is it your contention that the US government can seize parts of any company if their balance sheets are look unhealthy in some way?
"In January, at my direction, the United States military conducted a massive military operation penetrating deep into the Venezuelan capital ... it was a war. To the victor belong the spoils." Trump, today
David, you ignore that the socialists would be able to exert even more influence with complete control of every aspect of the government and thereby greatly increase their numbers starting in kindergarten. The education system is already one of their strongholds. The Supreme Court would be permanently packed. Medical care would become like that of Canada and the UK. Four new senators would likely result in permanent socialist control of the senate, and several million more socialist voters would likely mean permanent control of the executive branch. Our borders would once again be open, and criminals will thrive with no threat of prosecution. The USA military will be neutered. Iran will once again promise to behave, and we will pretend they are not developing nuclear weapons until Tel Aviv is vaporized. The USA will drift further toward dependence on socialist and communist nations for cheap goods which will cost us our last sliver of independence.
If we elect socialists to rule for six or eight years, it will become permanent. But, we will not have Trump and his influence and that would justify destruction of the USA.
To do that, they’d have to exercise some competence. MAGA has had unfettered control of the government and turned the people against them. Why would it be any different if socialists mismanage the country (playing devils advocate here because socialists aren’t a majority of elected Dems/candidates)?
MAGA is not unfettered. There are courts and a senate filibuster rule. As a counterpoint, when have socialists managed well? The possibility of recovery from total control by a party whose platform is to completely destroy the Constitution and the safeguards of its three independent branches is almost zero. The current administration obeys court rulings even when most are nothing but delaying tactics brought before liberal judges. Read the DSA platform.
Good thing the DSA isn't in control of the Democratic Party. Wanna keep them from growing? Vote against them in a Dem primary.
Define socialism and communism.
Read the DSA platform.
Uh uh Curtis: you need to define socialism and communism since you keep bringing it up all the time.
If you can't define it, then you can't really work against it either: it's just a meaningless catch-all for you.
With the Trump shitshow, it really shouldn’t be close.
But this seems to be becoming more common. Normie People voting against the bigger shitshow, rather than really wanting to vote for the lesser one.
Gone are the days when a non-shitshow was even on the menu.
David, I like the comparison of current politics here are similar to the Spanish Civil War. While I agree with much of what you say, I think at the time of the Spanish Civil War the Nazis were a known commodity and the free world understood that something needed to be done to stop the spread of fascism, so Americans voluntarily joined the International Brigade in order to do so. At that time, the threat of communism and what communism in the Russia style actual stood for was not understood to the same extent and there were many communist sympathizers. Once these idealists got to Spain and joined the ranks of the International Brigade, much disillusionment with the communists set in, particularly with the way the Russians conducted themselves by dominating the forces. It was only after WW II and the USSR's dominance of Eastern Europe did the free world really come to understand what the communists were all about. So much like Spain in 1936, Trump is a known (and despicable) commodity. The DSA members may or may not be similar to the USSR or CCP. The extent of their beliefs is an unknown but many of them appear to be as much a racist as the neo-fascists are in the GOP and the track record of many of the main stream Democrats is not that of a shining example to lead our country into the future.
Again, great article. It provides much food for thought.
Mayor Mamdani in NYC has approval numbers that any other politicians would kill for and is generally exceeding the expectations of those that had doubts.[1]
Brandon Johnson ran alongside the DSA here in Chicago, and is confident enough to run again (and probably lose)[2], but Chicago hasn't become a drab Stalinist city under his watch.
There's more than enough data out there to disprove the idea that the US DSA *might* run things like the Communist Parties of the Soviet Union and China. As someone who knows and actually interacts with DSA folks regularly, they're much more about having gov't work up to its potential than some grand ideological project of reprogramming the populace. To what extent they ARE reprogramming the populace, it's through folks like Mamdani demonstrating how local gov'ts can serve its local constituents (and Brandon Johnson discrediting the DSA by failing to live up to Mamdani's example).
[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/09/08/mamdani-has-high-approval-ratings-new-york-city-mayor-suffolk-poll-finds/
[2] https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-mayor-brandon-johnson-make-special-announcement-sunday/19826432/
It's almost like the constant mislabeling of anything remotely related to welfare or government services as socialism/communism makes people label themselves as socialists/communists.
There is no data to disprove the DSA platform which clearly states its direction. It is a political party that will lie and weasel word as necessary to gain its objectives. You should read it.
Your guy Trump has shown to what extent party platforms are binding and constrain candidates. I suspect toilet paper has more of an effect.
Data are observations from the real world from which conclusions may be drawn. There is plenty of that to see how interacting with the real world shapes and influences even (*gasp*) DSA candidates. You don't get to ignore that just because it contradicts your priors.
The question is who is actually in control of the GOP vs who is in control of the Democratic Party?
Wanna keep the DSA from gaining power? Then vote in Dem primaries to get the more moderate option selected as the candidate.
Not stated above is that today Trump and the GOP are seizing parts of companies (currently up to 32), and socialism/communism involves government controlling the means of production. So there's something to be said that they are currently the most communist at this time.
Even the far right influencers/media are stating the GOP needs to embrace socialism.
It doesn't get any more "socialist" than promising everyone a $5k check if the GOP wins.[1]
[1] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-promised-5000-checks-if-republicans-win-the-midterms-how-would-that-work
I do not believe "seizing" is the correct term in this case. There was no force involved and no dictatorial demands. I would classify the action as enabling the affected companies to do better rather than accepting barnkruptcy.
Curtis, I don’t think any of those companies were on the verge of bankruptcy. I also don’t know of legislation authorizing the federal government to take ownership interests in them.
The investments were legal under the defense production act. The balance sheets were not healthy.
No, it wasn't related to the DPA.
Their balance sheets are really irrelevant here. Or is it your contention that the US government can seize parts of any company if their balance sheets are look unhealthy in some way?
Have you really thought this through?
Bankruptcy wasn't an issue in any of these companies.
a (would-be) dictator with a cult-like following, and no firm principles other than whatever is best for the tribe.
With comments like this all the rest of the article is sullied by obvious TDS.
You can vote for all the MAGA centrists out there :)
How does telling the truth sully anything?
Which part of David's statement is false?
Or how about this:
"In January, at my direction, the United States military conducted a massive military operation penetrating deep into the Venezuelan capital ... it was a war. To the victor belong the spoils." Trump, today