Democratic Socialists of America Platform Vows to Put Working Class Americans First
A third of all U.S. Democrats identify as democratic socialists, according to a new poll from CNN. As a sizable chunk of the electorate, the Democratic Party is leaning into this growing demographic with a new platform proposed by what was once a fringe group. Here is a closer look at the tenets of this platform, as well as what politicians are lining up behind the movement.
Democratic Socialists of America Release Revolutionary Platform
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is promising to fight for working-class citizens with its new "Workers Deserve More" platform. Notable features of the proposal include free healthcare and the abolishment of the U.S. Senate. This proposed overhaul of the federal government also includes ideas to ease the cost of living for the nation's working families.
The subset of the Democratic Party released the platform on July 14, prompting widespread criticism by Republicans. GOP Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that the ideas were proposed by "barbarians," likening the ideas to communism. Johnson wrote on X that "This isn’t just Common Sense vs. Crazy anymore. It’s Common Sense vs. COMMUNISM."
Despite being hailed as too radical by many opponents, the DSA is gaining more influence within the Democratic Party. Some of the most prominent members of the DSA include New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
Working-Class Democracy
The new DSA platform encompasses three sections: Thriving Working-Class Communities, Working-Class Foreign Policy, and Working-Class Democracy. The goal of establishing a Working-Class Democracy starts with providing more access to the country's controversial electoral system by expanding the right to vote to all permanent U.S. residents. This includes restoring the right to vote to individuals who had previously been convicted of a crime. The proposal would also grant statehood to the District of Columbia and self-determination for U.S. territories, including Guam and Puerto Rico.
Many of the Working-Class Democracy goals would require amending the U.S. Constitution. DSA co-chair Megan Romer believes that the U.S. Senate is "an anachronistic institution" due to its roots in the British House of Lords. As such, the DSA wants to abolish this chamber of Congress and expand the U.S. House of Representatives to make up for the difference. The DSA has not provided specifics about the expansion of the House.
Also under this part of the proposed structure, the current two-party system would be replaced with what DSA calls a "multi-party democracy." Other key changes under this part of the proposal include the elimination of the Electoral College, appointing Congress to elect the Supreme Court justices, rolling out ranked-choice voting in all federal elections, and abolishing the lobbyist industry and its associated funding from Super PACs.
Thriving Working-Class Communities
On the business front, the Thriving Working-Class Communities proposals include health care and housing for all citizens. Under this umbrella of proposals is the "Freedom to Flourish" section of the platform. These goals include implementing 32-hour work weeks, free education access, paid family leave, and providing workers with a livable minimum wage.
This section of the platform recommends making large corporations public in addition to supporting greater empowerment for workers to form unions. The money needed to fund these ideas would come from what the DSA calls "aggressive wealth taxes."
The "End Mass Incarceration and Police Immunity" proposal would abolish the federal prison system and police departments as they look today. Meanwhile, the "Finish Reconstruction" proposal calls for continuing the gains made in the Reconstruction Era by honoring tribal treaties and expanding reparations.
Working class women are covered by the "Feminism for All" tenet, aiming to end "policies that oppress bodily autonomy” such as restrictive abortion, contraceptive, and transgender transition bans. This section of the proposal also advocates for freedom and protections for LGBTQIA+ communities.
Working-Class Foreign Policy
Lastly, the Working-Class Foreign Policy details how involved the DSA wants the U.S. to be on the global stage. This section calls for the federal government to launch a path to U.S. citizenship for "all immigrants regardless of status." This protocol would also abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a thorn in the GOP's side in recent months.
The DSA platform supports ending all U.S. military aid to Israel under its "Free Palestine" protocol. Included in this tenet is the goal of prosecuting "U.S. and Israeli leaders responsible for the genocide in Gaza."
The "End the U.S. War Machine" section advocates for the defunding of the U.S. Department of War. This would effectively close American military base installations overseas. This part of the plan would also prosecute U.S. war criminals in accordance with the International Criminal Court. While this revolutionary idea still raises many questions, Romer told FOX News that the proposal calls for a complete defunding of the Pentagon.
The Working-Class Foreign Policy proposal also calls for the U.S. to disengage in non-domestic political issues by pulling back on its economic sanctions, embargoes, and blockades. Although this could theoretically apply to all foreign entities, the proposal specifically names Cuba, Iran, and Venezuela. The DSA is clear in its belief that "People around the world deserve to live their lives without U.S. interference."
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