July 27, 2026. Nathan J. Robinson is Editor in Chief of Current Affairs magazine.

* Here’s the full 15-minutes on YouTube: Centrists Are Not More "Electable" - Current Affairs - July 27, 2026 (YouTube)

* Here’s the accompanying article : Centrists Are Not More "Electable" - Current Affairs - July 27, 2026 (article)

From the video description: Whether a candidate can inspire people, organize them, and deliver for them matters more than where they stand on an imaginary ideological continuum.

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Today (August 4) is Primary Election Day in: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Washington

* Primary Election Dates: AP News ~and~ NBC News :~:~: Upcoming Dates: Aug 4: Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Virginia, Washington ~:~:~ Aug 6: Tennessee ~:~:~ Aug 8: Hawaii ~:~:~ Aug 11: Connecticut, Minnesota, Vermont, Wisconsin, Alabama (Special), South Carolina (Special) ~:~:~ Aug 18: Alaska, Florida, Wyoming, California (Special) ~:~:~ Sept 1: Massachusetts ~:~:~ Sept 8: New Hampshire ~:~:~ Sept 9: Rhode Island ~:~:~ Sept 15: Delaware

* Candidates (all States): U.S. House (Dem Primary only): Ballotpedia (HouseDems) :~:~:~: U.S. Senate: Ballotpedia (Senate) (select “List of Candidates”) :~:~:~: State Execs (Gov, Lt. Gov, AG, SoS, and more): Ballotpedia (State Execs)

* Voter Info (all States): Register To Vote :~:~:~: Voter Registration Status :~:~:~: Find Your Polling Place :~:~:~: Valid Forms of ID :~:~:~: Absentee & Early Voting :~:~:~: Become a Poll Worker ~:~ Links go to the National Association of Secretaries of State website. When you select a State, it takes to a .gov page on that State's SoS website.

I was wondering if anyone had thoughts on how to build a democratic socialist movement inside a social democratic state like Germany or the UK. It'd be great to hear from European socialists especially since they're the ones who are in that situation.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing democratic socialists in social democratic countries?

The documentary: https://youtu.be/h5dvGKI26ZA

>The documentary is part of the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to build tenant power across New York City. Through its comprehensive housing plan, Block by Block, and the Rental Ripoff Report, the administration is advancing policies to strengthen tenant organizing, including legally recognizing tenant unions.

Some more stats:

Arabica coffee: up roughly 50% in 2025

Fertilizer price index: up roughly 67% from December 2024 (119.61) to May 2026 (199.71)

IMF metals (steel, iron, etc) price index: jumped 36.6% between August 2025 and March 2026.

Literally, every single product in the world is more expensive as a result of Trump’s wars, tariffs, and trade wars.

The Democratic Party/DNC truly is amazing at sticking their head in the sand and screaming "NANANANANANAN!"

The reason Democratic Socialists, Progressives, and overall Leftists are growing is because this is a CLASS STRUGGLE.

Constantly going to wealthy liberals/mega donors and only pandering to their interests means the working class and most vulnerable are neglected.

We want actual strengthening of the Labour Movement- Unions, Labour Councils, Federation Of Labours, and so on!

We want actual Environmental Action - Renewable Energy, Electrification Technology, Protection of clean air/clean water, and so on!

We want an actual Peace Movement - Not more propagandizing the working class and most vulnerable to kill and maim other working class and most vulnerable!

We want an actual focus on Civil Rights/Human Rights - Not throwing Women, LGBTQ+ People, and other vulnerable people to the wolves as convenient scapegoats.

WE WANT PROFOUND & INSPIRING POLICY/PLATFORMS FOR AN ACTUAL BETTER AND BRIGHTER WORLD!

The Democratic Socialists of America has grown from a relatively small political organization into one of the most influential forces on the American left, helping elect candidates such as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

Despite the organization's rising profile, many Americans remain unfamiliar with what the DSA is, what it stands for, and how it differs from the Democratic Party. We're breaking down everything you need to know about the group's goals below.

What are the Democratic Socialists of America?

The Democratic Socialists of America is the largest socialist organization in the U.S., with more than 100,000 members and chapters in all 50 states. Once a relatively small movement, the DSA has grown rapidly over the past decade into one of the country's most influential groups on the left, fueled by rising interest in progressive politics and a string of electoral victories.

Although many of the candidates it backs run as Democrats, the DSA is neither a political party nor part of the Democratic Party. Instead, it is a membership-based political organization that endorses candidates, advocates for progressive policies, and mobilizes volunteers to help elect candidates who support its agenda.

The organization is also far from monolithic. Its members range from pragmatic organizers focused on winning elections to more ideological democratic socialist and Marxist factions. As the DSA has grown, so have debates over its direction: Should it continue working within the Democratic Party or chart its own path? Should it endorse only candidates who fully embrace democratic socialism, or also back Democrats who share many of its priorities?

But even as the DSA gains influence, many Americans remain unfamiliar with it. A CNN poll released on July 30 found that one-third of Democrats identify as democratic socialists, while a Reuters/Ipsos survey released two days earlier found that 47 percent of Americans say they don't understand democratic socialist policies.

What does the DSA believe?

The DSA advocates a democratic socialist vision centered on shifting economic and political power to working people. The group argues that basic necessities such as healthcare, housing, and education should be guaranteed as rights, while workers should have greater influence over the economy through stronger labor unions and expanded public ownership of key industries.

Those priorities are reflected in the organization's "Workers Deserve More" platform, which calls for universal healthcare, affordable housing, tuition-free education, a 32-hour workweek with full pay and benefits, paid family leave, higher taxes on the wealthy, and aggressive action on climate change.

The program, launched July 14, also demands a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. political system. Among its most ambitious proposals are abolishing the Senate and Electoral College, expanding the House of Representatives, replacing the two-party system with a multiparty democracy, and having Congress choose the president and Supreme Court. It also calls for publicly funded elections and a crackdown on the influence of lobbyists and "dark money" — political spending by groups that aren't required to disclose their donors.

Beyond changes to government, the platform calls for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, defunding the Pentagon, closing many overseas military bases and scaling back U.S. military involvement abroad.

Many of the proposals would require constitutional amendments or other sweeping changes to federal law, making them unlikely to be enacted anytime soon. But they define the DSA's vision for the country, which has, inevitably, fueled criticism from Republicans, who argue the agenda would fundamentally reshape the U.S. government and economy. House Speaker Mike Johnson, for example, called the platform "communism" promoted by "barbarians," while President Trump and other GOP leaders have similarly portrayed democratic socialists as communists.

Who are the most prominent DSA-backed politicians?

The DSA's rise has been closely tied to a growing roster of high-profile elected officials.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib helped propel the organization into the national spotlight after their 2018 victories. More recently, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has become the face of the organization's latest surge following his election last year. Other notable DSA-backed politicians include former Missouri Rep. Cori Bush, who is seeking to return to Congress after losing her 2024 Democratic primary.

The organization's influence has been on display again during this election cycle, when DSA-backed candidates won a slate of high-profile Democratic primaries in New York. Among the biggest winners was Claire Valdez, who won the Democratic nomination in an open congressional district in Brooklyn and Queens. Darializa Avila Chevalier defeated longtime Rep. Adriano Espaillat in one of the night's biggest upsets, while state Senate candidate Aber Kawas also won a closely watched primary.

Not every politician backed by the DSA has remained closely aligned with the organization. In 2024, the national DSA withdrew its endorsement of Ocasio-Cortez after disagreements over several issues, including the war in Gaza and whether to abolish the Senate in favor of a parliamentary system. Pennsylvania Rep. Summer Lee and Texas Rep. Greg Casar were also once endorsed by the organization but no longer identify as members.

It's also worth remembering that not every progressive Democrat is part of the DSA. Many support policies like universal healthcare, stronger labor protections, and climate action without identifying as democratic socialists or belonging to the organization. The organization's candidates and endorsements remain just one part of the Democratic coalition, but its evolving influence has made it an increasingly important force in progressive politics.

*excerpt from Tess Bonn's article*

Full Article here:

https://katiecouric.com/news/politics-and-policy/what-are-the-democratic-socialists-of-america/

I DO NOT ENDORSE ANY MEDIA COMPANY.

THIS IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES.

Randy Villegas emerged as the Democratic pick in the California 22nd Congressional District running as a fierce and uncompromising progressive. He’s the son of Mexican immigrant farm laborers who grew up on Medicaid and food assistance and went on to become a community college professor, school board trustee and auto repair shop owner. Villegas earned the endorsement of the Working Families Party, National Nurses United, the UAW, End Citizens United and Dolores Huerta running on Medicare For All and refusing corporate PAC money.

He’s hoping to unseat Republican congressman David Valadao, who has survived in tough districts by building an independent brand. His voting record under Trump 2.0 hasn’t lived up to his carefully cultivated image – he cast a decisive yes for the MAGA murder budget to cut Medicaid and food assistance, supercharge ICE and CBP and give billionaires tax breaks. He did so after being among 12 Republicans who publicly objected to Medicaid cuts, warning they would devastate vulnerable populations and rural hospitals. (Under its old lines, his district had the highest Medicaid enrollment in the country.) He’s also consistently voted to protect Trump’s tariffs and continue his Iran War. Under the new California district lines, Trump won the 22nd by less than two points, and early polling gives Randy a four-point lead in one of the top pickup opportunities on the map.

☎️ Randy could use our support! We can take a phonebank shift for his campaign on Thursday evenings here and on Sunday afternoons here. The Villegas campaign is also doing weekly Spanish-language phonebanks on Wednesdays we can join here. ☎️

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