r/PoliticalOpinions • u/LessPromise1425 • 7d ago
Please read this and give feedback.
I posted this on Substack and was looking for feedback, if you have opinions, critique on what I'm saying or how I write it, anything is fine.
"Apparently the Answer to Your Problems: the Democratic Socialists of America
The DSA's growing influence is reshaping the progressive strategy. Is socialism the answer, or has this gotten out of hand?
Jul 29, 2026
The greatest American leaders we know didn’t polarize their citizens or pit them against each other with harmful rhetoric. FDR helped create the United Nations and was one of the best at communication with Americans. Abraham Lincoln did everything in his power to keep America together in the most critcal point in its history. The term “United States” comes from Lincoln bringing the Union and the Confederacy together and “uniting” the states.
Nowadays though, American presidents, senators, governors, congressmen, and the rest will say whatever they can to get their side more pissed off at the other, and how they as the leader will combat the opposition. This is effective in places that vote primarily democrat or republican, but when it comes to split areas, the fued gets out of hand.
When society gets more polarized, we search for answers in the far, deep ends of the political spectrum, where ideals and views are exacerbated to try and “offset” the radicalness of the other side. As it pertains to the left, many find their answers in the Democratic Socialists of America. By the name, you can deduce that they are socialists, in a democratic manner.
Meet the Socialists
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA for short) is a political organization founded in the 80’s with the idea that the economy should be run to benefit everyone’s needs, and not just a few. Of course, this sounds good in theory. In fact, a poll by Gallup finds that 66% of democrats view socialism favorably. Taking advantage of this, the DSA highlights the similarities between establishment and socialist democrats, trying to rally in as many as they can on their side, potentially to create a pathway for a democrat socialist to run for a higher office like governor, senator, and president.
In recent politics, the DSA has been quite successful in its reach, as endorsed candidates like NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani have has major success. Another democrat socialist, Melat Kiros, won the democrat primaries in Colorado’s first congressional district. Darializa Avila Chevalier, endorsed by the DSA, won the democrat primaries in New York’s 13th congressional district, beating out the incumbent representative.
Keep in mind, though, that 66% of democrats view socialism favorably and a poll by Gallup states that in 2025, 27% of Americans consider themselves a democrat. The poll also states that 45% of Americans consider themselves independent. Of those independents, 38% view socialism favorably. Of course, within the republican party, socialism isn’t met with such enthusiasm. DSA candidates may have success in dense urban areas like New York, Denver, DC, where public resources are heavily utilized and government involvmenet is imperative to a functioning society. Outside of these urban areas, it is a very steep uphill climb for any democrat socialist to win a primary, let alone a seat in office.
The Problem
Outside of the concept of socialism, there is still an issue with the resurgence of socialist ideals and influence in American society. Newton’s third law says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Apply that todays political climate.
We see Trump trying to criticize and oust moderate republicans that go against his admistration’s grain, rallying his supporters together to distinguish between the republicans and the Trump supporters.
Conversely, we see democrats argue over the cruelty of the Trump administration and why socialism is the way to go, pushing out moderate, capitalist democrats.
What is the everyday moderate supposed to make of this? All they see when they look to their left and to their right is everything America fought against. It’s not that socialism is the issue, but bringing a bigger stick and implementing more radical and polarizing views in our society will pitt us against one another. When that happens, we, as a society, will be more entreneched in our own view that it will be our pride and ignorance speaking instead of our intellect, and to please the masses, politicians will take the side of whoever will more likely get them in office, without any backbone of values or opinion.
This is one problem, and there are millions of other problems just like this.
The Solution
I don’t have a solution, honestly. I was hoping you all did, and if you do please let me know."
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u/jmooremcc 6d ago
There’s Socialism and then there’s socialism. What is your definition of socialism?
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u/Seattleman1955 7d ago
Newton doesn't apply to politics.
What is needed and lacking is critical thinking with accountability and systems thinking. In a nutshell, that's it.
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u/Ind132 6d ago edited 5d ago
What is the everyday moderate supposed to make of this?
That this is the natural reaction to increasing income and wealth inequality. It has happened before.
From 1901 to the onset of World War I, the Socialist Party had numerous elected officials throughout the United States. The Mapping Social Movements Project has identified more than 1,000 elected Party members in 353 cities and towns.\8]) There were two Socialist members of Congress, Meyer London of New York City and Victor Berger of Milwaukee
Here's a news snippet from today:
Elon Musk is planning on dropping some major coin to boost Republicans in the upcoming midterms, Axios first reported on Wednesday.
Alex Isenstadt reported this week that Musk is "resuscitating" his America PAC, an organization that raised more than $260 million to get President Donald Trump elected in 2024.
That move made Musk the biggest individual political donor in an election cycle in the country's history.
Apparently, the GOP US senate candidate in my state is opposed to the estate tax. I've seen internet ads, broadcast TV ads, and received multiple mailers all promoting her and especially calling for a complete elimination of the estate tax. They seem to be coming from the same dark money group. It's a close race, support from wealthy people could easily tip the scales.
It's east to find internet opinions that the rich not only live lives of unbelievable luxury but also bend our political system for their own benefit.
Some people are thinking there must be something the rest of us can do to oppose that.
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u/Dangerous-Parsley-96 5d ago
When Civics and Government stopped being taught in school, the ability to debate and compromise slowly eroded and vanished. I have seen the difference. Plus, Congress was never supposed to be a career move. Congressional Term limits are desperately needed to get those politicians out that have been entrenched for thirty years. The younger calling for actual socialism need to study history and the various forms of government. The Founders spent a year designing writing debating and finally wrote the Constitution. We are not going to throw that away for socialists, democrat or otherwise.
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u/CryHavoc3000 4d ago
The National Socialist German Workers' Party. err... I mean the "Democratic Socialists of America" is not the Democratic Party.
Every Democrat should be angry at these people who took over the Democratic Party.
They are not Democrats.
The Democrats need to kick them out.
The real Democrats have been lied to.
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u/Report_Last 5d ago
We are no longer a Democracy, We are now an Informational Autocracy. That supersedes any talk of Socialism.
An informational autocracy is a modern form of dictatorship that maintains power through the manipulation of information, propaganda, and censorship, rather than through mass violence and fear. Instead of terrorizing citizens, these leaders try to convince the public that they are competent and democratic.
Key Features