Readers write
Democratic Socialists want to burn system down
A reader (“DSA appeal is to those disappointed with status quo,” Readers Write, Sept. 16) objects to Patricia Murphy’s dismissal of the Democratic Socialists of America, focusing on why some Americans are disillusioned today. The writer states: “A growing number of voters no longer believe the political and economic status quo is working for them.” Fair enough, but this does not make the DSA’s platform remotely serious or credible.
Imagine if a homeowner had a floor repair issue to address but became so frustrated that she said, “Forget fixing the floor. I’m just going to burn the house down and go live in a free castle.” That is basically the DSA response, addressing concerns by burning the whole system down to pursue a fantasy. Of course, things are made much worse when the free castle turns out to be an expensive, tattered tent. Socialism always fails.
Shockingly, a Quinnipiac poll published on Sept. 10 shows that 59% of Democrats who responded now are DSA supporters. The DSA’s platform of utter nonsense is fast becoming mainstream on the left.
DANA R. HERMANSON, MARIETTA
Columnist fails to explain DSA appeal
AJC Politics Columnist Patricia Murphy’s opinion piece, “The Democratic Socialists believe what? A closer look at the bloc’s ideas.” Sept. 13, does not clearly explain what DSA believes or why it resonates with voters. Murphy chooses charged terms from the DSA platform rather than risk mentioning the organization’s broadly popular policy prescriptions.
The article mentions abolishing the police, which appears in the “ending mass-incarceration” section of the platform as a long-term goal. To end mass incarceration, the DSA proposes demilitarizing police departments; redirecting funds to public services; treating addiction as a health issue, not criminal; ending qualified immunity; and empowering civilian oversight of police departments as first steps. Despite being popular policies candidates run on, the article conveniently omits them.
The puzzling framing continues when Murphy excludes DSA pillars such as a living wage, canceling student debt, free school from pre-K to college, Medicare for All, and a free Palestine from the organization’s “biggest goals.” Instead of broadly popular policies, the piece highlights nebulous goals such as abolishing capitalism (does anyone know what that means?).
Subsequently, it becomes easy to give credence to Georgia Republican Party Chair Josh McKoon’s misunderstanding of the DSA as “outliers,” and it leaves readers without a working understanding of why the DSA has surged in popularity and what candidates have actually run on.
HARRISON TAYLOR JR., NORCROSS