{"articles":[{"reaction_config":[{"icon":"excited","color":"#EE4950","stance":"excited"},{"icon":"happy","color":"#EDB723","stance":"happy"},{"icon":"apathetic","color":"#3AB093","stance":"apathetic"},{"icon":"sad","color":"#5ACDED","stance":"sad"},{"icon":"angry","color":"#624960","stance":"angry"}],"id":6289,"title":"What is Democratic Socialism?","html_content":"\n

by Causes | 8.1.18

The term “democratic socialism” has once again entered the airwaves after Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – a member of the Democratic Socialists of America - defeated a 10-term incumbent in a Democratic House primary in New York City.

While the tenets of democratic socialism vary depending on whom you ask, because there are 42 men and women running for offices at the federal, state, and local levels this year with the formal endorsement of the Democratic Socialists of America, we’ll use DSA to explain the term.

Policies the DSA supports

“Social and economic decisions should be made by those whom they most affect” with the end goal of meeting public needs instead of turning a profit.
Nationalizing the entire healthcare industry through a single-payer system (“Medicare for All”).
Ending “the influence of money in politics.”
Strengthening unions.
A federal jobs guarantee.
Abolishing ICE.
Restoring Glass-Steagall protections.
Free and legal abortions.
Tuition-free college.
Rent control because “housing is a human right.”
Equal rights and protections for all those who identify as LGBTQIA+, including rights to jobs, education, housing, and healthcare.
Restructuring “gender and cultural relationships to be more equitable.”

What do you think?

Following Ocasio-Cortez’s win, Fox News’ Sean Hannity warned his audience to look “very carefully” at her DSA platform:

“This is your future. This is your modern Democratic Party,” Hannity intoned as the camera panned over phrases like “Women’s Rights,\" “Support Seniors,” and \"Medicare For All.\"

Some, however, saw Hannity’s warnings as a “great commercial” for democratic socialism.

What do you think? Do you support DSA's policies? Or are you concerned with associated costs of a single-payer healthcare system and free college tuition? Hit Take Action and tell your reps, then share your thoughts below.

—Josh Herman

(Photo Credit:

","image_urls":{"large":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/gZAMg8wZ/034536/Democratic_Socialists_of_America_Logo_%28official%292.png","medium":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/gZAMg8wZ/034536/Democratic_Socialists_of_America_Logo_%28official%292.png","small":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/gZAMg8wZ/034536/Democratic_Socialists_of_America_Logo_%28official%292.png","thumb":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/gZAMg8wZ/034536/Democratic_Socialists_of_America_Logo_%28official%292.png","xsmall":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/q_auto/uploads/gZAMg8wZ/034536/Democratic_Socialists_of_America_Logo_%28official%292.png"},"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/articles/6289-democratic-socialism","article_comments":"https://www.causes.com/api/articles/6289-democratic-socialism/comments"},"comment_count":201,"action_count":611,"cta_prompt":null,"cta_type":"reactions","share_count":58,"published_at":"2018-08-01T19:17:09.356Z","is_countable_article":true,"allow_advocacy":true,"profile_id":1,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null}],"users":[{"name":"KarlK1989","vote_count":36,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/2071624543090336/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/2071624543090336/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/2071624543090336/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/2071624543090336/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/myLdOxQn/following","followers":"/api/users/myLdOxQn/followers"},"about_me":"I am an engineer by trade and a loyalist at heart.","twitter_id":"","facebook_id":"","youtube_id":"","google_plus_id":null,"website":"","slug":"karlk1989","issue_count":18,"is_following":null,"influence_score":2270,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":2,"following_count":8,"position_count":14,"id":"myLdOxQn","partner_id":null},{"name":"Todd","vote_count":1500,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/10154259653172922/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/10154259653172922/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/10154259653172922/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/10154259653172922/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/BZeKq6K9/following","followers":"/api/users/BZeKq6K9/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":"Toddlyabraham@facebook.com","youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":8,"is_following":null,"influence_score":2860,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":16,"following_count":19,"position_count":19,"id":"BZeKq6K9","partner_id":null},{"name":"Judith","vote_count":133,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/yWjwJ2PZ/large_ywjwj2pz-1489213939.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/yWjwJ2PZ/small_ywjwj2pz-1489213939.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/yWjwJ2PZ/tiny_ywjwj2pz-1489213939.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/yWjwJ2PZ/following","followers":"/api/users/yWjwJ2PZ/followers"},"about_me":"To all Progressives: Follow each other on this site! I noticed how the Repubs all do that and have lots of followers but little of value to say. We must unite. Hey 45: You have the right to remain silent. We welcome it! We are not a third world country. We have a right to excellent healthcare, excellent schools, quality food, great working conditions and benefits, etc. Our children have the right to grow up in a clean unadulterated world that is not going to kill them. Our elders should not have to work like dogs after 60, rather they should be able to have time to enjoy some of what's left of life before getting too ill to experience life. The 1% need to quit being so darn selfish and greedy. You have plenty! What you need to gain is empathy for your fellow human beings. Please take your shameful anarchist selfish Congress quietly into the night and let caring people work together to make the American dream come alive. You and President Bannon the racist anarchist are ruining it now; but you know that. Sad.","twitter_id":"@Iris4998","facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":28,"is_following":null,"influence_score":5270,"influence_level":40,"follower_count":92,"following_count":263,"position_count":114,"id":"yWjwJ2PZ","partner_id":null},{"name":"Mary","vote_count":187,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/3403799189676107/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/3403799189676107/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/3403799189676107/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/3403799189676107/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/P9odBYoW/following","followers":"/api/users/P9odBYoW/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":"","slug":null,"issue_count":0,"is_following":null,"influence_score":1280,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":53,"following_count":0,"position_count":70,"id":"P9odBYoW","partner_id":"efa417af-11b4-4a08-9b10-fff245626400"},{"name":"Suzanne","vote_count":5,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/3528680967218589/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/3528680967218589/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/3528680967218589/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/3528680967218589/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/8mrvkY7m/following","followers":"/api/users/8mrvkY7m/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":0,"is_following":null,"influence_score":30,"influence_level":10,"follower_count":3,"following_count":0,"position_count":5,"id":"8mrvkY7m","partner_id":null},{"name":"Felicia","vote_count":25,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/316344112182944/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/316344112182944/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/316344112182944/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/316344112182944/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/LWg7bADW/following","followers":"/api/users/LWg7bADW/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":14,"is_following":null,"influence_score":60,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":2,"following_count":15,"position_count":19,"id":"LWg7bADW","partner_id":null},{"name":"David.dAversa","vote_count":189,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/10216104432068818/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/10216104432068818/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/10216104432068818/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/10216104432068818/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/eWMrAXXZ/following","followers":"/api/users/eWMrAXXZ/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"david.daversa","issue_count":111,"is_following":null,"influence_score":30,"influence_level":10,"follower_count":1,"following_count":6,"position_count":33,"id":"eWMrAXXZ","partner_id":null},{"name":"Rebecca","vote_count":12,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/kW306NVZ/following","followers":"/api/users/kW306NVZ/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":10,"is_following":null,"influence_score":10,"influence_level":10,"follower_count":0,"following_count":3,"position_count":4,"id":"kW306NVZ","partner_id":null},{"name":"Deepstate","vote_count":66,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/W1nGkqv1/large_w1ngkqv1-1548215151.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/W1nGkqv1/small_w1ngkqv1-1548215151.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/W1nGkqv1/tiny_w1ngkqv1-1548215151.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/W1nGkqv1/following","followers":"/api/users/W1nGkqv1/followers"},"about_me":"","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"deepstate","issue_count":0,"is_following":null,"influence_score":1230,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":49,"following_count":33,"position_count":59,"id":"W1nGkqv1","partner_id":null},{"name":"Jacob","vote_count":90,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/502200296863805/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/502200296863805/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/502200296863805/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/502200296863805/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/Wld7zPYv/following","followers":"/api/users/Wld7zPYv/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":17,"is_following":null,"influence_score":270,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":8,"following_count":8,"position_count":1,"id":"Wld7zPYv","partner_id":null}],"article_comment":{"flagged":false,"id":496058,"body":"In this day and age in our country we NEED at least a LITTLE BIT of socialism! We need better public education FOR ALL and also United Healthcare!!!","parent_type":"Article","parent_id":6289,"created_at":"2018-08-02T14:01:16.884Z","liked":false,"like_count":9,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/comments/496058","likers":"https://www.causes.com/api/v1/likers?likeable_id=496058&likeable_type=Comment"},"article_id":6289,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/comments/496058.png","note":{},"note_text":false,"note_color":false,"user_id":"myLdOxQn","liker_ids":["BZeKq6K9","yWjwJ2PZ","P9odBYoW","8mrvkY7m","LWg7bADW","eWMrAXXZ","kW306NVZ","W1nGkqv1","Wld7zPYv"]}}

Like Causes?

Comment Liked by 9 Users