The Democratic Party is under siege by socialists — and so will the United States if they ever acquire power.
“We are workers fighting to transform society: to win the battle for democracy, draft a new constitution, and create a democratic socialist republic.”
That is part of the 2026 platform of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a revolutionary document that is calling for a new Constitution of the United States. And it is dangerous.
Take note: This is neither a call for Congress to propose amendments to the Constitution, which would require two-thirds majorities and then three-quarters of the states to ratify, or for a convention of the states called by two-thirds of the states, still requiring three-quarters of the states to ratify, under Article V of the U.S. Constitution.
Instead, it is calling for a full replacement of the current Constitution outside the supreme law of the land under Article VI of the U.S. Constitution.
Why?
In order to take ownership of the means of production and to confiscate wealth, according to the platform: “Establish public ownership of the largest corporations and essential industries to ensure democratic control and accountability to the people. Enact aggressive wealth taxes on the richest individuals and corporations to spend on public goods and infrastructure.” What else would socialists be concerned with?
Why, that would violate the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, which states no person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law.
Now, here, one might quibble and say that 100 percent wealth tax is not a deprivation without due process if Congress enacted it. Really?
What about a 100 percent life or liberty tax? What if Congress passed a law naming certain individuals criminals and subject to execution or life imprisonment simply because of their political affiliation? Due process?
No, this is Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s “general will”: “Each of us puts his person and all his power in common under the supreme direction of the general will, and, in our corporate capacity, we receive each member as an indivisible part of the whole.”
That is, democratic socialism, as described by DSA, is nothing remotely approaching constitutional, limited government. A government that can do whatever the majority wants. Take whatever it wants: Your life, your liberty and your property.
And the socialists won’t care that it’s all unconstitutional, they’re going to “draft a new constitution”, remember?
Businesses should be paying very close attention. Currently the S&P 500, the largest U.S. corporations, constitute about $61 trillion of market cap, which would all be surrendered to the new democratic socialist republic. Wall Street might become a homeless encampment for former CEOs.
And what would that new socialist utopia look like politically? A parliamentary system, on paper: “Replace the two-party system with a multi-party democracy. Expand the House of Representatives, implement proportional representation and ranked choice voting in all elections, and abolish the Senate.”
But there would be no more President, Electoral College or life-tenured Supreme Court: “Abolish the Electoral College. Replace the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress.”
And, to guarantee that the socialists always win the elections, the franchise would be extended to anyone who can establish permanent residence: “Extend full voting rights to all permanent U.S. residents and restore the right to vote for incarcerated people and people with criminal convictions.” That’s another 17.4 million voters right there: 13 million permanent residents and 4.4 million felons.
In addition, immigration enforcement would end, dramatically expanding the franchise: “ABOLISH ICE… End ICE detention and deportations and punish federal agents’ brutality. Legalize migration, grant amnesty for all immigrants regardless of status, provide a path to citizenship for all permanent residents, and end visa caps and quotas.” There’s another eventual 35 million foreign-born residents winding up on the voters rolls, too.
That tracks pretty well with historical precedent. When political parties explicitly call themselves socialist — in about 79 percent, or 34 out of 43 cases, an Americans for Limited Government Foundation analysis shows — usually that’s the end of competitive elections and the establishment of one-party rule
Heck, even the military would be ended: “Defund the Department of War. End all foreign wars and close overseas military bases.” What would become of the U.S. nuclear arsenal of 5,177 nuclear weapons, one wonders? Maybe China and Russia will get those, or something.
Now, normally, such a radical plan would not be taken very seriously, except Democrats keep losing to democratic socialists in their primaries. The danger is not if the socialists lose, but if they win. Usually, totalitarians tell you exactly what they want to do — and when they do, we should listen.
Robert Romano is the Executive Director of Americans for Limited Government Foundation.
