Raised conservative, leaned left as a teen, fully dem as an adult and now feeling fed up with the DNC.

I’m angry and I need something new. In my very superficial research I discovered this org and I’m interested in learning as much as I can, but I have no idea where to begin.

I want to read and understand. Apart from studying Marx (which I have begun to do) where do I go?

Editing for specificity—I want books about:

• criticism against capitalism
• why socialism is the answer
• how to effectively participate in revolution or reform
• examples of successful revolutionaries
• democratic socialism specifically as opposed to other leftist ideologies

I live in a rural conservative area with no leftist presence. The nearest chapter is a 4 hour drive across the state line, the nearest in-state chapter is a 6 hour drive.

I've been considering applying to start an OC just to send up an emergency flare (so to speak) in case any other leftists in my area happen to search up DSA chapters. The most important thing right now is just to connect with eachother.

But also there's no guarantee there are other leftists in my area, and if there are there's no guarantee they'll search chapters on the DSA site.

If not, what's the best way for an at-large member to contribute besides dues?

What are some of the biggest companies that DSA members and leftists at-large oppose? I’m specifically asking about major national corporations and retail companies that I should avoid.

I got banned from liberals, keep in mind, my post was responding to this post on their own subreddit. Asking why they can’t blame voters.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Liberal/s/iKpIISVp7S

So if your fear was that liberals are too afraid of their own centralism to defend it, then your fears are right.

Hey y'all I live in mount pleasant Mi, and i was wondering if there was any mid Michigan chapter or mount pleasant one

Operation: SMASH AND GRAB Claudia de la Cruz for democrat primary 2028

For me reddits just throwing out ideas and see what you'll think that being said here's my latest idea. Let's be honest with ourself if you're an American then the most likely reason you became a socialist was because of bernies 2016 primary.

Now I'm not saying we should run bernie sanders in 2028 for many reasons but what if we ran someone like Claudia de la Cruz in the 2028 primary.

More than likely she would not win. But let's say we get lucky and get a 1/4th of the democratic primary voters then she could jump ship back to the psl and increase membership and name recognition across the USA.

Doesn't need to be the PSL but honestly there isn't any other option other than trying to reapture the bernie magic of 2016

Foreword: This was taken down in the Liberal Subreddit, so I decided to post it here.

Blame the Politicians, Not the Voters

I want to explain why the politicians who ran—especially Kamala Harris—deserve the blame for her loss, not the voters.

The Standard Model of Elections

Most politicians (or at least those taught in U.S. Congress classes) see elections as a simple number line from 0 to 10, representing the political spectrum. The common strategy is to run to the center (5) because it allows a candidate to attract:

• 0-4 (Democrats and left-leaning voters)
• 6-10 (Republicans and right-leaning voters, assuming their candidate also moves to the center)

If both candidates land near 5, they should, in theory, have an even shot at winning.

But in 2024, that’s not what happened.

• Trump ran to the far right (10)
• Kamala either stayed at 5 or moved toward 6 with policies like the bipartisan border deal, pro-gun statements, and walking back price controls.

So why did she lose?

Where the Standard Model Fails

According to Median Voter Theorem and conventional wisdom, voters from 0-4 should have backed Kamala, while voters at 6 & 7 should have defected from Trump to Kamala because she was closer to them. But that didn’t happen.

What went wrong?

The Real Problem: The 8-Point Gap on the Left

Take a look at this chart from the Political Compass:
🔗 https://www.politicalcompass.org/uselection2024

• Kamala sits at 5, Trump at 9
• Jill Stein and Cornel West are at -4
• That means millions of left-wing voters were 8-9 points away from Kamala

Now, consider this: 19 million people who voted for Biden in 2020 didn’t show up in 2024. Many of them, along with those who voted for Stein and West, were likely somewhere in that 8-point ideological gap.

So what did Kamala do in the final days of the campaign? Instead of reaching out to disillusioned progressives, she moved even closer to 6 & 7, hoping to win over moderate Republicans. She campaigned with Liz Cheney and anti-Trump Republicans—all of whom had already lost their elections in the midterms.

Even if she convinced some moderates, this strategy still failed:

• 7 is between 5 and 9, meaning those voters likely split.
• 10 is still closer to 9 than 5 is, meaning Trump kept the far-right vote.
• Meanwhile, the 8-9 point gap between Kamala and the left grew even wider.

Trump ended up with: 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 (the far right, including white nationalists and extremists).
Kamala, whether she stayed at 5 or moved toward 6, only won: 2, 3, 4, and 5 (or, at best, 3, 4, 5, 6).

The "Red Line" & Why Voters Stayed Home

Voters have a red line—an issue that is so morally unacceptable to them that they will refuse to support a candidate, even if the alternative is worse. For many in 2024, that red line was Gaza.

Polls showed that 29% of voters wanted an immediate ceasefire, yet the Democratic Party refused to take a stronger stance. This wasn’t just a policy difference—it was seen as complicity in war crimes.

And this is where the "pizza analogy" comes in:

• Imagine you want pizza, but the nearest pizza place is 8-9 blocks away.
• At that point, it’s just easier to stay home and eat leftovers than to make the trip.
• Now, imagine that pizza place is accused by the ICC of funding and supporting genocide. Even if you’re starving, you might rather go hungry than eat there.

That’s how many voters at -1 to 1 felt about Kamala. Under normal circumstances, they might have held their nose and voted for the centrist. But this time, the moral cost was too high.

I know because I was one of them—a -1 voter who still voted for Kamala. But millions of others didn’t.

Conclusion

Kamala lost because she ignored the 8-9 point gap on the left and instead chased moderates who were unlikely to switch sides.

• The left wasn’t just far from her ideologically—they were morally repulsed.
• The voters she targeted (6 & 7) didn’t defect in large enough numbers.
• Meanwhile, Trump kept his base and absorbed the far right.

So don’t blame the voters—blame the politicians who ran.

I’m brand new to any socialist organizations but not democratic socialists ideas. How do I go about joining? Are there local chapters or resources?

The silence is deafening. Are we organizing real, on the ground actions to defy the fascist overthrow of this country or not? Where the fuck is the leadership right now?

EDIT: Y’all I am not talking about or suggesting a protest to express our discontent. I’m talking about organizing a nationwide protest to shut the entire system down and flex the power that the working class has. All that’s being done is fucking pontification and symbolism but fascists don’t understand those things. We need to break shit.

Check out the article!

FITCHBURG – After months of negotiating, the final contract between Fitchburg Public Schools (FPS) and the Fitchburg Education Association (FEA) was finally approved by the district school committee and union members on January 6, 2025. Fitchburg public school teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians and clerical staff collectively won a new contract agreement that ensures access to higher wages and paid parental leave for all four units, among other benefits. 

Hey everyone, I’m reaching out to raise awareness about H.Res.7, a bill recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives that poses a significant threat to reproductive rights in the United States. (I'm posting this in multiple sub-reddits to spread awareness) I know we are all tired and scared, but please take 2 minutes to take action against this anti-abortion bill that has been introduced into the House of Representatives. We CANNOT allow this to pass, it is incredibly dangerous.

On January 3, 2025, this resolution was introduced and could lead to more restrictions on abortion access, particularly affecting women’s healthcare. At first glance, the bill might seem to promote women’s health, but a closer look reveals its true aim: to restrict access to safe and legal abortion nationwide. READ H.RES.7 HERE

Here are some of the alarming provisions in H.Res.7:

• Problematic Language: The bill includes the statement, “Whereas health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities as they relate to women's health care.” This raises concerns because women’s healthcare should be focused on women’s needs and reproductive autonomy, not an attempt to broaden the conversation in ways that diminish women’s rights to choose.
• Pro-Women’s Healthcare Centers: The bill references Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers, which are linked to groups like the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG). These centers are designed to discourage abortion access, pushing anti-abortion ideology under the guise of providing comprehensive healthcare. This could pave the way for a nationwide abortion ban, severely limiting access to reproductive services for millions of women across the country.

Why This Matters:

• Health risks for women: Restricting access to abortion services could force women into unsafe situations, traveling long distances or resorting to dangerous, unregulated procedures.
• State vs. Federal Power: H.Res.7 could override state-level decisions that protect abortion access, signaling a dangerous shift toward federal control over women’s healthcare decisions.
• Reproductive Justice: We cannot afford to let this bill go unnoticed. Women, especially those from marginalized communities, will bear the brunt of these restrictive policies.

What You Can Do:

• Contact your representatives: Tell them you oppose H.Res.7 and urge them to vote against it. FIND YOUR REP HERE and send them a letter, call them, email ASAP! I have a draft at the end of this that you are welcome to copy and paste, or edit in your own words.
• Spread the word: Share this post with friends, family, and on social media to increase awareness. Contact news outlets.
• Take action: Join local reproductive rights organizations and participate in advocacy efforts to protect access to abortion.

Women’s rights are under threat, and we need to act fast before it’s too late. Please help spread the word about H.Res.7.

Draft Letter: (Remember to fill in any blank spaces)

Dear Representative [Last Name],

I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am a voter in the [#] District. I am writing to express my deep concern regarding House Resolution 7 (H.Res.7), which was introduced in the House on January 3, 2025. While this bill may initially appear to advocate for universal medical care for women, upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that it would actively prevent women from accessing safe and legal abortion care.

I have several concerns about this bill that I believe should be addressed. First, I was alarmed to find that the bill was referred to the House’s Energy and Commerce Committee. This committee primarily focuses on healthcare policy, but it is unclear why this resolution—which involves highly charged social and legal issues surrounding abortion—would be considered in this context. Any clarification on why this bill is being handled by this particular committee would be greatly appreciated.

Second, I was deeply unsettled by this line in the bill: "Whereas health care for women should also address the needs of men, families, and communities as they relate to women's health care." As a woman, this phrasing raises significant concerns. If the goal is to establish comprehensive, compassionate, and high-quality medical services for women, I am left wondering why the needs of men are being introduced into the conversation around access to women’s healthcare. I believe that women’s healthcare should be centered on the needs of women and their right to make decisions about their own bodies.

Third, the bill references the Pro Women’s Healthcare Centers, which are described as a “consortium of centers that serves as an example of the high-quality, comprehensive, life-affirming care that women deserve.” Upon further investigation, I discovered that these centers are backed by organizations like the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), which oppose abortion and advocate for policies that limit access to it. These centers, under the guise of providing women’s healthcare, would actively work to eliminate abortion access across the country, violating a woman’s right to choose and potentially leading to a nationwide abortion ban. This is not comprehensive care; this is a direct attack on reproductive rights.

There is minimal coverage of this bill, and I believe women across the country deserve to know the full implications of such legislation before it progresses any further. I strongly urge you to oppose this bill and bring its potential dangers to the attention of your constituents. As someone who ran on a platform of reproductive justice, I trust you will continue to fight for the rights of women and protect access to the healthcare they deserve.

Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. I sincerely hope you will stand on the side of women’s rights and vote against H.Res.7.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Hey comrades.

I just joined this subreddit, and immediately the first thing I see are these posts:
The moment needs to be seized, but it’s not. : r/dsa from u/DeathstormDAG
&
Is there a DSA for every state? : r/dsa from u/aWallpaperFlower

I bring this up because during the DSA National Political Educator's Conference Winter 2025 virtual event today, there were a lot of discussions about how we could help educate and bring more awareness. My partner and I were immediately talking about how the Republican party has seized control of many social media apps with the help of almost seemingly unlimited wealth at their disposal. We are currently fighting an oligarchy that has not only TV media & Social media control, but the ability to gather a coalition as a result of said ability for outreach.

It's unfortunate, because a lot of the discussions and breakout rooms had a lot of good ideas..but they seem outdated for the time. Social gatherings, and meetups are not as likely to inspire new people as most of us have such a difficult time even finding time for ourselves with the exhaustion of work/life balance. What we need is a way to bridge social media integration and the DSA chapters in a way similar to Reddit with Subreddits (For each DSA chapter, by Region > State > County > City) that way we can start from a macro to micro scale.

Right now, with all these loose DSA chapters, it feels like we are unable to gather and spread our information outside of these small bubbles. If we start with widespread outreach and can funnel new and existing members into Regions/State/County/Cities, we can then start building upward by strengthening our local community chapters, working together to create a strengthened county chapter, further unifying state and regional chapters to form a concise movement where we can all work toward similar goals. Whether it's local organizers creating events, sponsoring ballot initiatives, boosting members onto local political boards etc. We need to be able to push out notifications and awareness of these important issues quickly and get everyone on board.

When proposed during the meeting, others in the chat were in agreeance and trying to run some ideas together. Now is the time to capitalize on this to have our voices heard and rally against an oligarchy that has wealth to spread their message, where we only have ourselves to create the change.

What I'd advise, is to bring this up to your local chapter as well, we pay dues, and we should have our funds work toward a goal to bring us together from afar, and locally.

I’m becoming more convinced of the ideals of democratic socialism, but recognizing that I live in a capitalist society, what is my civic responsibility? Is voting enough?

Are there any specific resources regarding a potential ICE raid in a school specifically? I personally know a few teachers who are wondering what exactly they have the right to do in the event that agents show up, even though Im sure its not much.

I saw that in Chicago, despite it not being ICE but rather Secret Service, they were still able to bar entry and were following some kind of CPS protocols? Just curious if anyone knows details about this.

Hey everyone I’m learning about democratic socialism and I am curious about something. Did you all vote/support Kamala in this last election or did you support the socialist candidate (I don’t know who it was)?

Why aren't we affiliated with this? https://generalstrikeus.com/

Mayor Duggan just today stated he plans to comply with ICE. Are there any Candidates who may or are already running that we should start rallying behind?

Lets say you live in a decent off suburb (not enough to be throwing money around). Your parents are 50 something homeowners and that is the generic makeup of your neighborhood. How would you convince them that the US needs socialism.

I see many people on this sub talking about how we should focus on organizing in our neighborhoods so how do organize amongst this crowd.

I'll get rid of some tactics I've tried myself. No, warning them about how there 3 paychecks away from diasater does not work. They think they're immune from such possibilities.

No, listing potential benefits of Medicare for all or any social program does not inspire well off suburbanites.

And do you even dare bring sensible housing policy as the thought of a two storied apartment scares them more then the serial killers on dateline.

So anyone got any answers?

Man, I would officially join the DSA if it didn’t feel like just a bunch of disorganized clubs. Like there is a moment right now with the Democratic Party being in complete shambles to seize a crumb of control and nothing seems to be getting done.

The party infrastructure needs to be heavily boosted. Not just a bunch of town and city organizations. I’m talking statewide coalitions the link all the clubs together. Conventions, etc.. idk maybe I’m wrong and those things do exist, but I haven’t seen them.

There is a real chance this party could take a big bite out of the Democrats power and it doesn’t seem like that’s happening.

If not, why isn’t there? I looked for an r/NCDSA and didn’t see anything.