This column first appeared in Rawstory:
Some of the less imaginative in the media refer to the “Blue Tea Party” to label the zeitgeist that is taking hold of the nation as young Democratic Socialists are making noise, winning elections, and being “nice” about it.
Please. This wonderful development, long in the making, is hardly a retread of the Koch-financed, centrally planned, tri-corner hat, muzzleloader carrying, red coats of the 2010s. The Tea Party was little more than a corporate response primarily to the black president, moderate as he was, who wanted to moderately raise taxes on the rich.
But today’s movement on the left is powerfully organic, born of anger and abject terror over the right-wing extremism shoved down American throats; it’s a movement comprised primarily of left-of-center younger millennials and just coming of age Gen Zs. They are hungry, and there is evidence they’re ready to really win.
The country has taken notice, and that’s great, but it comes with a few concerns.
It is breathlessly wonderful watching a renewed awakening of the true American Left, the one of FDR, Ted Kennedy, Sherrod Brown, and yes, Bernie Sanders, and as needed as they were, this movement, this time, is headed up by late twenty-somethings, maybe early thirties.
Zohran Mamdani is the sin quo non of the “next step Left,” the essential official, the one succeeding, and a leading candidate for the Democratic nomination in 2028 (Assuming we hold regular elections) Of course, we have the ever-reliable AOC, indeed – the entire “squad,” now looking a little more mainstream, especially when one considers primary wins by Melat Kiros, a Social Democrat who beat a 15 term House Dem, and the unapologetic leftist in Texas, James Talarico, whose Christian background actually enhances his far left views because, by all appearances, Talarico actually read the words of Jesus and plans to carry out that mission for the “least of my brothers.”
If you doubted the power of this youth movement and its danger to the Republican establishment, consider the comfort Donald Trump takes in facing off against the obviously tired Chuck Schumer or ever-banal Hakeem Jeffries, versus AOC and Talarico. Trump has always used extreme hyperbole to scare the bejezus out of the typical Fox News viewer, but he’s found another gear in describing this crowd:
“These are hardcore, godless communists,” Trump said at the Faith & Freedom Coalition conference last month, adding: “This is the most serious threat to our country since its existence.”
The most serious threat to the nation’s existence, ever? Forget that he skips right over a damned civil war over slavery that killed 500,000 Americans, which is really, really rude to that generation if you ponder it momentarily. But it’s a near certainty that Trump mismatched some words in his assertion.
It might be the most serious threat to his presidency and his existence in the White House. Which fits, because it seems as though Trump doesn’t believe anything real happened before he took office, nothing of importance, for sure, since he alone defines the nation, owns the nation, and alone moves the nation. Yes, he has good reason to fear populism born from the ground up, politicians fifty years younger than him, with fifty fewer years wasted on self-indulgence over maturation.
Oh, and yeah – Trump, call Talarico “Godless” without turning to stone. It takes presidential-level hubris to exude the hedonism of the womanizer and alleged rapist, having almost never stepped in a church, to turn against a true Christian like Talarico (Or Biden, for that matter) and compare who carries forth Jesus and God’s message (Whether one considers it divine or secular, the message is progressive through and through.)
Actually, the irony in all this is just delicious. This new crop, the Mamdanis, Talaricos, AOCs, the ones that talk about poor people are actually the ones taking up Jesus’s true message and, in time-honored tradition, Trump plays the role of the Pharisees and the Sadducees in the Temple – absorbing the true threat looming if the poor and downtrodden ever did hear such a message and felt emboldened to take on the system.
Back then, they killed Jesus over the threat; for now these messangers will just get dragged on Fox and Truth Social.
Trump and the MAGA Right do know the power of branding, though, and, as seen above, have quickly labeled such liberals as “communists.” This is, of course, ludicrous. A communist believes that the government should own every business; no one is above or below anyone, CEO or janitor. They are comrades.
Not a single current candidate is even close to advocating such a position. Oh! Wait, it was Donald Trump who demanded 10% of Intel go to the American government for a sweetheart deal, and when challenged that such a relationship was “un-American,” even a little communist, Trump stated he couldn’t think of a deal “more American.” He finally said something without lying.
A lesson in the purely transactional presidency, dear reader.
A true socialist believes that citizens should own businesses and produce goods and services, but that profits should go to the government for redistribution. If this sounds familiar, it is because the United States has always had some socialist tendencies, as all stable democracies must – Medicare, SNAP, and the 2009 bank bailouts come to mind, it’s all in one’s priorities.
A Democratic Socialist of the Bernie Sanders, Mamdani, and Kiros type still believes in capitalism; they just believe in stronger redistribution to the poorer classes. Note, the U.S. government already promotes strong socialist programs for the elite; the latest example is picking up the tab for a big tungsten mining operation, and you’ll never guess who benefits. According to a report in the Times:
Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump hold investments in business entities connected to a massive $1.1 billion tungsten mining project in Kazakhstan, which was negotiated by the Trump administration. The venture is backed by up to $1.6 billion in proposed U.S. federal financing, sparking scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest.
Guh.
Momentarily forget the obvious conflict of interest; that’s just business as usual now, and simply note the “socialism” proudly extended by the U.S. government to wealthy investors. Socialism in some form or another is comfortably woven into the fabric of this country; it gets down to priorities, $1.6B for mining that should be an entirely private investment with private profits, versus $1.6B to add money to SNAP to get families extra grocery money to fight off inflation? Fox News calls it “Free Stuff!” – Maybe, just who gets the free stuff?
Well, we know which side Trump falls on, and we definitely know where the current crop of “New Democrats” land. And so here we arrive at some small quibble.
To this powerful and brave new crop of leaders, how about just dropping the “Socialist” label and simply run as a Democrat? Indeed, run as a “true” mainstream Democrat, run as an “FDR Democrat,” run as a “Ted Kennedy Democrat,” use the progressive angle to wake the real members of the Democratic party establishment up.
Why?
Because.
It makes a difference in branding, and though it may have helped Mamdani locally, or Colorado’s Kiros, it most certainly will not help nationally. No, they should not be ashamed or mute their views or positions. In fact, the shame should go the other direction, shaming conservative establishment Democrats as having lost their way. Dropping the label “Socialist” from their party identity provides two benefits: It makes it slightly easier to navigate the Fox News hate machine (slightly), while also reminding current Democrats of the definition of a Democrat – a real one.
And there’s never been a better time to present a new Democratic party led by a youth movement ready to take on Trump, Thune, Alito, and every other “establishment” figure they’re against. Of the group, it’s likely they’ll be relying on a Gen-Xer to lead the ticket for president (Mamdani is perhaps the one exception). At the presidential level, there is no substitute for experience. But the good news is there is a great crop of Dems just waiting for their chance, Klobuchar, Newsom, Buttigieg, and the man I wish would get really involved in possible presidential politics but seems shy, Sen. Commander Mark Kelly of Arizona, able to fly a fighter jet, land a space shuttle be a great Senator for Arizona standing up to Trump – put that man in the White House.
But the youth movement will push whoever that person might be to the left, or where they’ve needed to be all along. Just, you know, drop the socialist part – you are the “real” Democrats anyway. You will caucus with the Democrats when you win, lest you be left in the irrelevant dust. Take away the one advantage you’ve given the Fox News denizens, stand proud, push the party left, and grow it from youth. Blow that bloviating boomer right off the right corner of the White House and Congress, go in the front door, carrying all those priorities on your left side.
That’s why Trump and Fox News are so scared, by the way. If people ever heard your message, it’s lights out for them in this struggling land.
Do it as a favor to us Gen Xers and Boomers, who will support you with zeal every step of the way, knowing that it’s time we step to the side, making room for a generation to craft government needed for the next two to three generations, their generations, our kids’ generation.
Oh, and they’ll probably do some good for us, too. Real Democrats have plenty of social concerns to get us to where we need to be. It doesn’t take a label, only an inner head and heart guided by the right priorities.
Jason Miciak is a Rawstory columnist, former editor at Occupy Democrats, author, political consultant, attorney, and single girldad. Please follow him on Bluesky, and he can be reached at [email protected]. He reads and appreciates feedback in the comments.
This reminds me of what Howard Dean called himself as representin the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party.