Americans are losing faith in government institutions. Data in Gallup and Pew Research show dwindling trust in government institutions, from Congress to the presidency, from law enforcement to the Supreme Court. Every day, we see the rich getting richer while our bills get more expensive. We all know that money in politics is a problem, but neither major party seems interested in doing anything about it. Our Constitution was a historic step forward in 1787. But now, many of its features designed to preserve elite power and limit democracy are holding us back.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) believes we can and must do more to put democracy in the hands of the people. On Aug. 23, Gazette columnist Richard Fein argued that “no country in the world is governed like the DSA’s program and our country shouldn’t be either.” We disagree.
In DSA, we believe that every vote should count the same. That’s why we support proportional representation and the abolition of the Senate and the Electoral College. These two institutions are almost uniquely undemocratic among the world’s governing institutions.
We don’t believe Supreme Court Justices, appointed for life, should have the power to strip away rights from millions of women, immigrants, and other residents of the United States.
Instead, we believe that working people should take control of our own destinies. We should organize into mass organizations like DSA, build strong unions in our workplaces, and take on corporate power together. We don’t need to accept a system rigged for the elites.
In the richest country in the world, we can construct an efficient, free healthcare system. Instead of spending billions on wars overseas and propping up genocidal governments, we can provide housing and good jobs for all. We can address the climate crisis by building renewable energy sources and avoiding wasteful development of data centers. We deserve more.
Our society faces tremendous challenges and our only hope is to organize together. If you believe that a better world is possible and are ready to fight for it, join DSA today.
Sasha Morsmith, co-chair, River Valley Democratic Socialists of America
Northampton