Nolan Finley: What Democratic Socialists really want

Nolan Finley, The Detroit News on Sep 6, 2026

Published in Op Eds

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Michigan's mid-term election ballot is littered with socialists.

Candidates who in the past would be relegated to the fringes of the ballot under labels such as Workers of the World Party, Working Class Party and Let's All Just Have a Big Party are now carrying major office banners for the Democratic Party.

These political misfits have found entry to the Big Time through the Democratic Socialists of America. The DSA isn't a political party; it's a movement that has attached itself to the Democratic Party at a time when Democrats are fed up with the haplessness of their leaders.

Two of the state's 13 Congressional District races feature DSA nominees: Rep. Rashida Tlaib in the 12th and Donavan McKinney in the 13th. A third, Will Lawrence in the 7th, just recently let his DSA membership lapse. DSA fellow travelers include Abdul El-Sayed for the U.S. Senate and Eli Savit for attorney general. DSA-aligned Chris Gilmer-Hill is the Democratic nominee in the state House district that covers northwest Detroit and southern Oakland County.

The DSA is to the Democratic Party what the Tea Party was to the GOP and promises to be just as disruptive. Where the Tea Party was demanding a right-wing agenda for the nation, the DSA wants to dismantle America and rebuild it as a workers' utopia.

Don't be fooled into thinking these firebrands are simply far-left progressives. They go way beyond liberal and well into Marxism.

They're seducing voters with two promises perfectly aligned with the national mood. The first is Medicare for All. "Who could be opposed to making sure everyone gets health care?," is the question they ask. They know 55% to 65% of Americans are open to the proposal.

Their second pitch is to the resentment of the growing gap between those who have too little and those they deem to have too much. And here is where things get radical.

I looked at the DSA platform, crafted this summer under the heading of Workers Deserve More. To give workers more, the DSA would basically end capitalism. While workers wouldn't necessarily own the means of production, they would certainly control it through stronger labor unions and broader worker protection laws.

The "bosses" might still be in place, but they'd have less ability to actually boss anyone, since happy workers can manage themselves. Eventually, all corporations would be collectively owned and taxed "aggressively" to pay for the free stuff folks will be getting, which, along with health care, includes utilities and rent. Food and transportation would be delivered profit-free.

If you're interested in a narrative of how it would work, go to the DSA website and click on "A Day Without Capitalism." The picture is of a worry-free paradise.

The DSA also envisions an America where police departments are defunded. We won't need them. Arresting criminals would be pointless, since they plan to tear down the prisons. The same goes for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The DSA calls for open borders and citizenship on demand. This isn't fearmongering; it's on their list of priorities.

So is weakening the executive branch and courts. Instead of electing the president and Supreme Court, they would be appointed by Congress, blowing apart the foundation of the nation.

Socialists are counting on the promise of a society where all needs are met by a benevolent government to convert voters to their ranks.

Their biggest obstacle is that their collectivist vision has never worked without trampling on civil liberties. Most often, socialism morphs into totalitarianism, as its egalitarian ideals are no match for human nature.

I'm reminded of a trip to Vietnam, where my tour guide was a young entrepreneur exploiting that country's loosening grip on the economy. He summed up life under the system the DSA dreams about.

"We all went to work at the same time, we all went home at the same time, and whether or not we produced, we all got paid the same. And we all starved."

Socialism is a simplistic answer to difficult challenges. Easy answers are no substitute for doing the hard work of fixing a system that has provided Americans unmatched freedom and prosperity for 250 years.

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