Socialists, Marxists, and Communists - OH MY!
by Craig Wiesner - San Mateo Daily Journal - August 10, 2026
Watching Republicans talk about Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) candidates who won recent elections reminded me of the Wizard of Oz scene where Dorothy and friends were afraid of “Lions and Tigers and Bears, OH MY!” Republicans are crying: “Socialists, Marxists and Communists, OH MY!” House Speaker Mike Johnson recently warned that the country will either “maintain our status as a constitutional republic… or go down this dark road of death to communism.” YIKES! Dark road of death?! What soaring rhetoric! A think tank memo sent to all House Republicans instructed them to use their messaging to tie socialism to communism and Marxism. “Communism raises the loudest alarms with constituents.”
Most of our readers are knowledgeable enough to know that there is really NO movement towards Marxism or communism happening here in the United States. I feel like Republicans are replicating the “Red Scare” of the 1950s and it saddens me to see that, especially given how many lives were unjustly destroyed by people like Senator Joseph McCarthy.
Given, though, that there are a number of candidates running for election as members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and that the mayor of one of the greatest cities on earth (my opinion - my birthplace), New York’s Zohran Mamdani, is a Democratic Socialist, the term might benefit from some definition. Unlike classic socialism, which might exist under various political forms like single-party rule, centralized states, and even dictatorships, Democratic Socialism requires a multi-party, free-vote democratic system where leaders are chosen through regular elections. While classic socialism assumes a large government role in the means of production, Democratic Socialism favors worker-owned cooperatives and labor unions, public ownership of key utilities, and a democratically managed economy that reduces corporate power. Yes, there would still be private ownership of businesses, though giant corporations would face much more regulation and monopolistic practices would be curtailed. There would be significantly more taxation of the wealthiest people and businesses to help pay for programs so everyone had access to high quality universal affordable health care, free pre-K through college, affordable housing, and robust infrastructure to keep people and the economy moving. If you want to know more about the actual DSA Party and its positions, visit dsausa.org
I believe most members of the Democratic Party would identify themselves as capitalists and I’m generally more aligned with them and their policy positions than I am with the DSA, but I think that in our democracy, having robust left, middle, and right voices, pushing us to the edges of our comfort zones, is a good thing. I recently watched former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on FOX News (bit.ly/4x4pb7z). He framed his comments on where he believes the “center of gravity” of the country meets “the center of gravity” in our party. “Center,” though, does NOT mean giving up on very progressive ideas.
Buttigieg has appeared on FOX News a lot over the years, holding his own in a very conservative space. I’m betting he’ll be in the running for president in 2028. He and his husband Chasten faced a horrible attack recently, with someone calling in an anonymous phony child abuse tip to Child Protective Services (CPS), resulting in the couple having to separate from their children while the accusation was investigated. This seemed like a new form of “SWATting,” which many on the left and right have suffered, where police are told there’s a serious incident unfolding, resulting in a SWAT team storming the place. This is political violence we should all stand against. Political violence can result from people being influenced by overblown rhetoric, like pointing at Democrats, calling us Communists leading the country down “the dark road of death” or the president saying that if something doesn’t go his way, like the Supreme Court’s decision on birthright citizenship, we “won’t have a country anymore.” The justices had to ask for a significant increase in protective services because of threats against them. Yes, Democrats can be quite hyperbolic too. Feel free to call me out when I stray that way.
With the midterms approaching, we should be passionate about the candidates we support and proudly and loudly stand up for what we believe. I believe the current administration, supported by Republican congressional majorities, and enabled by the Supreme Court, has moved the country in the wrong direction. Democratic Socialists, like Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Mayor Mamdani, and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, have sparked some new energy, excitement, especially with young voters, and we should all pay attention to that. I’ll be working to have a Democratic Party majority take the Congressional gavels in January, reigning the administration in, and taking us down a bright road of freedom, justice and prosperity. Oh my!
Craig Wiesner is the co-owner of Reach And Teach, a book, toy and cultural gift shop on San Carlos Avenue in San Carlos. Follow Craig: craigwiesner.bsky.social.