Democrats propose counter to GOP’s anti-socialism resolution

Four Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives made a move Monday to publicly criticize socialism and the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — as a counter to a Republican resolution that would do the same.

The Republican resolution , which was introduced by Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) and is slated to come to the floor this week, condemns socialism and DSA policy positions, like abolishing prisons and allowing noncitizens to vote.

It also includes a call for “enactment of the SAVE America Act,” President Trump’s long-sought bill that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote and photo ID to cast a ballot. That bill has failed to pass the Senate multiple times, but has remained a top priority for Trump and many in his base.

The proposed Democratic amendment to that resolution also denounces socialism, though using different language. The authors list the failures of socialism in other nations and several controversial DSA positions, like abolishing capitalism and the Armed Forces, and call the DSA’s ideology “incompatible with American values and the United States Constitution.” It also strips out the provision related to the SAVE America Act.

The GOP resolution advanced out of the House Rules Committee without allowing a vote on the amdnment. But the Democratic backers said the goal of the proposal was about showing voters Republicans aren’t being sincere.

“I mean, it’s really trying to show the Republicans are not serious about wanting to do that, right?” Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fl.) told The Hill Monday night. “This is just political games.”

Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) said the socialism debate is not what Congress should be focused on, but that if Republicans are going to make hay, she also wants to ensure that it’s “serious.”

“To put the SAVE Act in there, it actually dilutes the power of what this socialism resolution is and and should be attempting to do,” Scholten told The Hill. “So you know our amendment just simply attempts to expose this fraudulent, insincere attempt by Republicans and say, ‘hey, if you guys really want to have a vote on socialism, let’s have it, right?’ And separate out these two issues.”

“If the Republican leadership truly wants to have a conversation about socialism, then let’s have the real conversation we need to have about it,” Scholten said. “I’m open to having that conversation, but you know not with this watered down insincere version that includes the Save Act, which is deeply unpopular with the American people.”

Republicans have been making the fight against socialism a hallmark of their midterm message , casting the democratic socialists and progressives who have scored recent primary wins as extreme and seeking to tie the rest of the party to its most far-left members.

Some Democrats, meanwhile, have been sounding the alarm about the DSA for months out of concern that its candidates could harm their midterm prospects and cost them the battleground districts that will decide the House.