DSA backs abolishing the US Senate because it's 'meant to serve very wealthy people'

Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) co-chair Ashik Siddique said in an interview with CSPAN that part of the DSA official platform was to abolish the Senate as it served “very wealthy people.”

“We just don't see the point of the Senate,” Siddique said. “Historically it was meant to serve very wealthy people who owned a lot of land. That's still the system we have today. It's something we would change; we would expand what the House of Representatives does and make it actually more representative of people who live in this country.

Siddique then went on to say that abolishing the Senate was part of the DSA platform, and they did not feel it was extreme and that it was a change that would make the country more democratic.

The DSA has also called for other sweeping political and economic changes involving public ownership of corporations as well as the age-old call for the Electoral College to be abolished. The organization’s platform argues that major corporations and economic institutions should be placed under “public ownership and democratic control,” a position that goes beyond traditional Democratic Party proposals focused on regulating private businesses.

The group’s critics argue that these proposals would represent a fundamental transformation of the American political and economic system, while DSA supporters argue the changes are necessary to reduce the influence of the wealthy in government. The debate over the DSA’s growing influence has intensified as the organization has gained more attention within Democratic politics from recent primary victories, particularly in New York City.

The proposal has drawn criticism from conservatives who argue the DSA’s agenda represents a direct challenge to the long-held constitutional system established by America’s founders. Critics say eliminating the Senate would remove one of the country’s only real protections against unchecked majority rule and give heavily populated urban areas even more control over federal policy leaving rural areas unrepresented.