As previously promised, here is a quick recap for the DSA convention that just wrapped up. I could probably write something longer, but I’ll stick to highlights because I am extremely tired.

Democrat Supporters of America Direct Sellers Association Dick Suckers Agency Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is the largest socialist org in the US with ~90,000 members. It is a mass party with ties to labor unions and a few electeds scattered around the US. Once every two years DSA holds a convention composed of delegates elected from each chapter based on membership size. This year the total delegate count was ~1,200, with the largest delegations being from NYC, LA, and DC.

The convention is the highest decision making body in the org and is tasked with voting on member-submitted resolutions and electing the org’s two co-chairs and its increasingly large National Political Committee (NPC) which is the highest decision making body between conventions. I won’t bore everyone with the individual votes, but I’ll try to explain where the org is at.

DSA is a “big tent” org. This means factions of vastly different tendencies are allowed to operate openly and advocate for their own vision of the org. The ideological range here varies from radlibs who want the org to operate like an NGO, and revolutionary MLs who want to overthrow the government by force. You might predict this produces a contentious body, and it does, but the org has spent the last decade since its rebirth maturing. I’ve been told by long-timers that this was the most comradely convention since 2015.

From what my sleep-deprived brain can remember, here are the biggest decisions we made:

• A large internal reform was passed by DSA’s Democracy Commission based on an analysis of global parties similar to DSA. This included, as some folks have posted, a repeal of a ban on democratic centralism. To be pedantic, the bylaw in question banned any DSA member from being “under the control of a democratic centralist organization” (DSA allows dual-carding). This ban has never been enforced to my knowledge and was probably cooked up by Michael Herrington’s insane brain out of a rabid hatred of communism.
• Speaking of hating Herrington, the org passed its strongest national statements on Zionism, declaring direct support of Israel a red line for membership and electeds that can lead to expulsion. A similar resolution was debated during the 2023 convention and failed. Growth!
• A couple of big electoral resolutions got passed. One says we need to run 10 socialist candidates on an independent ballot line in 2026 (I’m skeptical) and another says we should run a presidential candidate in 2028 (I’m very skeptical we can get a candidate who can win to run).
• Convention voted for National to start up some kind of big Abolish Ice campaign in 2026.
• I’m very proud of the convention for voting down an amendment to our wonderful International Committee’s consensus resolution that would have imposed certain members’ idea of “democracy” and “worker’s rights” onto the considerations of what parties we can and cannot reach out to.
• We voted to delete our Twitter account lmao

I’m sure there’s more but I’m blanking. And I’m also mad we ran out of time to get to vote to censure AOC. Other highlights:

• As you’ve maybe seen already, yes, someone did say that delegates not voting for a One Member, One Vote resolution were like John Adams, slavers, and Jim Crow. No, we did not stop making fun of them all weekend.
• Multiple international guests honored us with their presence, including reps from PT in Brazil and Morena in Mexico, both of whom I was privileged enough to hear speak their message of solidarity to DSA.
• DSA has an excellent relationship with the PCC in Cuba, and had planned to have a delegation from Cuba return this year. Unfortunately (per a rumor I heard), there were concerns about traveling to America (fair), so Carlos Fernández de Cossío, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, sent in a video, which was played before the convention body, expressing the plight of the Cuba people and the necessity of international solidarity.
• In a much more unexpected appearance, Jeremy Corbyn also sent a video wishing well to DSA, including a call for something like “A new Atlantic alliance, this time based on peace, cooperation, and socialism.”
• Our keynote speak was Rashida Tlaib. The self-proclaimed “big sister” of DSA fired off some very obvious subliminals at AOC, and demanded more independence from the Dems, and for labor to fight for a free Palestine. She was undoubtedly the greatest speaker we had and it was very comforting to visibly see her bodyguards standing near her.

Most people I spoke to described the convention body as more “left” than ever on virtually every issue, which is visible somewhat in the results of the NPC election having more of a bent towards the left of the org than before. I think the 2027 convention, with a looming presidential race and the much talked about May Day 2028 strike, will have a lot more substantial to chew through.

I’d be happy to answer any questions anyone has. join dsa if ur not in an org k goodnight