Sep 15, 2026
“Socialism” is a word Republicans have used against Democrats as a slur for decades. Now some Democrats use it to describe themselves. The Democratic Socialists of America are not a wing of the Democratic Party, but a separate organization that runs on the Democratic line. A party inside a party. Is it the Democrats’ Tea Party—which lost Republican seats but eventually led to the rise of Donald Trump—or is it something the party needs to regain power? Debating this topic on this episode of “Can We Agree?”: • Tom Suozzi, a fourth-term Democratic U.S. Representative for New York’s third Congressional District. He’s the loudest voice in his party against the rise of DSA. He’s even authored a pledge called the Promise to America, which stated in its first line: We are capitalist, not socialist. • Nina Turner, a progressive Democrats and former Ohio state senator, and prominent national surrogate for Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020. She also served as president of Our Revolution, the political organization that grew out of Sanders’ first presidential campaign. “Can We Agree?” is the program that asks whether two brilliant minds from opposite corners of an argument can find any common ground on the questions that matter most to Americans today. Subscribe to the Smerconish YouTube channel to never miss an episode: 
/ @michaelsmerconish 0:00 Democratic Socialism today 3:30 Socialism vs. Capitalism 5:50 Can capitalism be “solved”? 9:07 The weaponization of the Democratic Socialist label 10:30 What is the DSA’s agenda? 13:50 Are we already a socialist nation? 16:45 How socialism polls in America 23:50 Can socialism be sold to Black communities? 27:25 Is democratic socialism the left’s MAGA movement? 32:40 Callers sound off 36:50 America’s “two great principles” 38:26 Unfettered Greed vs. Suffering 40:40 Can We Agree?
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