u/Iceberg-man-77

Out of all of the potentials for the 2028 Presidential Race, I think Ro Khanna is one of the better options. He's a textbook social democrat and supports all of the policies people want. Sure the DSA has gained a ton of support and they REALLY want AOC to run. But AOC being a democratic socialist COULD hold her back in the primaries. I hate to say it, but that's the truth. But someone like Khanna isn't seen as 'extreme' as AOC (even though she really isnt THAT extreme). it's all about perception, and hate to say it, electability. But the thing is, we don't need another centrist who does nothing. We need strong progressives who will pas welfare reforms and policies. M4A, college education, univ childcare, eldercare, free school meals, etc etc.

What are your thoughts?

Currently, most farms (some 97% are family owned), but, they have little autonomy and are only one part of the Food and Ag sector, with companies mostly running the show even if they don't directly own the farmland.

How would Farming and Agriculture be reformed under a DemSoc state? I would include regular food processing and distribution in the answer (like cleaning and packaging fruits and veggies) but would stay away from ultra-processed foods (that goes along more with public health and pharm reforms).

I would also consider the US Forest Service and state owned forests for logging, hunting etc. as well as hydroponics & aquaponics, vertical & indoor farming etc, fisheries etc.

I'm more asking about co-op run organization, revenue sharing, management powers, etc. rather than regulations on products (like IPM, rotational grazing, and other environmental science policies).

She’s obviously not out of politics and it’s clear she has a ton of support. Even if she didn’t win the governership today, she’s young and could potentially run in 4 or 8 years.

But in the meantime, there will be other elections coming up like Milwaukee or Madison Mayor, or Milwaukee County and Dane County executive.

Do you think she should run for any of these?
I honestly think she’d have a good shot in Milwaukee.

Context: Justice Democrats is a PAC and caucus formed by Cenk Uygur (TheYoungTurks), Saikat Chakrabarti (former CA-11 Candidate), and several campaign chiefs of the 2016 Bernie for President campaign. Their goal is to endorse and promote progressive congressional candidates.

They champion candidates who support progressive policies with their platform include: taxing the rich, Green New Deal, M4A, free higher ed, etc. Their candidates are not ideologically equal though. It ranges from democratic socialists like AOC and Rashida Tlaib to social democrats like Ro Khanna. Their DemSoc candidates are also not all DSA-members, like Summer Lee who is arguably DemSoc but left DSA.

What are your thoughts on Justice Democrats?

“Progressive” is such a generic term used for basically any Democrat or Democrat-aligned candidate who doesn’t support the status quo or centrists policies.

But there’s a lot of diversity in the grouping.

For example, the Progressive Caucus in Congress is a pretty shit list. There’s NO quality control. it literally ranges from democratic socialists like AOC to pro-Israel zionist candidates.

It’d be good to have a list or index of how left candidates are, idealogically speaking. Are they democratic socialist? or social democrats? or just moderates?

The only ones are the OC Streetcar (opening in 2027) and the planned Riverfront streetcar in Sacramento.

Aside from this, while California has tons of light rail systems (Muni Metro, VTA, 4 LA Metro, SD MTS Trolley, SacRT Light rail), other big cities in CA lack light rail. For example, Oakland, Fresno, Bakersfield are big California cities yet lack streetcars that could compliment other transit options, especially Oakland which has an semi-extension rail and an extensive bus network. LA could've also gotten streetcars in downtown since Metro is underground.

thoughts on which California cities should get streetcars or small light rail systems for big corridors?

Rapid Routes
This is more of a question: will rapid bus routes get eliminated once a rail system is placed on that route? For example the 720 when the Phase 3 D line opens? Or, will the Rapid route remain with more stops than the Metro Rail lines, acting as a last mile type of service along these corridors that can de-congest the rail network?

Future Rail
Obviously in the near term, Metro will focus on the K, E, D, and sepulveda lines. And they may begin upgrading BRT routes to LRT, like the G, Vermont and NoHo-Pasadena.

But looking even further, once the rail network converts most of LA County’s largest corridors, should smaller light rail line be built? For example, Western Ave, Beverly Blvd, Venice Blvd, Culver Blvd and Santa Monica Ave. A lot of these were historic Pacific Electric routes. They could get either surface LRT, elevated LRT, or subways. this would bring more concentrated rail coverage and service, complementing larger lines. Or would you prefer these be the future BRT corridors of Metro.

of course this is all super long term.

Asking for current elected officials. Whether those are mayors or congressmen.

I feel like increasing the number of co-ops can show a lot of workers and general citizens what it would be like to have a democratic socialist system in place for business ownership. And it’s safe to say a lot of people may even prefer it.

So should DSA and other left wing officials begin subsidizing co-ops? Or some other means to get companies to transition to them or even have workers establish new co-op businesses? I am talking local and regional scale, not necessarily national which would be more difficult.

Specifically talking about: Summer Lee, Greg Casar, Danny K Davis, and Jerry Nadler. I know Casar was not endorsed by Austin DSA due to his foreign policy stances, but what about the others? They’re all sitting congress members.

Donavan McKinney just won Michigan CD-13 (Detroit). As a safe blue district, his win is basically secured in the general.

That makes 7 confirmed wins for the DSA in the 2026 Primaries — all safe blue seats:

1. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY CD-14
2. Rashida Tlaib (MI CD-12)
3. Claire Valdez (NY CD-7)
4. Darializa Avila Chevalier (NY CD-14)
5. Chris Rabb (PA CD-3)
6. Melat Kiros (CO CD-1)
7. Donavan McKinney (MI CD-13)

Pending Primaries

1. Oliver Larkin (FL CD-25)

Non-Endorsed DSA Members

1. William Lawrence (MI CD-7)

If Larkin and Vang win, it’ll bring the DSA tally to 10, 9 if you include Lawrence. This is up 6-7 seats from the current 2 seats held by Tlaib and AOC.

Vang has a chance at winning, but it’ll be difficult; she came in 1st with +2 points and is up against incumbent Doris Matsui, an establishment pick.

LMK if i missed any.

EDIT: Mai Vang is not a DSA member, however she was officially endorsed by Sacramento DSA.

EDIT: totally forgot one of the biggest races we should all be watching:

Troy Jackson for US Senator from Maine.

He’s got the Maine Democrats behind him. He wasn’t in the primary but he is basically replacing Graham Platner in the general. Another democratic socialist (Sanders being the only current one) in the Senate will be phenomenal.

There are so many progressives, especially DSA, winning primaries, and many of them will win their generals.

There are 6 DSA wins locked in (AOC, Valdez, Tlaib, Chevalier, Rabb, Kiros) with a few more facing intense generals or still pending a primary (Vang, Larkin, McKinney). There are also a handful of candidates who are members but non-endorsees (Lawrence).

Then there are the dozens of progressives winning their races. though the definition of a progressive is subjective and some candidates aren't leftist or even social democratic. Yet, they are still considered progressive and are endorsed by Justice Democrats or WFP. for example: Khanna, Pressley, Omar, Ramirez, Jayapal, Casar. All safe seats. new/ freshman primary winners include: Rutinel, Lawrence, Lander, Hamway, Haynes III, etc.

There is a sizeable amount of progressives already in the House, and I don't mean the Caucus, which really isn't progressive at all. But could the DSA and the left's growing popularity lead to an actual coalition of some kind forming? One that actually works together for legislation?

They invested in Caltrain electrification, and i know they’re facing issues with the Central Valley IOS, but how much the state doesn’t want to fast forward this project? Is TJPA the problem? or is the state or fed the problem?

And if they do, will Alameda County joint the JPA?

Also, what is your preferred alignment (s)?

Id say there should be a line from Livermore to SFO. And another from Redwood City to Coliseum, vis the existing ROW so they can connect to Union City BART.

What I mean by this is:

Which currently suburban cities will increase in population & density, become more walkable and bikeable, get more/better transit, and less car-centric (less car-centric, not saying get rid of cars altogether) ?

Lots of new state laws and mandates are increasing housing across the region, and with that comes a more urban, dense look & feel to many cities as less car-centered infrastructure is often built. Many bay area cities have already been doing this to keep up with the housing market.

Cities I would exclude from consideration since they are not suburban / are already dense and urban include: San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, San Jose, Emeryville.

A good time frame to look at would be 10-15 years from now.

What is your favorite Bay Area downtown / walkable urban neighborhood outside of San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland?

Factors to consider

• Walkability (safe sidewalks, pedestrianized streets)
• Public plazas & seating
• Public artwork
• Biking infrastructure
• Greenery
• Transit access (bus, ferry, BART, light rail, regional rail etc)
• Housing (mid to high density, apartments and condos)
• Weather
• Aesthetics (architecture etc)
• Parking ( adequate parking structures over streetside or lots)
• Safety
• Shopping
• Food
• Small Businses-Oriented
• Malls (that are part of the neighborhood, not the only part)
• Livability (what it be easy to live in these places; housing should be in or adjacent to the neighborhood)

List of Cities (good contenders IMO; may not tick all boxes)

• Berkeley
• Palo Alto
• Redwood City
• San Mateo
• Walnut Creek
• Pleasanton
• Livermore
• Santa Clara
• Mountain View
• Menlo Park
• Belmont
• San Carlos
• Burlingame
• Sunnyvale
• San Rafael
• Sausalito
• Santa Rosa
• Emeryville
• Other (there are so many more!)

What are your thoughts on this system?

Is it possible under a democratic socialist framework?

Is it prominent in DSA?

Specifically asking other Californians but everyone is free to weigh in(all opinions welcome!!)

She is the former CA Working Families Party State Director and a former San Francisco city/county Supervisor.

She got the most votes in the jungle primary and is now facing Democrat Ben Allen in the general, a state senator from Los Angeles.

Kim is a progressive in this race and the only one to advance to the general in a statewide race.

What are your thoughts on her policies?

Are there any active projects or campaigns to increase pedestrian only zones in San Francisco?

While the city is very walkable, it still uses a street grid that has cars pretty much everywhere.

There’s only a few alley ways and streets that have been transformed into pedestrian and bike only zones.

I was wondering if there’s any support for expanding pedestrian only zones in the city, especially in the denser Northeast parts. Chinatown and North Beach for example could easily transform a several streets and blocks for pedestrians and bikes only. Like Grant Ave due to the high foot traffic.

I’ve seen some proposals for roads around parks that can get pedestrianized.

of course the biggest pushback would be residents of these streets that would have to relocate their cars.

Any thoughts on how this could happen?

Specifically, I’ve questions about small businesses, and merit:

Small Businesses
To what extent will small businesses be converted to democratically governed co-ops. For example, will your local ice cream store be run by all employees? How about a local barber shop, cafe, restaurant, boutique, tutoring center, spa, etc.

Im assuming for trade-related businesses like a barber shop or spa will give equal footing to all barbers, and hair stylists etc. But what about businesses where not every employee needs or uses the same skillset or knowledge? like a restaurant; would a waiter have the same footing as the chef?

Merit
That brings me to the merit aspect. Will someone who is a novice/entry level be given the same powers to co-govern the business? For example, at a civil engineering firm, will an entry level engineer fresh out of college be given the same powers as a veteran engineer with decades of experience?

And what about professions that do not have the same skills and knowledge? In healthcare, would nurses, physicals and allied healthcare workers have the same footing?

What are the specifics, cuz i’m assuming it’s different for each industry. a lot of the wording for these co-op/democratically run businesses seem to be very factory or farming oriented, but careers and jobs are far more diverse than that.

Management jobs are probably going to be subordinate to the workers now running the show, but my question really is which workers and employees get that power? Is it really every single one of them, no matter their role(like a physician and a radiological technician get to operate a hospital)? or is there more nuance?