<p>Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez&rsquo;s surprise victory over Joe Crowley in the New York Democratic congressional primary last month reflects the increasing influence of Socialism within the Democratic Party.</p>
<p>When asked about Socialism, Ocasio-Cortez told <em>Vogue</em>: &ldquo;It is about direct representation and people actually having power and stake over their economic and social wellness at the end of the day. To me, what Socialism means is to guarantee a basic level of dignity.&rdquo; ;</p>
<p>Ocasio-Cortez, who in 2016 worked as an organizer for the Bernie Sanders campaign, is pushing for socialist reforms like free healthcare and free college tuition. She is also ;a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), a group which seeks to infiltrate the Democratic Party and use it to promote socialist candidates. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Progressive and socialist candidates who openly reject the neoliberal mainstream Democratic agenda may choose for pragmatic reasons to use the Democratic Party ballot line in partisan races,&rdquo; wrote DSA Vice President Joseph M. Schwartz. &ldquo;But whatever ballot line the movement chooses to use, we must always be working to increase the independent power of labor and the left.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The DSA has capitalized on issues such as college debt, healthcare, immigration, and racism to gain traction with voters who are suspicious of hard-left socialist policies. In addition to these strategies, it has become somewhat &ldquo;trendy&rdquo; for Democratic candidates to team up with Democratic Socialists. One example is Cynthia Nixon, a former actress who is challenging New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice to see that our policies and what we espouse are resonating with people running for governor,&rdquo; said DSA executive Abdullah Younous. &ldquo;The landscape is really shifting, and people are noticing it across the state.&rdquo;</p>
<p>According to the DSA website, the organization seeks candidates who are willing to embrace socialist ideas such as:</p>
<ul>
<li>Free college tuition</li>
<li>Universal housing and health care</li>
<li>The abolition of ICE, of the US Senate, and of prisons ;</li>
<li>Universal basic income ;</li>
</ul>
<p>Meanwhile, Republicans are hoping the trend toward Socialism will earn them critical swing votes in November&rsquo;s congressional elections. ;</p>
<p>&ldquo;Democratic Socialism is a false paradise,&rdquo; says Marc Molinaro, a candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in New York. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think New Yorkers or Americans want to embrace a party that hands over all aspects of our lives to a government that can barely provide services competently.&rdquo;</p>
<p><strong>Author&#8217;s Note:</strong> ;According to a recent survey conducted by The American Culture and Faith Institute, 52% of Millennials think they would prefer Socialism to Capitalism. ;Unfortunately these young voters have no memory of the Cold War or Soviet threat. ;</p>
<p>The truth is, Socialism is a form of government that has never succeeded anywhere in the history of humanity. A key point is that Democrats seem to believe they can do a &#8220;limited&#8221; and &#8220;better&#8221; Socialism. The problem with that is that when you implement Socialism, it goes its own way and you do not get to choose the outcome. ;</p>