Counterpoint | Democratic socialism is not like New Deal progressivism

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I came into politics working on the 2016 Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, making thousands of calls to Democratic primary voters in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and Minnesota.

The central value of that campaign, that Democrats should center their priorities on materially benefiting lower- and middle-class Americans, is still something I hold dear.

That’s why it’s worth being clear: Even putting aside his ethical and corruption issues, Minneapolis mayoral challenger state Sen. Omar Fateh’s version of democratic socialism isn’t the heir to New Deal progressivism (“Democrats just might find democratic socialism refreshing,” Aug. 1). Pragmatic progressive leaders like Mayor Jacob Frey, who is seeking re-election, are.

The problem with the current municipal iteration of the Democratic Socialists of America isn’t what they share with Democrats or even European-style social democrats. In fact, much of the progress Minneapolis has made over the past decade — a $15 minimum wage, earned sick and safe time and historic investments in affordable housing — has been consistent with a social democrat agenda.

Importantly, these policies have been broadly supported by both so-called “moderates” and leftists, often led by a coalition of members from both camps. These are not points of division. They’re points of consensus.

The 2025 Minneapolis mayoral election is not a choice between democratic socialists and MAGA Republicans. It’s a contest between progressive Democrats and DSA members, and that makes the important areas of disagreement between those two groups what really matters.

Over the past five years, some of these disagreements in Minneapolis have been decisive:

Nationally, the official DSA platform continues to advocate for “defunding” the police. Locally, the Twin Cities DSA’s own endorsement questionnaire verifies this goal. Even as Minneapolis already has the lowest police staffing per capita of any major city in the U.S., DSA-backed council members rejected a proposal to use state aid to recruit and retain officers. Meanwhile, Frey has pushed forward with reforms, including a consent decree designed to hold the Minneapolis Police Department accountable while ensuring the city still has a functioning, professional police force.

The central driver of the relative housing affordability in Minneapolis isn’t the fact that we have rent control — we don’t. It’s been a result of our ability to build supply. Frey has led boldly on zoning reform and production of affordable units. Meanwhile, DSA members have prioritized strict rent control policies that have already proven damaging in places like St. Paul, where new housing construction froze almost overnight. Ironically, rents in St. Paul have risen faster since they implemented rent control. That’s why, after less than four years, St. Paul is already abandoning it. The difference here is stark: One approach builds more homes, the other risks scaring off the very investment needed to make units affordable.

Paradoxically, while DSA council members rail against privatization, their record number of budget amendments (71 for its 2025 budget) have repeatedly shifted money away from core city services performed by union workers and toward unaccountable nonprofits. Pragmatic progressives have worked instead to strengthen the city’s own capacity, investing in infrastructure from public works projects, to regulatory services, to streetlights and supporting the staffing needed to deliver services directly and equitably to residents.

Bernie’s 2016 campaign called for Democrats to put working people at the center of our politics. In Minneapolis, that’s simply not what the DSA’s platform does.

Working people do not benefit from a defunded police force that can’t respond to community crime. Working people do not benefit from homeless encampments in their local parks or the empty lot next door. Working people do not benefit from the council spending over a month on a resolution about Gaza.

They benefit when housing is affordable, their neighborhood is safe and their city makes real, sustainable progress. That has been the history of Minneapolis DFL leadership from Hubert Humphrey to Jacob Frey.

The question in 2025 is whether we want to keep building on that progress, or gamble on ideological experiments that sound bold but don’t work in practice. Minneapolis is not a political lab. It is our home. Let’s take care of it.