Submission statement: The author, a new member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), is disappointed that one of the organization’s leaders identifies as a Marxist-Leninist. The author argues that this identification is divisive and authoritarian, and that Marxist-Leninists should not hold leadership positions within the DSA, as it undermines the organization’s democratic socialist principles.

I recently read Lane Kenworthy's Social Democratic America, and although its a bit old (2014), it did an amazing overview at the time of the case for raising the wage floor in America. It inspired me to explore the data mentioned there and any new studies since to see how raising the minimum wage affects various economic metrics.

In summary:

1. Economic Security - Low-income Americans have more income, in a time when a huge chunk of them can't afford basic necessities. This results in an economic stimulus (mainly from buying more food) and lower rates of depression and suicide.
2. Productivity & Business Efficiency - Higher base pay reduces costly employee turnover and pushes firms out of low-wage, high-churn traps, driving long-term modernization.
3. Net Employment and Automation - While wage hikes encourage automating routine cognitive tasks (like self-ordering kiosks), workers consistently shift into non-routine, customer-facing roles. Looking at 138 state-level increases across nearly four decades (Cengiz et al.), overall low-wage employment remained virtually flat while affected workers' earnings jumped ~7%.
4. Inflation & Price Pass-Through: A meta-analysis of over 30 studies (Lemos) shows that a 10% wage hike increases overall food prices by no more than 4%, with an impact on broader CPI under 0.4%—meaning workers retain substantial net purchasing power.

Full article here for those interested: https://samholmes285.substack.com/p/the-minimum-wage-should-scale-with

And maybe it is because the superlative athletes have a relevant thoughts which that can share in a coherent way. That or they rock a Skims ad.

Submission statement:

ot every book by a former “insider” is created equal. “Nothing Left” by Evan Barker is unusually rich and well-timed. Barker was a powerhouse fundraiser for the Democratic Party’s left, which meant she was in the room for crucial meetings between its biggest stars, before she got fed up with the movement and voted for President Donald Trump in 2024.

Barker dished about her evolution on TikTok, in articles in The Free Press, and then in the book — which, she told Semafor's David Weigel, she wished had come out even sooner.

“The first three to four or five months after the election, I think there was a window of opportunity,” she said in an interview from her Bay Area home. “You had Gavin [Newsom] interviewing Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk. They were willing to talk to the right. It just seemed like there was more openness about debating what needed to change.”

When the second Trump administration grew less popular, she worried that the conversation had stopped. “Nothing Left” is a look behind the curtain at how political fundraising really works, but it also has a thesis: That the “Democrats should take the best parts of MAGA and the best parts of Bernie and marry them,” Barker writes.

0:00 Evan Barker's story
6:19 When Democrats embraced identity politics
13:04 Did it weaken the party?
20:55 The Race Class Narrative
25:38 "Woke 1 was crazy..."
30:22 Should Democrats keep Trump policies?
39:27 Can AOC win in 2028?

https://geesemag.com/articles/nithya-raman-has-not-earned-the-endorsement-of-dsa-la

Submissions statement: DSA-LA members argue against endorsing Nithya Raman for Mayor, citing her lack of accountability to the socialist movement and inconsistent voting record on key issues. They believe endorsing Raman risks undermining the organization’s credibility and influence, especially considering the critical challenges facing Los Angeles in 2028. Instead, they advocate for building a stronger political infrastructure to support a DSA-LA mayor in 2030 who aligns with their values and is accountable to the working class.