DSA-backed Nithya Raman cant elude the socialist lunacy

Nithya Raman wants to be mayor of Los Angeles.But she won’t tell voters which parts of the Democratic Socialists of America’s agenda she supports.That’s not just evasive.

It’s contemptuous of Los Angeles voters, who have every right to know what someone asking to run their city intends to do with it.The DSA has already told voters what it expects of her.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

Please provide a valid email.By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Never miss a story Raman isn’t some Democrat who happened to pick up an endorsement from an organization she barely knows.She is a member of DSA-LA.

The organization helped elect her to the City Council in 2020, backed her reelection in 2024 and this month endorsed her campaign for mayor.The DSA is pretty clear about what comes with that endorsement.“To secure an endorsement and maintain a relationship after endorsement,” its Democratic Socialist Program says, candidates seeking DSA-LA support are expected to “commit to our Program.”That’s not an accusation from Raman’s opponents.

That’s the DSA describing its own rules.And its endorsement isn’t some ceremonial pat on the back.Before choosing a candidate in this year’s mayoral race, DSA-LA promised it would “throw the full weight of our power” behind whoever received its endorsement.They chose Nithya Raman.So what does the DSA expect its endorsed candidates to commit to? Start with private property.DSA-LA calls for government to “expropriate privately owned housing” and advocates the “creative use of eminent domain” to move housing out of private ownership.

It supports universal rent control, vacancy taxes and automatic rent freezes and eviction moratoriums during declared emergencies.Then there’s public safety: The DSA program calls for reducing the number of sworn officers and replacing sworn personne...