Dear Comrades,
I want to wish you a Happy New Year and a healthy 2025!
As 2024 comes to a close, we are just 20 days away from entering a new era shaped by libertarian and fascist ideologies. While this may feel unprecedented, we must not fear the challenges ahead.
We have seen both ideologies in action globally, with libertarianism under Javier Milei in Argentina and nativism under Viktor Orbán’s governance in Hungary.
To understand Argentina’s future trajectory, we can look at the outcomes of libertarian experiments in places like Von Ormy, Texas (The Rise and Fall of the ‘Freest Little City in Texas’) and New Hampshire (How a New Hampshire libertarian utopia was foiled by bears).
If Argentina follows similar paths, our comrades in the Argentinian Socialist Party, led by Mónica Fein, stand ready to act.
For insights into Hungary’s direction, consider the troubling examples from Hayden Lake, Idaho (Rise And Fall Of Aryan Nations In North Idaho) and its more recent resurgence (Hate makes a comeback in Idaho, this time with political support).
Our comrades in the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP), led by Imre Komjáthi, are prepared to confront these challenges.
Here in the United States, as socialists, we must focus on combating the local impacts of upcoming racist policies rather than being distracted by Trump’s rhetoric. Displacement will increase, and we must work with local churches and organizations to document these issues, ensuring that no one falls through the cracks.
International solidarity will also be crucial as we navigate the economic consequences of reduced remittances on countries’ GDPs and advocate for better uses of foreign investments.
Although libertarian and nativist policies historically fail, we socialists in the U.S. are not yet prepared to present a unified alternative.
However, with collaboration and dedication, we can rise to this challenge.
The content of this newsletter
The national Zoom meeting is on January 1st at 9 p.m. East / 6 p.m. West
DNC Chairmanship
California ADEMs Elections
New York Municipal Elections
Draft AOC 2028
First SDA Branch Meeting
Membership Renewal
The New York Socialist Festival
Temirlan Sultanbekov
Joining COPPPAL
The national Zoom meeting is on January 1st at 9 p.m. East / 6 p.m. West.
National Online On-Boarding Socialist Monthly Meeting, Wed, Jan 1, 2025, 9:00 PM | Meetup
We’ll answer any question based on the material on the primer page.
DNC Chairmanship
None of the candidates have responded to our emails, which is not surprising since they do not take us seriously.
Those in the national bubble, including elected officials on the national stage, behave as if the average person does not exist.
When I founded the Social Democrats of America (SDA), I was very transparent about the locations and demographics of our supporters, whether it involved initiatives like Draft AOC or running for Democratic Party positions.
They ignore us, and then they act surprised when they lose. A perfect example of this was AOC’s victory in 2018.
California ADEMs Elections
The most significant Socialist effort currently underway is recruiting Socialists to run for 30% of the California ADEMs (Assembly District Election Meetings).
While this may not represent a majority, it is a crucial opportunity to strengthen Socialist representation.
We need Socialists to step forward and run for ADEMs through the Progressive Delegates Network.
Any registered Democrat in California is encouraged to participate. Sign up here: http://bit.ly/pdn-interest.
It is vital to ensure we have 14 progressive candidates in each of California’s 80 districts. Importantly, individuals with Green Cards are also eligible to run.
New York Municipal Elections
Like in California, Manhattan and Staten Island require Democratic Party membership renewal, but unlike California, New York Democrats cannot simply pay $40 to appear on the ballot.
Instead, New Yorkers must petition by collecting an average of 60 signatures from their neighbors during the coldest month of winter.
This year, petitioning will begin on February 25th and end on March 30th.
If you have questions about the process, join us at the Times Square subway station on either of these dates to learn more.
For those who are not yet registered Democrats or need to change their party affiliation, the deadline is February 15th.
Encourage them to email us at socialists@register.repmyblock.org for assistance.
Draft AOC 2028
Draft AOC is a subtle way to signal that we are Socialists.
AOC is so polarizing across the country that simply answering “AOC” to the question, “Who do you want to see as President to replace Donald Trump in 2027?” helps guide the discussion and allows us to recruit for the Social Democrats of America.
I don’t spend too much time convincing anyone — if someone isn’t open to considering AOC for 2027, I know they’re not SDA material.
I simply let people know that we meet monthly at the Trump Tower Atrium, and if they’re interested in joining, they can fill out the survey at
https://draftaoc.us
or email draftaoc@register.repmyblock.org.
First SDA Branch Meeting
Our first Social Democrats of America (SDA) branch in Lower Manhattan has been established by Laura Thomas. The inaugural monthly meeting will take place on January 8th, 2025, at 7B Horseshoe Bar (also known as Vazac’s) at 108 Avenue B, starting at 6:30 PM.
Please share this invitation with any New Yorker interested in advancing Socialist values in the city. Learn more here: https://www.meetup.com/socialists/events/304954830.
If you’re interested in starting a branch in your county, gather five like-minded individuals who support the Draft SDA platform and begin suggesting changes to the platform here: https://socialists.us/docs/misc/US-20240303-DraftSDAManifestoBasedOnPES.pdf.
Membership Renewal
As you may have noticed, SDA does not inundate members with constant renewal reminders or donation requests. For Socialists, membership is an active commitment.
Membership runs annually, starting on January 1st and ending on December 31st.
The renewal membership form is here: Membership Form & Calculator. By signing up, you affirm your agreement with the principles outlined in the Socialist Manifesto.
Dues are calculated on a progressive scale, based on one month’s income. The formula is straightforward: average monthly income after taxes, minus monthly rent (mortgage payments are excluded as they build personal capital, whereas rent does not). Membership dues are determined on the honor system — there is no verification process.
If you live in Lower Manhattan, bring your completed membership form and payment to a Lower Manhattan Branch meeting. Approximately 40% of membership dues remain with the branch, while the rest is distributed across city, county, state, and national levels.
To join or renew your membership, you must submit your form and payment to the Secretary of your local branch in person. Online registration is not available.
This process ensures privacy and encourages members to return for at least two meetings to maintain voting rights.
The New York Socialist Festival
The Council of the Socialist International met in Rabat in December, and I decided not to participate, even though several parties were willing to include us.
Instead, we sent a message to their leadership, inviting them to organize a proper council in New York City on May 25–26, 2025, as the cornerstone event of the Socialist Festival. This would send a powerful message to their American diaspora, affirming they are not alone and that international solidarity is available to resist Trump’s fascist policies.
However, they chose to organize the next council in Turkey.
As with all things political, leadership changes over time. If they continue aligning with American liberal non-profits instead of prioritizing the working class, we will persist in holding them accountable publicly.
Given that the Socialist International was intended to be the centerpiece of the Socialist Festival and that their actions show a lack of interest in engaging with American workers — focusing instead on photo ops with monuments and liberal elected officials — it no longer makes sense to dedicate extensive resources to an event that will go unnoticed.
The Congress will be scaled down to a simple, in-person meetup for voting members at a bar in New York. Socialist leaders worldwide are welcome to send videos to be played during the gathering and to notify their diaspora comrades that they are invited to join us.
Temirlan Sultanbekov
One of its vice presidents, Termirlan Sultanbekov, leader of the Kyrgyz Social Democratic Party and a candidate in the municipal election for the Kyrgyz capital city, has been jailed since November 19 on trumped-up charges.
Everyone except the United States has called for his release.
I sent a statement, co-signed by the leader of the New York Democratic Club of Queens and the Vice President of the Socialist International for Nepal, to Representative Gregory Meeks, but he has chosen to remain silent on the matter.
Termirlan has been on a hunger strike since his arrest, yet no major outlet in the United States has reported on it, despite my repeated efforts to contact The New York Times.