Political strategists from both major parties found rare common ground during a C-SPAN discussion this week, sharply criticizing a proposal by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to abolish the U.S. Senate.
The proposal appears in the DSA’s updated “Workers Deserve More” platform, which argues that sweeping structural changes to the federal government are necessary to create what the organization describes as a more democratic political system.
Former Bill Clinton adviser Don Baer argued that proposals of that magnitude are politically unhelpful and risk undermining Democratic candidates in competitive races ahead of this fall’s elections.
“Some of these more far-reaching reform ideas are not helpful, especially in the districts and in the states that are going to actually make the difference in who controls Congress this fall, or for that matter, how you elect a president,” Baer said.
While acknowledging that such ideas may appeal in theory, Baer argued they are impractical within the current American political system.
“Some of them, they sound good as sort of college term paper ideas, but they are not really workable in the context of contemporary America and how we actually get things done on behalf of the people in this country who need things done for them,” he said.
Baer also warned that proposals like abolishing the Senate could provide Republicans with political ammunition by reinforcing claims that Democrats have embraced increasingly radical positions.
“To my mind, it’s not helpful,” he said. “It’s playing into the hand of Republicans who do want to make the Democrats appear to be radical and unsafe in leadership.”
He added that many Democratic officeholders and candidates are moderates rather than ideological progressives and suggested they are unlikely to embrace proposals of this kind.
“They’re, for the most part, Democrats who are running for office, who are in office, who have the opportunity, could have the opportunity, to actually lead the country and move us forward are, in fact, moderate, in the center and are not particularly happy about these kinds of proposals,” Baer said.
C-SPAN host Dasha Burns then turned to Marc Short, a former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, noting that he appeared eager to respond.
“All right, Marc, we have about 30 seconds, but you’ve been making a lot of faces, so I’m going to let you jump in!” Burns said.
Short delivered an even more forceful criticism of the proposal.
“Look, this is dangerous and it’s crazy,” he said. “It doesn’t even sound good as a term paper. I’m sorry, it doesn’t.”
Short also argued that recent political developments within the Democratic Party extend beyond a traditional ideological divide between moderates and progressives.
“The reality is that many of these candidates are not just replacing moderates,” he said. “This isn’t so much a ‘left-right.’”
He referenced lawmakers including Rep. Dan Goldman and the leader of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, while also mentioning candidates who supported defunding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and eliminating the police.
Short further argued that the Democratic Party faces a broader challenge related to disagreements over Israel.
“What is really happening here is these are violent antisemites who are finding a footing because their common thread against Democrats they’re defeating is a strong position against Israel and against Jews in America,” he said.
According to Short, those developments could create challenges for Democrats both electorally and in governing after the November elections.
“It’s a much bigger problem for the Democrat Party, not just the election, but it’s going to be a governing problem for them after November,” he said.
In addition to proposing the abolition of the Senate, the DSA’s updated platform calls for ending all U.S. military and economic aid to Israel and for prosecuting U.S. and Israeli leaders whom the organization says are responsible for what it describes as “the genocide in Gaza.”
