LA mayoral candidate Nithya Raman claims to be both capitalist and democratic socialist
Los Angeles city councilwoman Nithya Raman stated on Friday that she is both a capitalist and a democratic socialist, a declaration that complicates her standing within the Democratic Socialists of America days before the municipal election. Raman, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, made the comments in an interview with CNN's Elex Michaelson. She explained that her focus is on ensuring capitalism functions effectively without harming workers or exploiting poor people. The statement drew immediate criticism from Los Angeles County Republican Party Chair Roxanne Hoge. Hoge told Fox News Digital that Raman appears confused by mutually exclusive concepts. She questioned how Raman could embrace capitalism while maintaining ties to an organization that advocates for the expropriation of private property and the abolition of police. The Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday that DSA national leadership is considering challenging the Los Angeles chapter's endorsement of Raman. The potential action stems from accusations that Raman does not fully support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel. At a forum last month, Raman described BDS as a legitimate form of peaceful protest but did not explicitly state her support for the movement. Lisa Cusack, president of the Don't LA My Burbank PAC, also criticized Raman's affiliation with the DSA. Cusack pointed to the organization's historical roots and its current political program, which advocates for greater worker control over private industries. She noted that Dorothy Rea Healey, the founder of DSA-LA, was a longtime leader of the California Communist Party. Cusack highlighted that the current DSA program for Los Angeles asserts that capitalists extract massive profits by stealing the surplus value of working-class labor. The DSA's official description of democratic socialism calls for replacing capitalism with a system where workers exercise greater control over businesses. The organization explicitly rejects capitalism on its website, stating it must be replaced with a system where ordinary people have a real voice in workplaces and society. Raman's recent comments represent a shift from her position in a July interview with Michaelson. At that time, she declined to identify herself directly as a capitalist, instead emphasizing that Los Angeles operates within a capitalist system and focusing on the responsibilities of local government. When asked in the recent interview if she supported abolishing police departments, prisons, or the U.S. Senate, Raman rejected all three proposals. She defended the ideological diversity within the DSA by describing it as a big tent organization. Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA, Raman, and Mayor Bass for comment but did not receive an immediate response.
Los Angeles city councilwoman Nithya Raman stated on Friday that she is both a capitalist and a democratic socialist, a declaration that complicates her standing within the Democratic Socialists of America days before the municipal election. Raman, who is challenging incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, made the comments in an interview with CNN's Elex Michaelson. She explained that her focus is on ensuring capitalism functions effectively without harming workers or exploiting poor people. The statement drew immediate criticism from Los Angeles County Republican Party Chair Roxanne Hoge. Hoge told Fox News Digital that Raman appears confused by mutually exclusive concepts. She questioned how Raman could embrace capitalism while maintaining ties to an organization that advocates for the expropriation of private property and the abolition of police. The Los Angeles Times reported on Saturday that DSA national leadership is considering challenging the Los Angeles chapter's endorsement of Raman. The potential action stems from accusations that Raman does not fully support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement targeting Israel. At a forum last month, Raman described BDS as a legitimate form of peaceful protest but did not explicitly state her support for the movement. Lisa Cusack, president of the Don't LA My Burbank PAC, also criticized Raman's affiliation with the DSA. Cusack pointed to the organization's historical roots and its current political program, which advocates for greater worker control over private industries. She noted that Dorothy Rea Healey, the founder of DSA-LA, was a longtime leader of the California Communist Party. Cusack highlighted that the current DSA program for Los Angeles asserts that capitalists extract massive profits by stealing the surplus value of working-class labor. The DSA's official description of democratic socialism calls for replacing capitalism with a system where workers exercise greater control over businesses. The organization explicitly rejects capitalism on its website, stating it must be replaced with a system where ordinary people have a real voice in workplaces and society. Raman's recent comments represent a shift from her position in a July interview with Michaelson. At that time, she declined to identify herself directly as a capitalist, instead emphasizing that Los Angeles operates within a capitalist system and focusing on the responsibilities of local government. When asked in the recent interview if she supported abolishing police departments, prisons, or the U.S. Senate, Raman rejected all three proposals. She defended the ideological diversity within the DSA by describing it as a big tent organization. Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA, Raman, and Mayor Bass for comment but did not receive an immediate response.