{"id":2631456,"date":"2026-07-18T05:21:02","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T09:21:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-would-happen-if-the-dsa-abolished-the-senate\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T05:24:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T09:24:25","slug":"what-would-happen-if-the-dsa-abolished-the-senate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-would-happen-if-the-dsa-abolished-the-senate\/","title":{"rendered":"What would happen if the DSA abolished the Senate?"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwhat-would-happen-if-the-dsa-abolished-the-senate%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2631456&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The democratic Socialists of America (DSA) recently released a new party platform proposing a fundamental overhaul of the U.S. constitutional system. The plan includes abolishing the Senate, replacing the presidency and Supreme Court with bodies subordinate to congress, and redistributing constitutional responsibilities traditionally held by the senate.The DSA argues that the current Senate gives disproportionate power to less populous states and is undemocratic because each state has equal representation regardless of population size. They advocate for a government more directly accountable to voters, emphasizing proportional representation over state-based equality.<\/p>\n<p>Implementing such changes would face notable constitutional challenges, requiring approval from two-thirds of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states. The platform also seeks to eliminate the Electoral College,replace the presidency and Supreme Court,and reassign Senate duties to the House of Representatives. Critics highlight the high hurdles for constitutional amendments and the potential concentration of power in Congress, which already <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kamala-harris-communications-director-resigns-amid-poor-polling-numbers-criticism-of-vp\/\" title=\"Kamala Harris... Communications Director Resigns Amid Poor Polling Numbers, Criticism Of VP\">faces low approval ratings<\/a> and partisan gridlock. Many members of Congress are retiring amid frustrations with legislative paralysis and political toxicity.<\/p>\n<p>Historically, the U.S. Constitution was designed to balance majority rule with minority protections,creating the Senate to serve as a stabilizing force against rapid swings in public opinion. The DSA views their proposals as part of a broader effort to expand democratic participation in all aspects of governance, aiming to make institutions more reflective of the popular will rather than designed to maintain minority protections.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/democratic-socialists-of-america\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"5861\">Democratic Socialists of America<\/a> released a new party platform this week that would fundamentally remake the U.S. constitutional system, calling for the abolition of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/senate\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"8765\">Senate<\/a> and the replacement of the presidency and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a> with bodies subordinate to <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"31\">Congress<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The manifesto comes after a series of<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/4652623\/what-dsa-wants\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4652623\"> primary victories <\/a>by DSA and progressive candidates, reflecting the organization\u2019s renewed energy and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/inside-the-gop-plan-to-oppose-bidens-iran-deal\/\" title=\"Inside the GOP Plan to Oppose Biden...s Iran Deal\">long-term plan<\/a> to replace what it argues are undemocratic institutions with a government more directly accountable to voters. Central to that vision is eliminating the Senate, which the group argues gives disproportionate political power to less populous states because each state receives two senators regardless of its population.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4653742\/what-happens-dsa-abolish-senate\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>What happens if the DSA abolishes the Senate?<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4654028\/lindsey-graham-memorial-service-dc\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Lindsey Graham\u2019s memorial service set for July 28 in DC<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4653405\/betrayal-fetterman-blasts-vance-for-accusing-israel-of-undermining-iran-peace-effort\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Betrayal\u2019: Fetterman blasts Vance for accusing Israel of undermining Iran peace effort<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe Senate represents its two senators per state, and it\u2019s very undemocratic at a basic level because a state with a small population gets the same representation as a state with 40 million people, like California, New York, Texas, or Florida,\u201d DSA co-chairman Ashik Siddique <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4649436\/dsa-defend-plan-abolish-senate\/\">said<\/a> this week. \u201cWe believe government should be proportional to the population. The House of Representatives is more democratic in that way, and we just don\u2019t see the point of the Senate.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such a proposal would face some of the highest constitutional hurdles possible. Article 5 of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/constitution\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"424\">Constitution<\/a> requires constitutional amendments to be approved by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the states. The Constitution also provides that \u201cno State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate,\u201d meaning states would effectively have to agree to surrender the equal representation the amendment would eliminate.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/4648833\/dsa-new-platform-replace-president-supreme-court\/\">DSA\u2019S NEW PLATFORM SEEKS TO \u2018REPLACE\u2019 PRESIDENCY AND SUPREME COURT, NIX ELECTORAL COLLEGE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Beyond abolishing the chamber itself, Congress would also have to decide how to redistribute the Senate\u2019s constitutional responsibilities, including confirming executive and judicial nominees, ratifying treaties, and conducting impeachment trials. Those duties would likely be dissolved into the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/house-of-representatives\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"93\">House of Representatives<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even if those hurdles were overcome, the DSA plan would concentrate more power in Congress, an institution that already has consistently dismal approval ratings. Congressional approval ratings were at 15% in June, and it has not exceeded 50% since 2000, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/news.gallup.com\/poll\/1600\/congress-public.aspx\">according to<\/a> Gallup.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?\" aria-label=\"Line chart\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-Yf22v\" src=\"https:\/\/datawrapper.dwcdn.net\/Yf22v\/2\/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"width: 0; min-width: 100% !important; border: none;\" height=\"448\" data-external=\"1\"><\/iframe><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script type=\"text\/javascript\">(function(){function e(){window.addEventListener(`message`,function(e){if(e.data[`datawrapper-height`]!==void 0){var t=document.querySelectorAll(`iframe`);for(var n in e.data[`datawrapper-height`])for(var r=0,i;i=t[r];r++)if(i.contentWindow===e.source){var a=e.data[`datawrapper-height`][n]+`px`;i.style.height=a}}})}e()})();<\/script>    <\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The House specifically has also faced persistent criticism over partisan gridlock and dysfunction. Fifty-six lawmakers are retiring during the 2026 midterm election cycle, the second-highest number in recent decades. Thirty-five of those retirees are Republicans, representing roughly 16% of the party\u2019s House conference.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many retiring members are not leaving public life altogether but instead pursuing other offices. Data from 2010 through 2026 show a growing share of departing House members choosing to run for another elected position rather than remain in Congress, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.brookings.edu\/articles\/house-retirement-wave-signals-deep-institutional-frustration\/\">according to<\/a> a Brookings Institution analysis.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some departing lawmakers have cited frustration with the institution itself. Many <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >retiring members cited \u201ctoxic partisan atmosphere<\/a>,\u201d relentless fundraising and reelection pressures, and legislative gridlock.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"h-why-the-senate-was-created\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Senate was created<\/h2>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The DSA\u2019s critique mirrors a debate from the very beginning of American politics: whether democracy should reflect the will of the majority as directly as possible or be tempered by institutions designed to check it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, delegates clashed over whether representation should be based on population or statehood. The eventual compromise created a House of Representatives apportioned by population and a Senate in which every state receives equal representation. The DSA argues this arrangement should be replaced with what it calls \u201csmall-d democracy,\u201d institutions that more closely reflect the popular will.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-4\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-25\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-4\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe really want to expand democracy over every part of our lives \u2014 to make choices about how our government allocates resources, but also to expand democracy in our workplaces and in our neighborhoods,\u201d Siddique said. He added that abolishing the Senate is \u201cpart of our platform, and we don\u2019t think that\u2019s extreme.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/op-eds\/4650588\/socialistic-programs-caused-affordability-crisis-dsa-double-down\/\">SOCIALISTIC PROGRAMS CAUSED THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. THE DSA WANTS TO DOUBLE DOWN<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The framers viewed the Senate differently. They argued that equal representation for the states and staggered six-year terms would make the chamber a stabilizing force, insulating it from <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/bri-wp-images.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Federalist-Papers-No-10-1.pdf\">sudden swings in public opinion<\/a> while protecting the interests of political and geographic minorities. Rather than creating a system governed solely by majority rule, they designed a constitutional republic with separated powers and multiple checks intended to slow political change.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap wex-ad-art-dsk-inart-5\" style=\"min-height:90px\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" hidden>Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-26\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-5\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">James Madison defended that approach in <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/avalon.law.yale.edu\/18th_century\/fed51.asp\"><em>The Federalist Papers<\/em><\/a>, writing that government must guard \u201cone part of the society against the injustice of the other part\u201d so that \u201cthe rights of the minority\u201d would remain secure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DSA proposes abolishing the Senate and replacing key branches<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4195,"featured_media":2631457,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capitol-building-dc.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[74849,5045,4326,5894,3740],"class_list":["post-2631456","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-dsa","tag-government","tag-policy","tag-politics","tag-senate"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/capitol-building-dc.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631456","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4195"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2631456"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631456\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2631460,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631456\/revisions\/2631460"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2631457"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2631456"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2631456"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2631456"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}