In my 76th year of life, as our country celebrates the 250th year of its birth, I find myself remembering America’s bicentennial celebrated in 1976. I was living in Philadelphia, then, just blocks from where the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.Fifty years ago, we were a country celebrating two hundred years of independence, united in a Cold War against the United Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) and, indirectly, the members of the Eastern Bloc countries of East Germany (now Germany), Poland, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic and Slovakia), Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Albania. At the time, the Eastern Bloc had Marxist-Lenin dogma-based or socialist governments largely controlled by communist Russia.Today, the Cold War is long over, and all of these countries except Russia chose to become parliamentary democratic republics, predominantly accepting of capitalism, rather than socialist or communist states.
Ironically, thus far in this milestone celebration year of our country, eight members of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) have been chosen by voters to run for elected office in November 2026. One of these will run for mayor of Los Angeles, the second-largest city in the United States, and another for mayor of our nation’s capital. Six, thus far, will be running for positions in the United States House of Representatives. All of these will be on the ballot as Democrats.The Russian Communist Party, which originated as the Russian Social Democrat Party, was founded in 1918. In 1922, Russia, with additional territories, became the USSR. The Eastern Bloc countries came under its control after World War II. Afterwards, legal emigration from these countries was severely prohibited. An Iron Curtain of minefields, fences, and watch towers was needed to keep citizens from leaving. East Germany built the Berlin Wall in 1961 after 20% of its population, largely consisting of young, skilled workers and professionals, had been able to flee to the West through the city seeking opportunity and just reward for their skills. None of these structures were needed to maintain their populations after the Eastern Bloc countries gained their independence and became democratic republics.Today, Cuba’s constitution specifies a socialist economy in which the majority of industries and resources are owned and managed by the state. I am unaware of any U.S. citizens, politicians or otherwise, currently risking their lives at sea to seek asylum there perhaps largely because 40-45% of Cubans live in poverty. SOCIALISTIC PROGRAMS CAUSED THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS. THE DSA WANTS TO DOUBLE DOWNI endorse government medical, educational, and economic programs as fail-safe systems, but not as an entitled way of life or a career plan. The fact that one of our two major political parties is backing candidates espousing beliefs consistent with the socialist system of government, which citizens of so many other countries who have experienced it as a reality have rejected or fled, should be alarming to all. Therefore, I do feel dispirited in 2026, but, am happy to say, still not defeated. It would be a dishonor to my grandfather, who legally immigrated to this country in 1903 at the age of 17 with $7 in his pocket. His reason for fleeing his native country was socialism.Therefore, in his honor, as a sign of respect for our Founding Fathers and in gratitude to all politicians who have kept it a democratic capitalist republic, in this semiquincentennial year of its birth, I take pride in displaying the flag of the United States of America, land of the still free to make the most of whatever skills they possess.Mary Ann Resnik is a retired physician and major university hospital department medical director.
