Socialists Are Disqualified for Office Simply by Being Socialists

Hello and welcome to Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Today is World Chocolate Day, National Macaroni Day, and National Strawberry Sundae Day. Obviously, observances of the greatest importance. Glad I was able to fill you in.

Today In History:

1456: A retrial verdict overturned Joan of Arc's heresy conviction, 25 years after her execution.

1798: Congress rescinded its treaties with France, launching the Quasi-War, America's first conflict since the Revolution.

1865: Mary Surratt became the first woman executed by the U.S. federal government for her role in the conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.

1898: Congress annexed Hawaii through a joint resolution signed by President William McKinley.

1912: Jim Thorpe won the pentathlon at the Stockholm Olympics, part of his emergence as one of the greatest all-around athletes in the world.

1917: Britain formally established the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps, authorizing female volunteers to serve alongside soldiers in France during World War I.

1928: Pre-sliced bread was sold commercially for the first time, produced by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri, leading to the question of what the best thing was before sliced bread.

1958: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Alaska Statehood Act into law, paving the way for Alaska to become the 49th state.

1981: Sandra Day O'Connor appointed to the Supreme Court, becomes the first woman to serve on the nation's highest court.

1985: Boris Becker became the youngest men's singles champion in Wimbledon history at age 17.

2005: Coordinated suicide bombings struck London's transit system, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds more.

2011: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the final film in the franchise based on J.K. Rowling's novels, premiers in London.

2019: Led by Megan Rapinoe, the U.S. women's national soccer team defeated the Netherlands to win its fourth World Cup title.

Birthdays today include: Ringo Starr, drummer for The Beatles, actor; Pierre Cardin, fashion designer; Michelle Kwan, Olympic figure skater; Jim Gaffigan, stand-up comedian, actor, and writer; MS Dhoni, cricketer and former captain of the Indian national team; Jack Whitehall, comedian and actor (8 Out of 10 Cats, A League of Their Own); Cree Summer, actress and voice actress; Kirsten Vangsness, actress (Criminal Minds); Billy Campbell, actor (The Killing, Once and Again); Berenice Bejo, actress (The Artist); Hamish Linklater, actor; and Akiva Goldsman, screenwriter and producer (A Beautiful Mind, I Am Legend).

If today's your birthday, too, happy birthday — enjoy the celebration!

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Interesting read from Jonathan Turley the other day:

Pennsylvania state and socialist Chris Rabb, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania’s 3rd Congressional District, has joined the growing chorus of Democrats denouncing the founding documents and core institutions in the country on our 250th anniversary. The Democratic socialist is running unopposed for Congress and will almost certainly be a member of Congress after November.
Rabb spoke at an event billed as “America at 250 — Trump Fascism, Historical Erasure, and the Battle Over Truth” at People’s Plaza on Independence Mall in Philadelphia.
He denounced the country as based on “stolen land and stolen labor.” He lashed out at the Declaration of Independence:
“Those screeds that were very lofty but were notoriously catering to a performative aspect of collective genius that purposely erased indigenous and black peoples…It created distance from an empire to help very privileged people continue that privilege and ultimately institutionalize that through the U.S. Constitution many years later. But it certainly did not provide independence to indigenous and black peoples. And we cannot talk about anything today without acknowledging that this is a nation born on stolen land & stolen labor.”

Well, now wait — seems to me there’s something we’re glossing over here. When new Congresspeople are sworn in, it goes like this:

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

I don't know about you, but Rabb doesn't seem to me to be supporting and defending the Constitution here. I'm sure some will argue otherwise. They will suggest the genuine legal friction point isn't "socialism" in the abstract — it's specific policies once enacted: How much compensation is "just" under the Takings Clause when nationalizing an industry? Does a wealth tax violate apportionment rules? Those are real, litigated, case-by-case constitutional questions, not a blanket verdict on the ideology.

But let's consider the Democratic Socialists of America for a moment, which explicitly describes itself as pursuing democratic means. Its current platform calls for a "new democratic constitution," replacing institutions such as the presidency and Senate, and dramatically restructuring the federal government. Doesn't sound like they're supporting the constitution, does it?

I mean, OK, the DSA can claim they're going about making these changes by constitutional means, but the fact remains that they're working directly against the Constitution. And that, by my lights, disqualifies them from office — Rabb included.

Thought for the day: Retirement is that point in life when you can't remember all the things you intended to do when you were still working.

VIP members: Hit the heart, and let's hear your thoughts: Should socialists be disqualified from being in our government?

Take care, gang. I'll see you tomorrow.

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