Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of

unchanging truth. For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Recently in primary elections in both New York and Colorado, self-professed communist and

Democratic socialist candidates beat progressive ones to claim Democratic nominations for office.

Well, today on Breakpoint, Dr. Eric Patterson, president of the victims of communism museum and Memorial Foundation, discusses how a

Marxist worldview operates and why it matters that one of America's political parties is now

being pushed hard in this direction.

Here's Dr. Patterson.

Today's self-described democratic socialists, including New York City Mayor Zoran Mamdani,

have identified real frustrations, bureaucracy, inefficiency, red tape, lack of accountability,

and the mounting costs of urban life in places such as Baltimore, New York, and Chicago. But they fail to see that these problems were caused

by decades of progressive government, ever larger bureaucracies, restrictions on private property

and innovation, and policies that made citizens more dependent on government.

Should Americans be worried? Or is this merely youthful enthusiasm? True, there's a fattish pop

Marxism among many young adults and teens. It is fashionable to rage against the machine,

and more attractive still when government promises

to subsidize college, housing, groceries, and transportation.

But something more serious is at work.

Americans should ask three questions about any political candidate, platform, or party.

Does it advance statism or individual liberty under limited government? Does it strengthen

American institutions or undermine them? Does it denounce political violence or excuse it? First,

are the policies democratic socialists advocate designed to protect religious freedom, freedom of conscience,

...