Making Sense with Sam Harris #491 — The Suicide of the Left
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Sep 1, 2026 
James Kirchick, a journalist and author covering politics, extremism, and antisemitism, joins Sam Harris to examine the Democratic Socialists of America, its radical platform, and the far left’s alliance with Islamists. They discuss Zohran Mamdani, third worldism, Israel’s isolation at the UN, political violence, Tucker Carlson, and Kirchick’s departure from The New York Times.
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The DSA Rejects Liberal Democracy
- The DSA platform rejects liberal-democratic norms, advocating abolition of the presidency, Supreme Court, Senate, police, borders, capitalism, and private property.
- James Kirchick argues its foreign-policy solidarity with North Korea and Cuba makes “democratic socialist” a misleading label.
How Extremism Could Strengthen Fascism
- Mainstream Democrats risk confusing European-style welfare policies with a movement seeking communism and revolutionary destruction of private property.
- Sam Harris warns that presenting such figures nationally could produce a backlash favoring authoritarian right-wing populism.
Liberalism Needs Nonnegotiable Boundaries
- James Kirchick distinguishes genuine liberal openness from having no boundaries around core democratic values.
- He argues liberals should defend women’s equality, free expression, liberal democracy, and opposition to terrorism regardless of an ally’s identity or grievances.