Two top lawmakers in Congress, Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have expressed support for a radical proposal to eliminate the upper chamber of Congress.
The plan, which is part of the Democratic Socialists of America's (DSA) program dubbed Workers Deserve More, was recently launched on a call with DSA members, sparking controversy and criticism.
DSA organizer Michaela Branagan questioned the purpose of the Senate, saying "Well, why do we have a Senate?" and suggesting that it may not be as effective as other forms of governance.
Senator Thom Tillis responded to the proposal, saying that the DSA should test their vision of governance in a more isolated setting, rather than attempting to implement it on a national scale.
"Maybe a little pilot project on an island nation where the entire world experiment is on somebody's shoulders," Tillis suggested.
Senator Bernie Moreno questioned the qualifications of the DSA, asking "where did this group of geniuses come from in America?" and arguing that their proposal is driven by a desire to transform the United States into a socialist regime.
Moreno, who was born in Colombia before moving to the United States, suggested that a better understanding of the Constitution and the Federalist Papers would reveal the importance of the Senate and the flaws in the DSA's proposal.
He also warned that the DSA's desire to abolish the electoral college and implement a Cuban-style dictatorship in the United States would have disastrous consequences.
