You’re operating under the false assumption that Social-Democrats are in any way shape or form allies of socialism

They self-identify as democratic socialists, not social democrats, a distinction Bernie made a point to draw. Coupled with credible opposition to capitalism, and with the necessity of not writing off everyone but my five True Leftist friends, they’re certainly worth counting as allies, at least for the moment.

“moving left” is infantile

Moving people left is literally the only way we’re going to get enough leftists to do anything. The vast majority of people aren’t going to wake up one day and decide to be a communist. The vast majority of Americans – steeped from birth in hardcore anticommunism – won’t even decide to be a communist as soon as they read communist literature. the vast majority of Americans won’t even consider reading communist literature to begin with. We have to walk people down the path. That means getting them to take one step left, then another, then another. Each step helps.

AOC capitulates on imperialism

AOC has had zero meaningful interaction with U.S. imperialism, and has had exactly zero real opportunity to stop any part of it. She’s a first-term representative who doesn’t even sit on any foreign policy committees. Criticizing her over something she’s had no power to change is needlessly pessimistic, and is not the way we should be treating the very few people who are moving in the right direction.