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The Democratic Party Left Me Behind

ChrisL68 said:
I suspect by then the left will have made some incremental gains. we should have universal health coverage.
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PhDeac said:
I think we know by now that centrism with the goal of attracting the right doesn’t work in midterm elections. Democrats need to get young people and minorities out to vote. That’s the task. Few centrists present a message that excites a broader coalition. The main centrist tool is this idea that they’ll inevitably win. And people just aren’t assuming that anymore.
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I’m not really taking sides on arguments as to how (unlike Comey) just hoping (like Comey) that Dems win.

I suspect different emphases will work better in different places.
 
Again, you would think that this progressive coalition should be able to overwhelm democratic primaries nationwide. Here we are towards the end of the 2018 primary and we have one likely congressperson.
 
I agree Pubs have solidly proven they have no interest in compromising or working with Dems. Even when Dems bend over backwards to try and accommodate Pubs and do good shit in as Republican a way as possible.

But there’s a big “independent” group that’s mostly muddled and middleish. That’s worth trying to persuade and to not alienate unnecessarily. Maybe.
 
ConnorEl said:
I agree Pubs have solidly proven the have no interest in compromising or working wit Dems. Even when Dems bend over backwards to try and accommodate Pubs and do good shit in as Republican a way as possible.

But there’s a big “independent” group that’s mostly muddled and middleish. That’s worth trying to persuade and to not alienate unnecessarily. Maybe.
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I'm pretty sure the poli sci research shows that "moderate" voters aren't 3rd Way Centrists but rather cross-pressured extremists who want 30 year mandatory minimums for shoplifting candybars but also [insert extreme left-wing opinion]. You want to increase the valence of the left-wing issues, not be a irritating Clinton or Gore type.
 
yeah, centrists are all secret racist BIG BUSINESS jerkoffs, remember? we'd rather lose an election than have that scum cross the aisle
 
ChrisL68 said:
Again, you would think that this progressive coalition should be able to overwhelm democratic primaries nationwide. Here we are towards the end of the 2018 primary and we have one likely congressperson.
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at the national level, it has not resulted in many electoral victories, but look at local trends in urban areas and progressives are expanding their influence in the form of elected officials
 
The progressive wing has made strides and are certainly more represented in the Dem party than they have been.
 
ChrisL68 said:
Again, you would think that this progressive coalition should be able to overwhelm democratic primaries nationwide. Here we are towards the end of the 2018 primary and we have one likely congressperson.
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Link or math? How do you figure there’s only going to be one progressive in the House?

ConnorEl said:
I agree Pubs have solidly proven they have no interest in compromising or working with Dems. Even when Dems bend over backwards to try and accommodate Pubs and do good shit in as Republican a way as possible.

But there’s a big “independent” group that’s mostly muddled and middleish. That’s worth trying to persuade and to not alienate unnecessarily. Maybe.
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They’re independent because they’ve rejected the politics of the Bush and Obama eras. They’ve rejected establishment and far right Republicans as well as centrist Democrats. So why not give them something they haven’t tried yet?
 
because if they were voting R and D they're probably not super into far left policies?
 
ImTheCaptain said:
because if they were voting R and D they're probably not super into far left policies?
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They vote R or D because that’s all to vote for. And plenty don’t vote at all.

I don’t think most Americans even know what progressive policies are. Even the Ds who are scared of progressive politics can’t really articulate what they’re scared of except they’re afraid of losing.
 
Pubs and so-called conservatives have had success turning “liberal” into a scary and defamatory term. Fine to use “progressive”, I suppose.

I wonder, however, if it isn’t past time to reclaim the world “liberal” as generally virtuous and simultaneously properly help folks to grasp the negative nature of American conservatism.
 
Independent voters are mostly comprised of people who choose to remain unaffiliated. Most of those voters still vote along mostly partisan lines, with the young independent voters being overwhelmingly liberal.
 
I don't think it's that hard to understand why a political movement could have a lot of support and momentum yet fail to deliver electoral results given the two-party system in place, especially in light of gerrymandering, campaign finance structures, Citizens United, and other elements of the American political system that aren't the case elsewhere
 
It isn’t. Did anybody say it was?
 
Man some of y’all needed a political science class. Not as badly as people who soapbox about democrats and slavery but still.
 
myDeaconmyhand said:
Independent voters are mostly comprised of people who choose to remain unaffiliated. Most of those voters still vote along mostly partisan lines, with the young independent voters being overwhelmingly liberal.
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Maybe, I am a social progressive but fiscally conservative. It’s a dead zone.

Everyone should be able to peruse their happiness and not be handcuffed to another’s bigotry or based of religion. Simple constitution stuff really...but here we are.
 
JuiceCrewAllStar said:
Responding to the chrisL line of argument that if progressives had better politics they’d win more elections.
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Gotcha. I think the best response is not many progressives actually run for office, at least not as progressives.
 
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