It might also inform ChrisL's opinion that in many cities in the country, at least in KC, my sense is that people that have been members of past leftist movements are skeptical of the DSA as still a very center leaning org.
I agree that words matter. That is why if you are a socialist, you should call yourself a socialist. What other word should I use?
I agree that words matter. That is why if you are a socialist, you should call yourself a socialist. What other word should I use?
Moderate
At this point in time, the places you can win statewide elections calling yourself a "socialist" are few. You could start with the word "progressive".
Today, you can choose to be "pure" to win nothing or choose to grow incrementally until you reach your goals. Each step can be bigger than the last one.
Healthcare is a good example. You aren't going to get socialized medicine directly. You might be able to get Medicare expanded until for those over 50 or allow those over 50 to directly purchase Medicare as a policy choice. When people see how well it works, it will be much easier to expand it for everyone.
On this same train of thought, if ChrisL or ITC were to ever attend a DSA meeting, they would notice that there is no time spent or plans made to canvas wealthy suburbs. DSA isnt standing outside of wholefoods with clipboards.
What I said earlier about "not trying to change your mind" may have seemed aggressive, but the honest truth is that you moderate Dems aren't the target market for leftist politics. Economically and culturally, attempting to persuade you is a waste of resources. I post here as a hobby, not to win minds.
There are only 50k members nationwide, and not nearly that many people canvassing, soWhat’s your definition of “wealthy suburb?” I think you may be missing a market based on silly stereotypes.
The problem with this is that it is all made-up.
On this same train of thought, if ChrisL or ITC were to ever attend a DSA meeting, they would notice that there is no time spent or plans made to canvas wealthy suburbs. DSA isnt standing outside of wholefoods with clipboards.
What I said earlier about "not trying to change your mind" may have seemed aggressive, but the honest truth is that you moderate Dems aren't the target market for leftist politics. Economically and culturally, attempting to persuade you is a waste of resources. I post here as a hobby, not to win minds.
why don't you explain so we can have a conversation like adults? I don't even know Childress' politics. So, I guess I would say that in the current US overton window context, mdmh might be correctly labled "far left" but I think in a more global context, he would be more to the center of spectrum (horseshoe).
ETA: This is all still kind of making an assumption about mdmh that I haven't confirmed with him, but I have the same observation as Rchill. If you go to a DSA meeting, you are just as likely to meet communists as you might be to meet someone fresh off the Hillary train.
At this point in time, the places you can win statewide elections calling yourself a "socialist" are few. You could start with the word "progressive".
Today, you can choose to be "pure" to win nothing or choose to grow incrementally until you reach your goals. Each step can be bigger than the last one.
Healthcare is a good example. You aren't going to get socialized medicine directly. You might be able to get Medicare expanded until for those over 50 or allow those over 50 to directly purchase Medicare as a policy choice. When people see how well it works, it will be much easier to expand it for everyone.
RJ, you are just speaking in platitudes. You can’t provide any proof that “this is the only way to get it done.”
Just look at the success of the Labour Party.
Donald Trump is president. No traditional political rules, real or imagined, exist anymore. So socialists should call themselves socialists and try to recruit people to be socialists by doing cool and radical shit. They should care about growth independently from the Democratic Party.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is a multi-tendency organization of democratic socialist, left-social democratic and labor-oriented members in the United States.
The DSA sees itself as a big tent and multi-tendency organization with members expressing a wide range of socialist and anti-capitalist views.[109][110] The DSA members have views ranging from eco-socialism,[111] democratic socialism,[112] revolutionary socialism,[113] libertarian socialism[114] and communism[115] to social democracy.
Your perspective is obviously terribly skewed
Socialists can socialist all they want, but when the biggest socialist party in America (at 43,000 fucking members) has this on their Wikipedia page:
Then calling yourself socialist is a political play for attention at this point.