I am beginning to think I am a too moderate for this place.

[redstatebluegirl]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the General Discussion forum).

I am not far left, I am a moderate Democrat. I will vote for whomever the party supports in the primaries, but I will be really unhappy if it is a certain person. I have spent 45 years working for Democrats in 4 states. I send them my extra money, I work phones and walked my precincts when I was able. But right now I don't recognize my party. It began with the booing of a civil rights icon at the convention in 2016 and it continues now.

Not sure what to do, I have always identified as a Democrat, but if this is where we are headed. I need to pull back.

[Skittles]

1. just start using Ignore, redstatebluegirl

f them

[redstatebluegirl]

2. I have tried, but I got a post hidden the other day and I knew it would be.

They are taking over the party right now. I love Elizabeth Warren, but not the other person. I will vote for him if I have to, but I will not be happy.

[marylandblue]

4. Don't worry he won't win.

[aeromanKC]

100. +1000

[MontanaFarmer]

6. You won't have to.

Warren is getting much of his '16 support. Sanders is in, at this point, because he has the money to be. He's not winning the nomination.

[drray23]

7. That person has no chance of becoming the nominee.nt.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. The loudest voices don't necessarily represent the majority.

I wouldn't worry too much about "the other person" getting the nomination anyhow.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

15. They're not taking over the party. They're just pushing the envelope.

[redstatebluegirl]

17. They are also the loudest voices.

I worry we can't beat this moron if we go this way.

[Skittles]

34. I know who you are talking about, and I absolutely DESPISE him

and his fans are the biggest alert stalkers

they act like cultists, put them on Ignore

[redstatebluegirl]

36. Yep the only hides I have had are from them.

[wasupaloopa]

55. I am glad someone else knows about the alert stalkers,

Last edited Sun Jul 21, 2019, 03:53 AM - Edit history (1)

They are fools to think that will help him. Maybe it is just a game and they know they won’t win.

[redstatebluegirl]

65. I really think the trolls want that candidate because they know they can beat him.

[Skittles]

71. they're very obvious

they make me sick

[cwydro]

84. Yes.

This.

[ProudLib72]

86. It's a bunch of divisive bs if you ask me

Bringing up the bs is extremely divisive.

[dalton99a]

106. +1. It is BS

[Me.]

77. Hang In There

You.Will.Not.Have.To.Vote.For.Him

Don't allow yourself to be bullied, they are just doing it because they're disappointed, the dream is fading.

[Codeine]

81. Same thing happened here before.

Lots of hidden posts, and a lot of us scraped by teetering on the brink of banning until the nonsense petered out after that person lost.

And don’t worry, he’s going to lose again, only much more dramatically.

[Skittles]

89. yes

I couldn't BELIEVE how many people fell for his nonsense

[arthritisR_US]

115. +1000!

[Gothmog]

110. If sanders is the nominee, trump will win 45+ states

[radical noodle]

112. You are not alone

Check percentages of support here at DU for the various candidates.

[pnwmom]

120. Lots of us have a strong preference, either negative or positive. Don't worry -- that doesn't mean

you don't belong here.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. It's a big tent still. There's room for everyone.

Argue for your position and don't let yourself be shouted down.

[redstatebluegirl]

9. I do my best. I loved Hillary, and they were horrible.

[mcar]

78. They were

and they are back or never left. Alert stalkers drove so many good DUers away.

I refuse to let them win. Take time off if you need to. But come back.

[misanthrope]

16. In order for a party to be a "big tent"

those within it have to tolerate dissent and a wide range of opinions. We'll see if that capacity still exists.

[redstatebluegirl]

18. I do but being told I am a DINO is really hard after all these years.

[delisen]

28. You seem to be solidly Democratic.

Often the people who claim to be "revolutionary" really aren't but instead lean authoritarian.

[redstatebluegirl]

31. What scares me is they sound a lot like the tea party and look what that did to the Repugs.

[delisen]

73. True the tea party was tremendously destructive

I don't see this groups as being able to amass as much power.

I do think the Democrats are moving fast to prevent the destructive attempt to primary Democrats in the more centrist seats, especially those just won in 2018.

I consider Ocasio-Cortez's chief of staff to be a real problem and the party seems to have gotten that issue out into the open-which is also good because at least we know what we are dealing with.

Saikat Chakrabarti reminds me of all the rich people who think they are really "socialists" and get involved in politics and start making decisions and ordering other people about, make a big mess and then leave everyone else to clean up after them. The fact that he is getting push back early on is good news.

[VarryOn]

5. You're not alone here. Dont go! nt

[California_Republic]

14. Agreed. Lots of cool heads here. Maybe we are too quiet.

But stay with us

[redstatebluegirl]

33. It sure seems like the radicals are taking over right now.

[ancianita]

105. There are liberals, which you seem to be. There are progressive liberals, then hardcore progressives

There isn't radicalism in the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party is for reform. Not radicalism. Not revolution. The incremental change of reform. Reform is the change that lasts the longest.

The problem, given 45's reign, is that the good old liberal incrementalism is now backed up, jammed up. Now that government also has to be restored, "those" guys want to make sure that they can get reform: medicare for all, taxing the rich, reinstating Glass-Steagal (like Warren), overturning Citizens United, stopping the Keystone Pipeline, backing AOC's Green New Deal, promoting net neutrality, etc, none of which are radical, even by conservative standards.

I'm not sure where you get the fear about him. Except that you're in a red state.

But I really don't think that -- given his record of voting more often with Democrats over the years than 20% of declared Democrats -- he's anyone to worry about.

Radicalism is a word that's too easily used as a pejorative they used on MLK, Jesus and others.

Don't worry about his followers' intensity, or their primary rhetoric. They are not mean or evil. They're not bullies. It's their idealism, not any impulse toward some radicalism.

He's done a lot of good to move "radical" ideas of the last presidential cycle into the mainstream for the whole party this time.

I'm just sayin'.

[Dirty Socialist]

8. Stay off the primaries board

It’s a zoo over there.

[redstatebluegirl]

12. Agreed, it is a mess.

[trev]

13. No kidding it is.

[LakeArenal]

72. True that.

And if you have to, read by candidate. Not in general. I won’t even look at somethings when I see the author.

[lame54]

11. Who is your mystery hated candidate?

[Autumn]

30. Let's see. The only one running from the 2016 she mentioned in the OP is Sanders.

I'm guessing the mystery hated candidates is... Bernie Sanders!

[lame54]

113. On re-read I still don't see that - but ok

[DFW]

19. It's not as dramatic as it seems, if that helps

I go through this every 4 years here. The irritating single-issue posters usually evaporate when the election is done. Those one-trick ponies are quick to attack, and quick to disappear afterward.

Just beware of people who know everything and have no sense humor.
That is where the trouble lies!

[redstatebluegirl]

22. Thanks. I am feeling like an outsider right now.

[Lefta Dissenter]

20. I have the same problem on FB

Most of my friends support the candidate who is not my (or your, apparently) first, second, third... fifteenth choice. I actually feel more at home here, but I’m pretty selective in which posts I read. I breeze right past the most rabid posts.

Hang in there.

[Tech]

21. It has helped me to block certain members. I figure some of them have blocked me.

Hang in there, and know some are trolls. You may just want to take a breather, even if it is just for one day. It's getting pretty intense. I enjoy hearing your views, if it helps.

[redstatebluegirl]

23. I am going to take a breather, I need to get away from here for a while.

[Tech]

25. Think of it as a vacation. We all need them.

[VarryOn]

27. it maybe good for you todo that, but please....

Come back.

[betsuni]

29. Please remember that there are many many more of us than there are of them.

They're just NOISY. All the name-calling and insults and arrogance. Don't worry, it won't last that much longer.

I appreciate everyone here and other places who fights back with facts against the propaganda.

[DinahMoeHum]

37. Probably the best thing to do right now.

The DailyKos Good News Roundup has a list of "The Rs of Resistance", including the following:

• Rely: Trust that millions of others are also fighting this good fight.
• Rest: Take care of yourself, we are ALL in this for the long term.

Also, while there is a lot of fuss going on about 2020, we cannot neglect 2019. Concentrate on the local elections for this year (that's what I'm doing) and try to blot out the rest of the garbage floating around. At least in January 2020.

We'll "keep the light on for ya"

[TwilightZone]

69. Breaks are good.

I've been here almost as long as the website's been around and have taken multiple extended breaks, usually during primary season or shortly after elections.

It definitely helps regain a little perspective.

[DFW]

108. I did that in 2016. Six months

Had a bunch of nasty Sanders "supporters (or so they claimed)" jumping on me to the point where DU got too ugly for my taste. I just stopped posting. Not a ONE of those people are posting here now--at least not under the names they were posting then. They either went to other sites (one in particular), died of high blood pressure, who knows? Some of them were so mean, it wouldn't surprise me to hear they got impaled on wooden stakes. But they were not typical DU people, and they all (and I mean every last one of them) vanished after the election.

The period leading up to a presidential election seems to attract a certain kind of poster here--quick to attack, usually in a foul mood, and always full of reasons why YOU in particular are always wrong while they are always right.

[YOHABLO]

24. I'm wondering who the ''civil rights icon'' you're referring to is.

[redstatebluegirl]

26. I was there John Lewis.

[hunter]

32. I'm a far left environmentalist radical extremist.

Bernie Sanders is right-of-my center, and a clueless white guy too.

I'm hard core Democratic for practical reasons.

[redstatebluegirl]

35. Thank you.

I have always been strong on environmental issues as well, I just differ on how to go at it.

[hunter]

41. I'm not just strong.

If I was emperor of the earth I'd end fossil fuels quickly.

Economic "productivity" as we now define it is a direct measure of the damage we are doing to whatever is left of the earth's natural environment and our own human spirit.

With nods to Sturgeon's Law, 90% of the "work" we do is self destructive bullshit.

[redstatebluegirl]

42. Yep

[hunter]

49. Practical solutions to political problems are always messy.

The longer they are neglected, the messier they get.

[Hortensis]

38. You are a liberal who falls somewhere in the middle of the liberal side

of the left-right spectrum. You and at least 40 million other Democrats.

As for "here," remember the truth revealed by that 8% for Sanders on our little poll and compare that with the total of DUers who chose candidates you would also consider. Don't let those who don't want to accept what this reveals get their problems in your head.

Oh, and another thing: Political scientists say there is no political orientation of "moderate," no matter how often it's used by pundits. People are typically real goulashes of political positions, but we're wired somewhat to one of the two basic personality types: conservative OR liberal (with the door open for libertarian being a third, smaller and rather weird personality type), and politically we incline one way OR the other. So "moderate" means middlin' liberal or middlin' conservative -- it does not mean essentially conservative the way people on the far left want to have it.

"Centrists" are also either liberal or conservative but mild in traits, with a lot of areas where they can fairly easily reach agreement (thus, they're very valuable to democracies).

So-called "independents" are also either conservative or liberal, and few of them swing either way depending on the political winds, they're oriented one way or another also.

Virtually all liberals are "progressive," as in believing in putting government to work to serve the people. We, with some assistance from centrist and moderate conservatives, invented humanism, liberalism, democracy, and progressivism. We brought the light to the Enlightenment.

So, when irritated by the noisy, righteous, intolerant few, just remember that those tending to LW and RW extremes are (mercifully) relatively few in number. Also, the more extremist they may tend, the more and more they have in common with each other and the less in in common with the large majorities who make up the liberal left and conservative right. Those tending toward extremism on both sides are characteristically so righteous and rigid in thinking that they're typically doomed to not be able to understand or respect the views of people who don't agree with them, and life is one long series of inevitably lost elections that they can never accept, or even understand because they don't fit the constructs of reality they've built up.

Now, hopefully you're once again glad to be a proud, moderate, progressive, liberal DUer. And maybe feel just a little sorry for anyone who can't understand why that's something to be proud of?

[JoeOtterbein]

39. After 6400 posts?

If you fought that long why give up now? But, if you are tired I understand. I know because I've worked for 25 years in a red county in PA (York) for the Dems because I wanted universal healthcare.

I've never come close to winning after Bill & Hill gave up, other than Obamacare. And we lost it by compromising too quick without a public option. We should never, ever, give up the good fight.

Ever.

[redstatebluegirl]

40. I live and work in Oklahoma.

Every day is a challenge. This place has been my refuge.

[JoeOtterbein]

43. Stay.

Please.

[redstatebluegirl]

44. I will at least take a break, this place is nuts right now.

[JoeOtterbein]

58. Thanks.

I know I've rec'd tons of your posts.

We need you to keep the light shining.

[marlakay]

117. Its always nuts during election time

Especially the primaries and I expect it will get much worse when we are down to a few. If it gets too bad for you come back after its down to just Trump and one other, we always try our hardest to pull together for the end game.

[VarryOn]

57. i'm a next door neighbor in

Arkansas! We relate!

[hunter]

63. I have siblings and other people close to me living in toxic Republican strongholds.

As a minority white guy in my California community I can say shit they can't.

My own elected representatives hand out red cards:

https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards

[redstatebluegirl]

64. Yes, it scares me.

I have a lot of gay friends and neighbors who are afraid to come out because of where we live. It is nuts.

[hunter]

74. As a teen and young adult most of my gay friends died of AIDS or suicide.

That's why I'd piss on Ronald Reagan's grave. Except I saw Reagan once up close at a public appearance during his second term. He was a confused old man who didn't know where the hell he was or what he was doing there. For a brief moment his acting skills kicked in and he played his role as POTUS for the cameras, and that's what the nation saw on television and read in the newspapers.

There hasn't been a Republican President since Nixon who wasn't some sort of compromised meat puppet.

Trump and Pence are compromised meat puppets.

I don't even want to know what's in Pence's closet, but I hope it destroys him.

[Blue_true]

87. Maybe.

You should stay off General Didcussion and Primary and any other board that has politics for a while. There are a number of common interest boards here on DU, try spending time on those, that should refresh the refuge nature of this site for you.

[Skittles]

119. yes

if you can survive OK, you can survive DU! Hang in there with us, redstatebluegirl!!

[sheshe2]

45. Please take a break if you need one, but don't leave.

Your voice is appreciated by many here, redstatebluegirl.

[redstatebluegirl]

48. I feel like I am a little nuts but thanks!

[Peacetrain]

46. redstatebluegirl.. this is for you

[redstatebluegirl]

47. Thanks one of my favorites!

[redstatebluegirl]

50. Thanks everyone, off to work on a grant for a STEM program.

It has been a long day.

[melman]

51. You've got to be kidding

This board leaning "far left"? This board?

[Raven123]

52. Take a deep breath. Maybe take a break. But please don't give up.

That is EXACTLY what the GOP is hoping you will do. A lot of ideas are being aired and will be vetted over time. The election cycle is so freaking long that it is easy to become exhausted.

[samnsara]

53. ive taken DU breaks from time to time..it helps me regain my perspective

[VarryOn]

54. Reading through all the respnses in the thread you started...

I hope you're encouraged. But, it's understandable if you need a respite.

I know there are a lot of moderates on DU, but, I think many are lurkers. Rightly or wrongly, it takes a lot to trigger a need to chime in on every topic. I dont mean to stereotype, but many to the far left trigger more easily. They are quite passionate and, it seems, will deem someone an enemy for a disagreement on even minor issues.

The Democratic Party needs us, and it needs the passion of the far left. It just makes it hard when we aim our fire at each other, and presidential primaries stoke the fires.

Like you, I live in a red state and am a member of a red family. It's not a good feeling when your own party has team members who make you feel red sometimes.

Again, I just want to encourage you!

[redstatebluegirl]

59. Thank you.

I agree they are easily triggered. I work with graduate students and they are heavily in that camp due to "free tuition". I understand where they are coming from but they are one issue voters. The students I know who are this ilk won't vote for anyone but that candidate. I wish tuition was more reasonable, I wish Science was valued, but I am a person who has seen a lot of change and how to do it.

[TwilightZone]

56. DU isn't representative of the real world.

It also isn't representative of the Democratic Party or even a significant chunk of it. It's essentially a niche website that caters to small section of the left; many members aren't even Democrats (we have leftists, Greens, a few anarchists, etc.)

Similarly, the Democrats who booed civil rights icons aren't representative of the party, either. They were a very vocal minority, but a minority they were and a minority they remain. Try not to let their uncouth behavior color your view of the party.

The majority of our candidates are center-left, even the one who claims that he's a socialist. Same thing with the party itself - it's really the same party it was four or eight or twelve years ago, claims to the contrary notwithstanding.

[redstatebluegirl]

61. It was so hard to sit there at a Democratic Convention and hear that.

I came home totally disillusioned.

[deurbano]

101. Some members of the CA delegation were particularly obnoxious, which was personally painful to me

as a Californian, especially since they were so unreflective (except in their fevered imaginations) of the majority of CA Democratic primary voters who chose Clinton. (And she went on to trounce that orange MAGAt here by millions of votes in the general.) Having the loudest and most... assertive... supporters doesn't equal success in the primaries (well, unfortunately it does help in the caucus states), and we won't have the problem this time of voters assuming that the Democratic nominee will win anyway, so they can afford to send a "message" by not voting or voting for a third party candidate in the general. (I mean, the extreme dead enders might still refuse to unify after the primaries, but at this point they seem more like trolls than actual Democratic voters to me.) And no Comey this time... and we're better informed about the Russians and other ratf**kers. And the orange MAGAt is a known quantity now. Democrats are usually crap at turning out in the midterms, but turn out we did in 2018. So, I'm very hopeful (knock on wood, knock on wood) about 2020, and I think Warren is going to get a lot of the primary votes that previously went to Sanders. I'm obviously no expert, but to me he seems to have hit his ceiling of support, and a lot of that support is just because he's still more well known than anyone but Biden.

[Hortensis]

66. This. nt

[brush]

60. That person will not get the nomination. There are manly actual Dems we have to choose from.

[redstatebluegirl]

62. There are so many great Democrats to choose from he will be toast I hope.

[redstateblues]

67. I'm with you. I feel the same way.

I’m a lifelong Democrat and I worry that the competition to see who is the most progressive will make it hard for us to win in the General. I hear a number of solid Dems who share my concerns.

[redstatebluegirl]

68. Yes, we can't win if we go far left.

[TreasonousBastard]

70. Sorry to hear that, but it does happen a lot around here...

A few months ago I was alert stalked and got three hides in a day or so. One I got past the jury, but then someone alerted on the same post for a different "offense" and it was hidden. Just barely avoided being suspended.

Taking a break sometimes helps, but the hardest thing is biting that tongue-- some things are begging you to say something, but you just know an alert is waiting.

DU is not the world or the Democratic Party. It is one place with a comfort zone for a specific point of view. Relax in that comfort zone and have a fine old time dissing Trump.

[guillaumeb]

75. I am rather far to the left,

but the Democratic Party is big enough for both of us.

[mcar]

76. I'm right here with you

Another red state blue girl. Been here since 2002 and the more things change...

Ignore is your friend, as is trash thread. Stay with us. Don't let the trolls get you down.

[hlthe2b]

79. NO matter where you lie on the "scale", primary season is tough...

And sometimes it is one group or another that is overwhelmingly vocal making it seem like other viewpoints are the minority view or absent.

Things do "recalibrate" though. Bide your time.

[madaboutharry]

80. Dear redstatebluegirl,

You are not too moderate for this place. You are not alone. I am proud to be a moderate Democrat and there are a lot of us here. All Democrats need to be respected.

[Codeine]

82. I'm not a moderate at all

and I still don’t like that candidate, and I’m even less enamored of his online bully boys. Don’t let their childish alert swarming and nastiness bring you down — in the end they’re pulling for a loser.

[TheFarseer]

83. I feel like there is too little tolerance

The board is being used less as a discussion forum and more to shout people down and “dunk on them”. I think we all need to do more listening and less crapping on people with a different perspective - that goes for the country at large even more than DU

[Blue_true]

85. I am likely to the left of you, but I get criticism.

Being a business oriented person, I always look to determine whether a proposal is rational and will accomplish what is intended. I also am willing to acknowledge some hard truths about things that some see as untouchable. I believe that we will defeat republicans only if we are able to self-reflect on our own policy prescriptions and make wise adjustments. We should never give in to what republicans want, they are wrong pretty much 100% of the time and they positions often are built on hate and fear.

I am true to my values and I use what I observe about people and situations to sanity-check my values. Often that process leads me to state what I see as a hard truth, that does not sit well with some people here.

All I can say is that you know who and what you are. Use that as your Northstar and ignore the fucking noise. I am a longtime progressive democrat and I don't care if a poster here claims that I am not, I know what I am and I have a track record.

[Niagara]

88. Thank you, Redstatebluegirl

I want to thank you for all the hard work that you've done for Democrats for 45 years.

If you need a break from DU, go ahead and take that break, but please don't leave us.

[colsohlibgal]

90. The Difference?

When I hear the term moderate I am not sure what that means. You think the ultra wealthy shouldn’t be taxed even remotely like Eisenhower, a Republican, did in the 50s? You are only so far into Civil Rights?

The older I get, the more I learn, the more progressive I get.

[Maru Kitteh]

91. Don't worry m'dear, he's not a Democrat, and he's not getting our nom

[yaesu]

92. don't worry about that candidate, a certain person, its a whole new ballgame this time around

history will not repeat itself unless we get too carried away with disenfranchising any of our candidates, including that candidate, or history will repeat with another tRump term.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

93. None of us have anywhere to go. No one

stood up for what is right and just (except 85 congressmen). Meanwhile trump marches on. We will just limp to the polls, knowing no one had the savvy to protect the vote. JHC - think outside the box...have a national telethon to raise anti-theft software protection money!! Show over and over Republicans and trump stood against it. Do we gave zero money for ads??

[First Speaker]

94. Our party needs moderates and small-c conservatives...

...really, anyone who believes in expertise, science, reason, and the principles of liberal democracy. It doesn't bother me if Dems in reddish areas are to my right; it's the only way they can win there. I'm an eclectic--a moderate, "conservative" on some issues, "liberal" on others...but radical when it comes to the threat to democracy the GOP poses. For instance--I'm open to the idea occasionally put forth that Trump's "judges" need to be removed, because his whole supposed presidency is a conspiracy of treason. Sooner or later we'll have to do something about the far-right, Federalist Society fascist judiciary. On the other hand, the people I'd like to see on the bench would be moderates--a court of David Souters would suit me just fine. I doubt that "a certain person" will win the nomination. But I'll vote, with enthusiasm or without, for whomever we nominate...

[Blaukraut]

96. Ask yourself what goals you share with the most progressive/left Dems on here

The path to that goal may differ, but I am willing to bet that the goals are the same. So work with the assumption of a common goal, and debate the path to that goal. But remember that we have much more in common than not. I'm a progressive. I want medicare for all. A living wage. Equal rights. Green New Deal. But I also know that realistically, it will take a few detours to get there and I am fine with incremental steps, as long as we don't go backward. Sure, there are days where I wish (being in Massachusetts) that we could just 'divorce' the rest of the US and go our own way or be annexed by Canada, but again - we up here in liberal states have to put up with the nonsense from the rest of the country, seeing how we are the United States. Think of the progressive/liberal wing of the Democratic party as the bulwark that protects you from conservatism by pushing back hard.

[GulfCoast66]

97. Stop letting others define you! You are welcome here.

I occasionally ID as a moderate here on DU which is kind of a joke. I’m a bleeding heart liberal democrat.

Like most democrats I’m no socialist and am proud of that fact. And I abhor the term progressive for long standing family history.

Others may disagree. Don’t really care. I treat them with respect regardless of what I get back. Or at least do my best!

If you are a member of the Democratic Party you belong here. And yeah, I catch the Irony of that statement.

[Indykatie]

98. I Too Will Vote For Our Party Nominee But Bernie Isn't The Only One I'd Be Sad To See Win.

The far far left doesn't define our party though the GOP is working overtime to convince people that they do. They want folks to see the Justice Dems and Bernie as the face of our party when they are just a small segment.

[Horizens]

99. Keep Your Ground

I'm more left than moderate but urge you to remain and have your say. The far left, I fear, will be a burden come the 2020 elections. Some left cites are nothing more than echo chambers for policies that just won't float with the political center needed to win in 2020.

[Raine]

102. I know the feeling

I hate to quote Reagan (who I despise) but often " I feel like I didn't leave the party, it left me". Hang in there you're not alone.

[murielm99]

103. Take a break if you need to,

but please come back.

You are a good Democrat and a good activist. Don't let the keyboard commandos tell you otherwise.

I have a feeling you are more of a progressive than the supporters of that person realize. Sometimes I wonder how they got the label, "far left." I think it is a media creation, not a true political position.

We need more threads like this one on DU.

[Doremus]

104. For a long time now I've felt the opposite.

I've had posts zapped for criticizing centrists.

A small suggestion for all of us: let's avoid the labels and discuss the issues. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE ISSUES, folks. Fuck labels.

[TryLogic]

107. In progressive oriented politics, moderate is a scary word. It suggests willingness to compromise...

with right wing radicals.

Left is scary. Right is scary. Right wing means radical. Liberal often makes people uneasy.
Conservative would sound pretty good if it were not for what that actually means in practice.

I am saying that discrete categories are not helpful. They create differences, in-groups and other, me versus you. Labels and categories are a tool for divisiveness. Guess who benefits from divisiveness in our ranks. Guess who promotes divisiveness. (I'm talking about Trump and Putin and FOX TV, etc.)

Can we stop with the categories and focus on solving problems, first by agreeing on what the problems are.

A good solution can come from anywhere - as long as those working on solutions are honorable and guided by integrity. (That pretty much leaves out today's Republicans, of course.)

One thing for sure: Trump knows how to fight, but he has absolutely no idea how to solve problems.

Democrats are problem solvers. "And don't you forget it!" ( :

[Gothmog]

109. I am also a moderate

I have working hard to turn Texas blue. We flipped two red seats in the mid terms and the DCCC has targeted six additional seats. My congressional district and the district where my middle child live are targeted

2021 will be a redistricting session and the party needs 9 house seats to take control of the Texas House. The party has identified 17 seat and my state house seat is one of these seats I am not pulling back

I am a Democrat and I will continue to work hard

[Trumpocalypse]

111. DU is not representative of the Democratic Party

Members here tend to be more extreme than the average Democrat.

[ChaoticSilly]

114. You're not alone

I haven't felt welcome in the Democratic party for a few years now. I used to vote Democratic exclusively and my political opinions haven't changed but as an uneducated, working class stiff, it seems like the party has kicked me to the curb and left me in the dust. It's really sad that the party that once was the big tent party of tolerance has decided that I'm a lesser person simply because of who I am and where I live. I've never been a prolific poster but I still lurk occasionally because I feel it's important to stay informed and try to see different points of view.

I guess the bright side is that on election day I no longer have to stand in line for hours to vote for people who despise me.

[demosincebirth]

116. I have been here since 2003 and felt very comfortable here.

I am also a moderate Democrat, and I feel very out of place at times. I remember why Humphrey lost the election in ‘68 and McGovern in ‘72. Many similar reasons why In 2016 we got the idiot-in-chief. Please, let us not shoot ourselves in the foot again.

[elocs]

118. I'm where you're at--moderate, always voted for the Democratic candidates.

Then I must endure having those who believe as I do, although not me personally, being put down as being DINOs or Republican Lite.
But I will, as always, vote for the Democratic candidate.
In an election where, on paper, Trump should lose I anticipate the Left fracturing and handing him the election. We already have the excuses lined up for a loss--Russian interference, voter suppression, cheating--but it seems like we're never to blame. Who does that sound like?

[Omaha Steve]

121. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Per the decisions and instructions of the DU Admins, all OP's regarding Democratic candidates for the Party's nomination for President are to be posted in the Democratic Primaries Forum. Please post your OP there. Thanks