The Democratic party needs to make a hard turn to the left

[quinnox]

The results tonight show the strategy of the leaders of the Democrats aren't working, being wishy-washy and mushy isn't going to inspire anyone. Hopefully this will be a wake-up call to the powers that be, otherwise I fear we will be saying hello to President Romney come November. This is a disaster, and its time for the Democratic leadership to change course, hard.

[NRaleighLiberal]

1. It needs to find a way to undo Citizens United. Period.

[MADem]

10. Absolutely--and a hard left at this stage isn't going to make that happen.

We need to tack left over time, but more importantly, in the short term, we need to put sane people on the Supreme Court because we won't undo CU otherwise. THIS is why it's so damn important that we all put our shoulders to the wheel and get a frigging majority in the House and a bigger one in the Senate, and we must-must-MUST reelect Obama. It is VITAL. We have to stop infighting and get a "You Can't Question Us" majority, and we can run roughshod over the GOP and have our way and get this country on a sensible track.

We're all disappointed...but we just can't quit. That's what they want us to do.

With any luck, he'll be indicted soon.

[rhett o rick]

16. Just curious, do you think the left is at all important in getting Pres Obama reelected? nm

[MADem]

21. Yes, they are very important. He won't do it without them, but if they pull him too far left, he

will lose the moderates and the frightened Dem conservatives.

You pull too hard, you'll pull off your nose to spite your face. You won't get what you want, I won't get what I want, and the country won't get what they need-- four more years of Obama, instead, they'll have four hellish years of RMoney.

It has to be a cooperative effort. The stakes are enormous. If Obama doesn't get reelected, a lot of people will be hurt, badly. I'm glad I have plenty of room in my home, because I think many of my family chickens will come home to roost, because the social safety nets that hold them up will be gone, jobs will be gone, and life will get much harder for all of us.

Obama will have much more room to wiggle after November.

[WCGreen]

2. I agree...

[ProSense]

3. Well,

"The Democratic party needs to make a hard turn to the left"

...I can agree with that.

"The results tonight show the strategy of the leaders of the Democrats aren't working, being wishy-washy and mushy isn't going to inspire anyone."

But how does that explain WI voters being inspired to vote for Walker?

[rhett o rick]

12. Maybe the voters dont see that big a difference between Republicans and Republican Lights. nm

[ProSense]

15. Yeah,

" Maybe the voters dont see that big a difference between Republicans and Republican Lights."

...that explains why they tried to recall Walker, right?

Good grief!

[rhett o rick]

18. You asked why the voters voted for Walker. What is your answer?

I applaud all the efforts and am not discouraged. I will continue to fight. I am only saying that maybe, just maybe this The Third Way, centrists, compromise with the Repukes at all costs, strategy isnt working.

[ProSense]

22. So

"I am only saying that maybe, just maybe this The Third Way, centrists, compromise with the Repukes at all costs, strategy isnt working. "

...all the voters wanted was someone more progressive? Really? That theory doesn't hold up given the primary. The unions' preferred candidate lost.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_Falk#Electoral_history

That's something to take up with voters.

Yeah, it makes no sense, but who the hell knows what's on the voters minds? They could be easily duped. Who knows? Certainly, it's not as simplistic as some would claim.

[pampango]

23. "compromise" is a dirty word, but the latest Pew poll says it is a "Democratic" trait

Compromise Continues to Garner Public Support

Eight-in-ten (80%) Americans now agree with the statement: “I like political leaders who are willing to make compromises in order to get the job done,” and support for compromise –framed in this way – is little changed over the last 15 years.

Today, an overwhelming majority of Democrats (90%) find compromise appealing in a political leader, as do 68% of Republicans. Over the past 15 years, more Democrats than Republicans have preferred political leaders who compromise.

Those figures leave almost a third of republicans as not valuing compromise. Much of their motivated base - teabaggers, libertarians, etc. - would be in that one third. Maybe this shows what a motived, unwilling-to-compromise 1/3 of a party can do to the direction of that party.

OTOH, only 10% of Democrats (not of DU'ers? ) reject compromise "to get the job done" as appealing in a political leader. Does this mean that Democrats care more about what is good for the country rather than achieving their partisan goals?

It seems to me that a party with an uncompromising, hyper-partisan 1/3 will usually triumph over a party in which 90% are willing compromise for the good of the country. That is true even though the policies promoted by the uncompromising 1/3 of republicans are terrible for the country.

[TheWraith]

4. "Tea Party Left."

Didn't work so good for them.

[jpbollma]

6. Do we have a reason to believe a hard left turn could work?

They haven't even won being moderate left. I don;t see this being a winner.

[Scuba]

11. We - that we if you belong here - haven't tried moderate left yet.

[rhett o rick]

17. And the centrist, let's grovel to the Republicans, strategy isnt working either, except for the

corporatists.

[mvd]

5. I agree

When the other party is so far off the charts gone, compromising is futile. The platform should look like Jill Stein's. All of her proposals will take time, but our party should have that kind of a roadmap.

[AnOhioan]

7. I agree wholeheartedly..but it will never happen

[mvd]

9. Maybe in the future, even if distant. But first, the Repukes must be defeated..

and President Obama re-elected. Only then do we have hope.

[rainy]

8. Except the democratic party can't because they are after the same money for their re-elections

and they know, without being sellouts, they won't get elected. We are all screwed.

[Comrade_McKenzie]

13. Agreed. Time to ostracize the centrists... they are useless. nt

[sabrina 1]

14. They need to start FIGHTING. All we ever hear are excuses as to why they can't seem to take

a stand on important issues. You can't win if you don't stand and fight.

[intheflow]

19. YesYesYes!!

God, tepid centrism only moved us ever-rightward! So much so that most of the Dem leadership behaves as if in a state of Stockholm Syndrome.

[Mr.Turnip]

20. I Agree that it should and should not be afraid too.

However I don't think that had anything to do with what happened in Wisconsin.

[kentuck]

24. Two simple things need to happen...

The Democratic Party needs to call for compromise with the Republicans. People are tired of the division. They want the Parties to work together. And the Democrats are just the ones to make that work.

Also, Democrats need to extend the Bush taxcuts just one more time. After all, the Bush taxcuts are the major cause of the huge debt and deficits and the huge debt and deficits are the cause for the need to cut spending on programs that are needed. Democrats are just blind enough to accommodate the Republicans on this wish.

Then, the Party can correct itself. After these two small steps above, the Democratic Party will finally be finished as it now stands...