Centrist Democrats begin pushing back against Bernie Sanders, liberal wing

[brooklynite]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by muriel_volestrangler (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Washington Post

As the party faces great expectations of big gains in the 2018 midterms, Democratic centrists are increasingly worried that the disproportionate share of attention shown to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and the agenda pushed by his anti-establishment allies will do more harm than good.

That direction, the thinking goes, will energize liberals in places that Democrats are already winning by big margins. But it might drive away the voters needed to win inland races that will shape the House majority and determine which governors and state legislators are in charge of redrawing federal and state legislative districts early next decade.

Enter a group called New Democracy, a combination think tank and super PAC trying to reimagine the party’s brand in regions where Democrats have suffered deep losses.

Leaders of the group want to focus on rebuilding in states where, during the Obama presidency, Democrats lost nearly 1,000 legislative seats and more than a dozen governor’s mansions.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/centrist-democrats-begin-pushing-back-against-bernie-sanders-liberal-wing/2017/08/10/6e1ea684-7d19-11e7-83c7-5bd5460f0d7e_story.html

[virtualobserver]

1. from "New Democrat" to "New Democracy"

Interesting

[onit2day]

19. Yes let's keep doing what keeps us losing

and then try to blame it on those trying to change this standard. Come on. Bernie is the best thing that's happened to the party in decades. Sherrod Brown, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, just to mention 3 but the Progressive caucus is the largest democratic caucus in congress. This is the last gasp of the DLC bankster friendly and lobbyist controlled wing of the party of the people who have been responsible for losing election for years. Our party platform is progressive and demonstrates the direction our party is headed but each district must be individually assessed. Please stop using Bernie as an excuse for failure for he is a pathway for success.

[DownriverDem]

28. The Dems are a diverse party!

We want to win. The Dem Party is not just extreme left. You may be in an extreme left bubble, but there aren't enough of you to win many if not most elections. You have to look at each district and the voters who live there.

Please don't fall for the purity crap. It won't work.

[lark]

32. But! Don't push Repug memes, don't demonize women, LGBT, unions.

If Dems acts like Repugs, Repugs get voted in not Dems. Democrats need to be Democrats and give people different choices, like maintaining control of their own medical decisions, like having the ability to get affordable healthcare (at a very min. Single Payer is what we truly need!), like supporting the right to form a union, like having clear water and air. All of these are Democratic values supported by majorities.

[KPN]

36. Purity? That's BS.

This is really all about being conspicuously for labor and working people as opposed to corporations and Wall Street.

Please stop falling for the extreme leftist stuff. These aren't extreme left notions historically thought they've increasingly been considered so since the Third Way.

[MountCleaners]

69. Ideas that are mainstream in other countries

are "extreme" left here. Some people don't get out much if they think Bernie Sanders is "extreme". It smacks of McCarthyism.

[SMC22307]

85. Define "extreme left." (n/t)

[LiberalLovinLug]

35. Well said

You just knew it was coming. The Democratic establishment, the remnants of the DLC, have a lot of money, and were just waiting, biding their time behind the curtain, for this shocking development to subside...ie. the notion that Democrats could actually win by promoting Democratic ideals rather than out Republican their opponents. I think they thought Bernie and the progressive wing would fade away sooner. But its only growing, now there's even talk of single payer healthcare!!!! OMG we must step in now to save the party from itself!!!

[KPN]

41. Sure hope you are right about last gasp.

This whole argument about the extreme left is BS. Prior to Clinton/Third Way/New Democrats, the extreme left were simply progressives. If the Democratic Party isn't progressive, I don't know what it is.

[Blue_Tires]

66. Yet Kamala Harris has been made Public Enemy #1 because reasons...

[bettyellen]

2. Hmmmm, that's not the thinking I'm seeing exactly but

[David__77]

3. I'm glad that there's political discussion - the policies alternatives should be outlined.

Those who advocate for universal health coverage should move to develop and advocate for a specific policy, rather than a broad concept, for instance.

I personally do not think people will get too excited about free trade agreements, deregulation, and balanced budgets.

[TryLogic]

27. I agree

[TryLogic]

39. The medium is the message. I think that is where Bernie fits in.

I am most comfortable advocating for specific policies, specific individuals, and specific groups, like CREW, Common Cause, Sierra Club, and ACLU. The E in CREW stands for ethics. Being ethical automatically implies liberal. For right wingers, ethics and morality just get in the way. How ethical/moral are big oil, pharmaceutical industry, medical insurance companies, etc.?

[jrthin]

4. Agreed. We have in a two-party system. Until that system changes,

each time we vote for a third party, we will more than likely elect more hardcore republicans.

[DownriverDem]

30. For Sure

And it makes you wonder about those 3rd party voters. Are they naïve about our political parties or just traitors?

[David__77]

37. What does this have to do with voting third party?

Someone can advocate for universal Medicare, raising the minimum wage to $15, raising the highest marginal tax rates significantly, increasing spending on public works and social services, etc., and vote Democratic. They can advocate for candidates within the Democratic Party during the primaries.

Those who advocate for other things can do the same thing.

[montanacowboy]

5. AH Back to the Future.....

again

never will learn will they

Yep we love the Blue Dogs who are now New Democracy

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[DownriverDem]

31. Remember

Those blue dogs are members of the very diverse Dem Party. We need everyone to beat the repubs. The only focus we need is to beat the repubs. I will never get folks who think the Dems are an extreme left party. We aren't. We need every one to beat the repubs.

[SMC22307]

88. Define "extreme left." (n/t)

[CrispyQ]

6. Their website's about page:

http://newdemocracy.net/about/

[NCDem777]

74. So I read number 4

Already I see a problem: Interventionism.

Sorry but there is no fucking way that we'll be able to win Republicans over on the security point. Our goal should be promoting the drawing down of American troops being used as babysitters and passing the savings onto Americans.

That will win independents and drive up Dem enthusiasm.

That is the problem with this whole thing. The New Democracy people are chasing after pro-lifers, interventionists, people who think any form of regulation, no matter how sensible, kills business.

Big tent nothing. If Dems try to win GOPigs all they do is alienate Dems. More of the same, minus racism, is still more of the same.

[SMC22307]

87. Many of the "Leaders" are from pot states.

Forget the mumbo-jumbo on their About page... go weed.

[SMC22307]

82. "...laying the foundations for driverless vehicles..."

Anyone have an idea of how high up "driverless vehicles" are on low-income Americans' priority lists?

[BeyondGeography]

7. How's that working out from a fundraising perspective?

Not good, apparently, especially with small donors:

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/08/10/the-democratic-partys-looming-fundraising-crisis-215474

"Over the first six months of 2017, the Republican National Committee pulled in $75 million—nearly twice as much money as the Democratic National Committee, which raised $38 million. The predicament isn’t simply that there is a funding gap between the parties; it’s what kind of money they attract. Republicans have quietly taken a decisive edge over Democrats when it comes to small-dollar fundraising.

During that same six-month time span, the RNC raised $33 million in small contributions—money from people who donate $200 or less over an election cycle—while that same class of donors gave the DNC just $21 million.

This isn’t just about money. Small-dollar donors are an important measure of how much grass-roots enthusiasm a campaign or organization has. They are the supporters who will show up to knock on doors, make phone calls and get out the vote. And since they don’t donate enough to reach campaigns’ individual contribution limits, you can return to ask them for money time and again—which frees campaigns from continually being on the hunt for new, deep-pocketed donors who can max out. The lack of their support threatens to prevent major gains by the party in 2018 and beyond."

[vi5]

12. Thats mine and most people I knows position....

My money is going directly to candidates to help them win. Until the party proves that they actually give a shit what small donors and voters think, the party doesn't get a dime of my money.

And as I keep having at add the caveat, I've been donating to and active in the Democratic party since the mid 80's and have almost always given a sizable sum. But until I see some evidence that the party is taking something other than a "Relax, we've got this" approach (spoiler alert: they don't got this), and that they'll use the money for something other than overpaid, underperforming Clinton era consultants with horrible track records then I'll put that money where I think it will be most effective.

[BeyondGeography]

20. The numbers aren't lying

I know a few people who are digging in along those same lines. I'd add that Pelosi's response to the pushback after Ossoff didn't do anything to improve their mood.

[vi5]

22. Well, it's going to be my fault either way apparently...

...since this radical centrist approach can never fail, it can only be failed by folks like me not clapping loud enough.

May as well spend my money accordingly.

[KPN]

42. Mine too!

[hibbing]

8. Democratic Centrists

30-40 years ago they would have been mainstream Republicans. But now since that party is full of completely batshit crazy people, what used to be a Republican is now a centrist Democrat. Just MHO.

Peace

[zipplewrath]

10. Rockefeller Republicans

That's what we called them in the late 60's and early 70's. Ford had to dump Rockefeller when he ran against Carter.
The GOP didn't like them. Reagan ran 'em out of the party. They resurfaced as the DLC/Third Way and now this.

We really need them to go back to the GOP so we can have a real and rational debate in this country instead of the sane versus the insane.

[comradebillyboy]

13. So there is no room in the Democratic Party for moderates?

Let's shrink the tent and see how well that works. I'll clue you that socialism is not a winning platform in America.

[comradebillyboy]

11. Right, everybody who isn't a socialist

is a republican. What a bunch of hogwash. I was a republican 40 years ago and today's centerist democrats are quite liberal by those standards. I remember the 90s when Bill and Hill were denounced as the ultimate leftists for trying to legislate universal health care. I became a Democrat when Bill Clinton was president.

[hibbing]

14. Not what I said, but have fun and peace

[earthshine]

24. No, not just your opinion. In Obama's own words ...

Obama said this during the 2011 campaign. If he had said it in 2007, instead of "Hope and Change," Hillary would have won in 2008.

[KPN]

43. Exactly. Ergo we have Trump.

And they don't fucking get it.

[Gothmog]

9. I have no issue with this pushback

[murielm99]

21. I am glad to see this, too.

I just spoke to Democrats in two blue states. You would be surprised by how little interest they have in Sanders or what he is doing currently. They have moved on to working on electing Democrats at all levels.

I was asked to work on two activities here: phone banking to talk to people about Rauner's amendatory veto of the school funding bill, and recruiting more Democratic election judges in a nearby community. These types of grassroots activities are things I have always done, and they are very important t building the party from the bottom up.

I am sick of divisive bullshit.

[David__77]

40. It may be a push back against Kamala Harris and other progressives as well.

This isn't some narrowly defined issue involving Sanders; I understand you didn't say that. I just want to point out that there are a lot of people on the left, including people like Kamala Harris - and Nancy Pelosi - who may be "pushed back" against by this effort.

[SharonClark]

15. Tom Vilsack's on board - that gives me hope

because he is a progressive who was able to win in rural areas.

[Blue_Tires]

16. Bernie could end a lot of this just by joining the party permanently...

But that's not my business...

[earthshine]

26. If Bernie joined the party, he'd have to take direction from Schumer.

If he were a Dem, I don't think he'd be so able to go on grand tours promoting Single-Payer.

The leadership, the centrists, and the big donors don't want that, you know?

[Blue_Tires]

33. Of course then Bernie wouldn't be able to have his cake and eat it, either

by keeping his oversized influence on the party while falling back on his outsider "Independent" street cred whenever it suits him... Bernie is going to do what he does now that he has juice for the present time, but as long as he tries to dictate what the party should or shouldn't do as an Independent, I don't have to take him seriously because he isn't putting any skin in the game.

And call me bitter, but if *HALF* of the damn people on this single-payer crusade put in a fraction of this effort and enthusiasm back in 2009-10, it would already be a reality... But no, let's all die on that hill now, when the Repubs have a stranglehold of the whole government and the media...

[earthshine]

38. Bernie's influence is on progressive people like me, not the party.

His influence on the actual party is apparently limited to whatever Dem leadership wants.

Single payer died primarily because Obama didn't push it. He claimed, "We didn't have the votes." He didn't try to get those votes.

[Blue_Tires]

49. No, the leftbros didn't put any pressure

on the fucking fence-sitters in the senate... Obama can sweet-talk them to an extent, but it was never his job to beg and plead and kiss everybody's ass, and you know it.

All these newborn single-payer hardliners trying to re-write history like I wasn't there *SHOULD* have been organizing nationwide to let their Reps and Senators know what would happen in 2010 if they didn't make SP/PO a reality... But sadly they pouted, stayed home, threw Obama under the bus and ceded the issue to the GOP, who was more than happy to roll out their newly-minted, media-stealing Tea Party, who in no uncertain terms announced to all congressional repubs and Dems in vulnerable districts what would happen if they *didn't* kill it, and the rest is history. Hell, my local congresscritter (Glenn Nye) was so fucking cowed into submission in 2010 by local teabaggers that he not only walked back his support for Ocare, you couldn't make him say ANYTHING positive about Obama or his policies even with a gun to his head -- And yes, he still ended up losing in a landslide to a goddamned car salesman of all people...

But you keep on believing SP has a snowball's chance of getting approved by this congress and signed into law by Trump, or that President Sanders in 2021 can instantly wave a wand and give us single payer with no pushback whatsoever... Keep on saying this is all Obama's fault if it helps you sleep at night... You aren't alone; almost half of DU wanted him primaried in 2012... But always know that your preferred narrative is not only patently untrue, it's intellectually bankrupt.

[OnDoutside]

51. Thank you, great post.

[earthshine]

55. You move to extremes in many of your sentences and fall down your own illogical slippery slopes ...

in a vain attempt to be insulting.

New born?

No one thinks were getting SP soon, now that the Dems blew their chance when we had the congressional majorities. It may be decades until we have that type of alignment again.

The best we can do right now is hold it high as a value, and that means making it part of the Dem party platform. We can fight the good fight, and eventually win.

How do you think it will ever come about if we don't push now, and all the time.

Political pressure is not ass kissing. You are actually rather disgusting in your imagery of Obama.

[Blue_Tires]

61. Oh, so now you want to make it personal, smart guy?

Sorry, not playing... I've done this song-and-dance countless times before, and I know how this always ends.

Goodbye, and may you have better luck in your future endeavors.

[earthshine]

62. You can start with your own post as to who is insulting and making it personal.

> I've done this song-and-dance countless times before,

I'm sure you have.

[concreteblue]

59. Sorry, I call bullshit

"All these newborn single-payer hardliners trying to re-write history like I wasn't there *SHOULD* have been organizing nationwide to let their Reps and Senators know what would happen in 2010 if they didn't make SP/PO a reality... But sadly they pouted, stayed home, threw Obama under the bus and ceded the issue to the GOP, who was more than happy to roll out their newly-minted, media-stealing Tea Party, who in no uncertain terms announced to all congressional repubs and Dems in vulnerable districts what would happen if they *didn't* kill it, and the rest is history. "
Either you were asleep at that time, not paying attention, or lying for who knows what reason. There was no shortage of complaints to the "establishment" Dems, Mr Obama, articles criticizing same, etc, on the issue of single payer.
Not sure what you are getting out of attempting to marginalize those who would continue to support what is SAID to be a Party goal, but hey, whatever floats your goat...

[Blue_Tires]

63. More personal attacks...

Get back from vacation and everyone is so goddamned smart all of a sudden.

Fine, cool, whatever... You're unquestioningly correct and I've never been right about anything in my entire life... I'm not gonna debate with you, Jerry. I bid you adieu.

Cheers, mate

[concreteblue]

73. Who is "jerry"?

My name is Matt. I do not claim to be smart, but I did score a 29 composite on the ACT and a 1287 on the SAT.
You could attempt to support your contentions, but based on your response to me and others here, I am guessing you either cannot or will not, because it does not serve your agenda.

[GulfCoast66]

75. I know it was 8 years ago, and memories fade...and myths are born

But you are just flat out wrong. There was never any large support in the Democratic party for Single Payer. Hell, the ACA barely passed.

We can disagree about policy goals, fight like crazy even and hopefully reach consensus at the end. But we are not free to create our own history.

In 2010 there was not a majority of the Democratic Party clamoring for single payer and it was a total loser politically with the electorate as a whole. Neither of those paradigms have yet changed.

And we paid a hell of a political price for the ACA. Was it worth it? I think so because I think it will eventually lead to universal coverage. Notice I did not say single payer. I am a social democrat and I do not support single payer because it is a flawed system and the majority of American will never support it. But Americans can be convinced to support a German style system which is certainly not single payer.

Have a nice evening.

[earthshine]

77. Exactly - the party, including Obama, didn't support it.

But, seems to me, back in 2007, the people did.

I agree that we have to get there in stages. First, we need to win some seats, or nothing will happen.

[SHRED]

45. Yeah...

... he should have ran as an independent last year.

[Blue_Tires]

52. I honestly wonder why he didn't

especially given that most of the people related to his campaign literally complained every step of the way through the primary process -- They hated caucuses, they hated states with closed primaries, they hated states with heavy black turnout when they went for Hillary, they hated superdelegates, they hated the primary voting schedule, they hated long-established voter registration deadlines and everything else they saw as an arbitrary obstacle erected just to stop Bernie, like the Ron Paulites of 2008... And even a year later I can reel off a laundry list of prominent names on the left who are still screaming on Facebook and Twitter that Bernie was robbed or cheated and in the irony of ironies, they were celebrating Hillary's loss more than the Republicans...

The bottom line is if Bernie wants to play in the Democratic house, he must abide by party rules... I'm sure DU would feel a hell of a lot different if some prominent independent populist was trying to pull the party in a more conservative direction, right?

[vi5]

17. Wow, this sounds suspiciously like......

They are criticizing or complaining about the Democratic party, and possibly threatening to take their ball and go home...that's o.k?

Or will they be told to shut the fuck up and get on board?

Just curious.

[KPN]

44. Bingo ... because they are losing their control.

[MuseRider]

48. I was thinking the same thing.

Interesting.

[vi5]

68. Well I look forward to several days worth of near constant posts....

...about how these guys are trying to undermine the party, about how they are doing damage to our reputation, and about how they just need to shut the fuck up and get on board.

You know, the same way as happens when anyone expresses any left leaning criticism, no matter how innocuous or accurate.

[KRISITNA]

18. Dems need to get their heads out of their collective asses...

and get behind single payer, livable wages and free college. Some may have seen Bernie as the white dove sent down from heaven, but the man alone was NOT and is NOT the solution. The dems have drifted so far from the left that they have found themselves in a river of piranhas trying to satisfy the middle. Fuck that. If we don't grab onto these ideals and move this country forward, these is no hope left for future generations. We don't have to go full wack job progressive, but we need to start getting back to our roots, before the tree is dead! And, I am NOT a Bernie fan.

[LenaBaby61]

23. How in HELL are we going to ....

"Have big gains in the 2018 midterms," when we as a party are up against gerrymandering, GOP-lead voter suppression, and a Dept. of Homeland Security who doesn't even give a damn if the ruskies interfere AGAIN in elections?

It's one thing to has out WHO our party is and WHAT it's about, but we don't even know the extent of what the ruskie interference will BE or if our votes will COUNT in 2018 (gerrymandering GOP-lead voter-suppression run amok)

[RandiFan1290]

25. LOL

[Vinca]

29. Republicans must be celebrating. Dems cement a rift in the party and the GOP wins.

[Willie Pep]

90. Yeah I am sure they are laughing at us.

The Democratic Party looks like a mess right now. Republicans disagree with each other but seem to have a tendency to fall in line when election time comes around. I am not so sure about us. This is especially troubling since Dem turnout is often lower in midterm elections.

[geretogo]

34. Ignore Bernie again in 2018 and we will have a permanent Republican House and Senate . Bernie is

what the democratic party was 50 years ago . Either go with Franklin Roosevelt policies or keep on
losing . Center is just Republican light which means you might as well vote Republican and the people
will for sure .

[SHRED]

46. Truth

[Arazi]

56. Yup eom

[Blue_Tires]

65. Maybe Bernie just needs to run the party himself

since he knows so damn much...

Oh right, he would have to actually join the party first.

The BLUF is Bernie the Independent does jack fucking shit for the party's brand and image...

[LovesPNW]

76. Yes

But Bernie's policies are exactly what working families need.

Do they need a party, or policies that work for THEM?

I've been a Democrat all my life. I have never once voted, consciously, for a conservative, or a republican.

I think I have 'accidentally' voted for conservative policies by voting for certain Democrats.

I'll remind you, I have only voted for Democrats, ever ...

[LisaM]

72. Under what possible scenario was Bernie ignored?

He was given unprecedented support. He was allowed to run as a Democrat, there were numerous debates, he was given disproportionate influence in putting together a platform committee for the DNC (compared to previous conventions), he was given a prominent place at the convention, he has been given prime committee appointments even after failing to keep his commitment to be a "Democrat for life", and the list goes on.

I don't see how anyone can possible act as if he was - or is being - ignored.

[KPN]

47. Oh great, lets just give 2018 and 2020 away right now then.

Geesh. When is this party going to learn?

[INdemo]

50. If Democrats are to be officailly become Republican Lites or

Replicrats why not just change the party name.

Oh I know the Party Could just call themselves the Corporacrats since the Democrats are funded in part by the same Corporations that bought the GOP...

No I'll just keep my liberal status even if it means registering as an Independent.
The first and last mistake the Democratic Party made this year was to put a Republican Lite (Repulicrat) in charge of the DNC

[tclambert]

57. Jimmy Dore keeps saying, "If you run a fake Republican against a real Republican, voters will vote

for the real Republican."

[emulatorloo]

78. Jimmy Dore also promoted Hannity's Seth Rich CT and Alt-Right "Hillary has Parkinson's" CT

"Is Media Failing To Report Hillary's Parkinson's?"

Dude never met an alt-right CT he didn't fall in love with.

Link to tweet

----------------


Surely we can come up with a spokesperson who is actually sane, right?

[NCDem777]

89. Whatever else he's said or done, he's not wrong

Just because you aren't being racist when advocating for GOP policies does not mean you aren't advocating for GOP policies

[Sunlei]

53. salazar is in that group. I remember when he threatened to punch a reporter.

[DLevine]

54. They fear immigrants are diluting our "national identity".

From their website http://newdemocracy.net/about/ "But we also should take seriously public concerns about the breakdown of public order, the impact of low-skill immigrants on native workers’ jobs and pay, and what many fear is a dilution of our national identity."

Dog whistle much?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

71. Jesus fucking christ --

are you kidding me?!?

"Dilution of our national identity" -- the same damn things said by Islamaphobes about the migration of ME Muslims to Europe and the West. That sentiment could have come right out of Milo's mouth.

[lapucelle]

79. No they don't.

"On immigration, for example, Democrats should stick to their guns in supporting a humane path to legalization. But we also should take seriously public concerns about the breakdown of public order, the impact of low-skill immigrants on native workers’ jobs and pay, and what many fear is a dilution of our national identity."

They're saying that we need to address the concerns of people who have this fear, rather than dismiss, ignore or be condescending towards them. Addressing fears is not the same thing as believing them.

From their website:

To enlarge their appeal, Democrats must work harder to transcend these class and cultural divisions. For many working class and rural voters, the party’s message seems freighted with elite condescension for traditional values (especially faith) and lifestyles. What’s more, these families hear little in the national party’s economic message that seems aimed at their aspirations and struggles. That’s why Democrats should embrace a big national push to drive innovation and jobs to the people and places left behind by economic change.

It's always odd when a claim is supported using a quote taken out of context. It's especially odd when the quote begins the word "but".

Maybe we can get jerry to do a think piece explaining the importance of nuance. I hear he has a very high SAT score.

[DLevine]

91. Why should Democrats take seriously the concerns of racists

and bigots? Anyone who fears the "dilution of our national identity" is telling me they want a country that is white and Christian. I'm not interested in catering to the fears and needs of bigots. I believe doing that is morally wrong and harmful to the Democratic Party.

Republican light never works. We need to be Democrats who emphatically and whole-heartedly embrace the core values of our party, no apologies.

ETA: Another base-bashing quote from the site: "These pragmatic Democratic leaders need room to maneuver, not purity tests and threats to “primary” incumbents who deviate from left-wing orthodoxy." Damn those lefties and their principles!

[SMC22307]

80. http://newdemocracy.net/leaders/

What the hell is "our national identity"? WTF does that even mean?!

[Hell Hath No Fury]

81. Here, let me help you --

*cough* straightwhitechristian *cough*

Too many mooslims and brown folk and orientals and gays moving into the neighborhood...

[SMC22307]

83. Yeah, but look at the "leaders." Salazar, many AAs...

and be sure to check out the About page because they highlight driverless cars. Fucking driverless cars. LOL

[Dopers_Greed]

58. The problem with the "liberal wing"

Is that they demand ideological purity (which turns off independents/centrists), but then still won't vote for Democrats that capitulate to them.

Thus they allow the far-right to clean-up in elections.

Disclaimer before other users attack me: I'm part of the "liberal wing"

[DeminPennswoods]

60. Memo to "centrists": It's redistricting, stupid

Why do these folks continue to think there's some sort of "message" or policy problem when the real reason Dems have lost legislative seats is extreme partisan redistricting?

Look no further than my home state, Pennsylvania. The state votes about 50/50 D/R, but the House seats are 13R and 5D because Dems are either packed into a district or split between 2 or 3 R districts to eliminate their voting power.

[riderinthestorm]

67. There's a lot of truth in your post

I'm ignoring the arguments from 2016. It's time to be working locally to overcome the extreme gerrymandering and what will certainly be even more aggressive Russian meddling.

I'm also only donating to the candidates directly. This bickering is ridiculous. 2018 is fast upon us.

[Doug the Dem]

64. I Say NOTHING!

[SethH]

70. first they were the DLC

then they changed their name to Xe, and now they're New Democracy.

[SMC22307]

84. The site is dripping with "pragmatism"...

just like the winning Third Way! How many states do Democrats fully control? Oh, right, SIX. LOL God help us in 2018 and beyond...

[SMC22307]

86. They're anti-Howard Dean's 50-state strategy?

We have traded intensity of support among minorities, millennials, single women and secular voters for breadth of support across the whole electorate.

Obama said it himself: Minorities and young-uns don't vote in midterms (even when a Democratic majority was needed to enact his agenda). We'll see if this group can get 'em to the polls... I'm not holding my breath.

[muriel_volestrangler]

92. Locking - this is analysis, as the Wash Post article marks it

Please repost in GD, or Editorials and Other Articles. Thanks.