The 'NEW DEMOCRATS' Meet the New Reality

[Segami]

"...Third Way and its allies are gravely misreading the economic and political moment. If their influence continues to wane, perhaps one day Americans can stop paying the price for their ill-conceived, corporation- and billionaire-friendly agenda..."

Several recent news articles have suggested that, in the words of a Washington Post headline, "there's ... a big economic fight happening in the Democratic Party." It's true. The corporate-friendly policies of the party's more conservative wing have fared poorly, both as policy and as politics, and as a result the party has moved to the left. The insurgent candidacy of Bernie Sanders is the most conspicuous sign of this shift. It's a major setback for the so-called "New Democrats" who have dominated the party since the election of Bill Clinton in 1992. Nearly twenty-five years after they rose to power, the ideas of the "New Democrats" don't seem so new. Hence, the phenomenon that The Huffington Post's Sam Stein describes as "the panic of Democratic centrists." Now they're fighting back. A Wall Street-funded Democratic think tank called Third Way has released a lengthy report which argues that an inequality-based, populist theme will doom Democrats. Its board member, former White House Chief of Staff (and JPMorgan Chase executive) Bill Daley, even insisted to HuffPost's Stein that Sanders' political positions are "a recipe for disaster."


The Third Way report is available online. It introduces a number of catchphrases, often paired in threes: the Hopscotch Workforce, the Nickel-and-Dimed Workforce, and the Asset-Starved Workforce; Stalling Schools, the College Well, and Adult Atrophy; the Upside-Down Economy, the Anywhere Economy, and the Malnourished Economy. Sadly, most of the content amounts to Misleading Minutiae, Gimmicky Wordplay, and Downright Deception. Here's an example of the latter: The paper's authors use a poorly sourced Wall Street Journal article, rather than solid economic data, as a citation for their claim that Bernie Sanders' Medicare For All plan would cost the economy $15 trillion over ten years. This figure is flatly false, and that article's gross inaccuracies have been documented by a number of economists and commentators (including Robert Reich, among many, many others). It is surprising that any policy group, much less one comprised of self-professed Democrats, would use it as a citation.


In an attempt to dismiss the harm caused by inequality -- and by its own preferred policies -- the Third Way paper dwells at length with the story of Kodak's "disruption" into bankruptcy by new technologies. The Kodak story is a familiar one to readers of popular business magazines and Silicon Valley websites. (It is sometimes accompanied by the observation that Kodak, which once employed 145,000 people, has largely been replaced by Instagram, which employs 13.) In telling this story the authors are suggesting that technology, not trade or unequal wealth, is killing American jobs. Unfortunately, Kodak's anecdotal evidence is not borne out by solid economic data. As the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) reported in August of this year:

"..The United States lost 5 million manufacturing jobs between January 2000 and December 2014. There is a widespread misperception that rapid productivity growth is the primary cause of continuing manufacturing job losses over the past 15 years. Instead, as this report shows, job losses can be traced to growing trade deficits in manufacturing products prior to the Great Recession and then the massive output collapse during the Great Recession..."

The evidence is in, and the key economic policies of the "New Democrats'" have failed. Consider:

Wall Street deregulation. When Bill Clinton signed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley bill in 1999 he said it would "enhance the stability of our financial services system." We now know better. Estimates for the total amount of national wealth lost as a result of that crisis range from $12.8 trillion to $25 trillion -- or, by another measure, from $20,000 to $120,000 for every man, woman, and child in the United States.

Trade. The "free trade" deals they have promoted have led to the loss of American jobs, as the EPI and others have demonstrated. One deal alone, NAFTA, is estimated to have caused the loss of one million jobs in this country.

Austerity. "New Democrats" urged cuts in government spending, especially in the wake of the 2008 crisis. The result, as Paul Krugman puts it, has been "catastrophic ... going far beyond the jobs and income lost in the first few years." As Krugman notes, the long-run damage could easily "make austerity a self-defeating policy even in purely fiscal terms."

Welfare reform. When he signed the "welfare reform" bill in 1996, President Clinton said that it would "end welfare as we know it and transform our broken welfare system by promoting the fundamental values of work, responsibility, and families." We now know that poverty increased as a result of this bill, and there is compelling new evidence which shows that welfare undermines neither the work ethic nor the personal values of its recipients.

~snip~

The Third Way authors are as misguided on politics as they are on policy. They argue that "the narrative of fairness and inequality has, to put it mildly, failed to excite voters." This is precisely backward. As the polls make clear, populism is popular. President Obama was foundering in the polls after embracing the "New Democrat" agenda for much of his first term. His political fortunes were restored when he tacked somewhat further left rhetorically -- in response to, among other things, the rise of the Occupy movement. The Democratic congressional debacles of 2010 and 2014, on the other hand, can be directly attributed to the reluctance of many candidates to embrace a populist agenda. Many insisted that they needed to lean right in order to reach "swing voters." But that's a demographic that, by and large, doesn't exist. (From political scientist Corwin D. Smidt: "The observed rate of Americans voting for a different party across successive presidential elections has never been lower.&quot


cont'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rj-eskow/the-new-democrats-meet-th_b_8531830.html

[mmonk]

1. The unfortunate reality of those of us stuck in the desert concerning ideas or options.

[Snotcicles]

2. Good Post. nt

[Segami]

3. "..Today's real "New Democrats"..

"... can be found among the many thousands of people who have turned out for Bernie Sanders' rallies, many excited by the political process -- and the Democratic Party -- for the first time. Other potential "New Democrats" can be found in the nation's minority communities, and among the undereducated white Americans whose lives are being cut short by despair and self-destruction.

But Democrats won't win these voters with a Third Way agenda. It will take a platform which speaks directly to them -- to their needs, their hopes, and their pain..."

[840high]

33. Amen

[LWolf]

59. YES.

I just deleted everything I had to say about this, except to agree. Democrats won't win these voters with a Third Way agenda.

[rhett o rick]

85. Well put. The Third Way let's their ideology get the best of them. They are convinced the masses

will accept subjugation quietly because in their minds, it's just. The myth about the aristocrat that said that the people could eat cake, was an important message. The aristocrats in most part see the plight of the masses but think that's the way of things and there is nothing they can do. The aristocrats neither love us nor hate us, they just think we are poor because that's the way of things. It's not personal and if they saw someone starving, they might throw them a piece of cake to help their conscience.

The Oligarchy neither loves you nor hates you. They simply see you as having resources that they want." It's not personal.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/127710206

[left lowrider]

4. Good article for those who haven't been paying attention

n/t

[Trajan]

5. Excellent

Bookmarked

[nashville_brook]

6. article explains why Dems lose seats repeatedly.

and sheds light on the depressing new mortality rate report for middle age white americans.

[99th_Monkey]

7. Stop it!

Stop unmasking the Oligarch's Neo-liberal Darling, or you may help unleash a
historic political revolution that upsets the Establishment's applecart.

[Gmak]

22. Love it, 99th,

Has anyone seen the Western IL University poll which has proven correct in all elections since it was instituted? Bernie wins the general in a landslide, against Jeb! This poll even predicted Romney/Ryan in '12. Volunteering in Ames IA for Bernie this week, home of Iowa State U, and 30,000 students, but the young people have been a little demoralized by the media reaction to the first debate. I am reminding them that Obama was way behind where Bernie is at this point in the campaign in '08, plus the fact that most people don't trust the media and don't watch TV to get their news anymore. There was a protest at McDonald's in town for the Fight for $15 campaign last night. Kids were a little concerned about the police as they got somewhat aggressive at the last one.

[99th_Monkey]

26. New McClatchy-Marist poll shows same thing re Bernie DESTROYS BOTH Bush AND Trump

check it out: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251795069

http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/presidential-campaign/259812-in-new-shock-poll-sanders-has-landslides-over-both

[RoccoR5955]

50. Tell that to Clinton supporters.

They seem to believe that she can do better, but they are blind to the ideas posted in the OP.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

41. You mean the one that was first instituted in 2007?

It's never been wrong because it's only "predicted" TWO elections. Both for Obama.

http://www.wiu.edu/news/newsrelease.php?release_id=13059

2007 and 2011 are the only times it ran. Not what I'd call "historically" accurate.

[TiberiusB]

74. Actually, it seems to have begun way back in 1975

The genesis of this mock presidential election began at the University of Iowa in 1975 with two political science doctoral students, John Hemingway and Rick Hardy. In that year, students selected Jimmy Carter over Gerald Ford... In the years that followed...students registered a perfect record of selecting the subsequent winning presidential party...In 2007, Western students selected Barack Obama as president ...in 2011, students narrowly re-elected President Obama over the GOP ticket of Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

http://wiumpe.com/multimedia/media/

[Gmak]

111. 1975 is the year referenced as being the 1st poll

in the article I read, and that is what I based my post on.

[AzDar]

9. K & R

[olddots]

10. Hillary voters are defeatists

Proud chickenshit defeatists .

[AgingAmerican]

38. I have been saying that since Spring

They remind me of Eeyore from Winnie the Poo.

[YOHABLO]

94. Kind of like Vichy France.

[senz]

112. 2nd ref. for me to Clinton = Vichy. So interesting. Appreciated

[JackInGreen]

109. +1

On a few, nor so much on others.
they might be fowl, but they're easy!


I'll revel before I have a crises of conciouss.

[firebrand80]

11. I agree with a lot of this, but

I don't think Bernie is a good enough candidate to carry this leftward/populist shift to the nomination. I do think another candidate will emerge in 4 or 8 years that will be able to do so.

[jwirr]

14. In 4-8 years it will be too late. The SCOTUS will be packed

with centrists and conservatives. The TPP will have been passed and corporations will be in power. Nations will no longer have the power to make laws that protect their people from corporate abuse. The safety net will be destroyed. And more disillusioned people will have dropped out of the political system.

[Plucketeer]

17. Too ture

THIS is our last chance. Even if you have nagging doubts about whether or not we can succeed with Bernie leading the charge - it's our last chance to repulse the looming oligarchic debacle that awaits us. There'll be no ONE dynamic point of focus to emerge again if we don't succeed. After that, it's strictly pitchforks in the streets to effect change.

[jwirr]

19. Agreed and will add that I forgot to say that Climate change

will have been ignored once again.

[Plucketeer]

20. Yeah but....

think of the merchandising possibilities! The selling of all those gas masks, umbrellas and other such stuff from China! Stuff well tested on their own turf!

[jtuck004]

31. Underwater drilling will take on a new importance, since there will likely be more underwater...

and because our current direction requires us to pull and burn every last drop as long as we can stay alive.

[kacekwl]

76. Agreed , even if Berine does not get

the nomination the revolution he was talking about must continue. We are the government and must let "them" know it. Go Bernie.

[firebrand80]

34. I think Bernie supporters should get rid of

the "this is our last chance" attitude, and look at the bigger picture. Bernie is helping to push the party left, and if his supporters stick with it, it will pay off down the road. Thinking that the whole country is going to hell in a handbasket if we don't elect a candidate that likely isn't going win is setting yourself up for a big disappointment and and apathetic attitude moving forward.

I'd be willing to bet that if you could give Bernie some truth serum, he's already done far better than even he thought he would. I think if his supporters would take a deep breath and look at the big picture, their going to see a huge silver lining in all of this in the end.

[jwirr]

44. Wasn't if Hillary supporters who reminded us that the SCOTUS

is up for grabs and will effect us for the next 40 years? TPP has no end date. Climate change is only getting worse as we ignore it. And wealth inequality is still only getting worse. And a great deal of the safety net is on the line.

You are telling us that these are not important?

[firebrand80]

48. of course they're important

Even if the next President is bad on all those issues, it doesn't mean that most of it can't later be undone.

[jwirr]

51. Are you absolutely sure of that. I am not ready to take that

chance.

[firebrand80]

52. Well, you better start preparing yourself

Because Bernie is most likely going to lose. You should probably start thinking about what your reaction will be.

[jtuck004]

58. You should probably be thinking about the same thing. And remember the band was heard

to play as the Titanic sunk under the waves.

[senz]

60. You seem to write a lot of anti-Bernie comments.

Is your avatar a capital "D" for Democrat (vs. democrat)? Do you subscribe to the "Bernie's not a Democrat" meme?

Just trying to figure out where you're coming from.

[firebrand80]

81. I don't have a dog in the fight

I'm not "anti-Bernie," other than thinking that many on DU greatly overestimate his chances of winning. I like Bernie and I like what he's doing, I just think his supporters in here need a dose of reality.

As for whether he's "really a democrat," that's one of the silly arguments on here I don't get into. I think he lists himself as an independent to make a point about the party not being as far left as he thinks it should be, and he's running for President for the same reason.

So far 25% or so of Democratic voters think he's enough of a Democrat to get their vote, that more than enough to make him a Democrat in my book.

[Chan790]

103. I'm moving to Europe and starting an American resistance.

I feel very de Gaulle about this future Vichy Regime of a Hillary "Presidential" occupation.

[senz]

110. Interesting analogy, thanks. nt

[cui bono]

68. Not much of what BushCo did was undone. n/t

[delrem]

99. That's your argument, for your candidate?

That it might later be undone?

wtf?
OK, if that's the best you can do, OK. Go with it.

[JDPriestly]

91. This is our last chance. The media is corporate. Our party is corporate.

Where Hillary stands on net neutrality is as unknown as everything else about her. Nothing about her is genuine. She changes stances on issues at the drop of a pin (or maybe at the pull of a poll). We cannot rely on her to sustain the kind of freedom on the internet we now have.

If we lose the free internet, we will not be able to organize. Big Brother already watches everything we do and say. I know this sounds paranoid, but it is the truth.

This is our last chance.

It's Bernie or never.

[Chan790]

102. The survival of the globe and the nation are on a countdown clock.

We don't have 4 years before everything is fucked forever if Hillary or the GOP is elected.

Will I moderate or settle? Conditionally. If Hillary withdraws, I'd consider the moderated progress of an O'Malley or someone jumping in late...but as long as Hillary is in, it is necessary to demand the whole enchilada and back Sanders.

Because if Hillary is elected...this is the doom of America.

[senz]

113. Solid description of what's at stake.

Am rereading parts of this thread (b/c of a reply) and just want to tell you that I admire the clarity with which you understand and convey a situation that I believe is only a vague sense of unease for most Americans. I wish we could bring people up to date more quickly. Bernie is doing some of it, but if he could boil it down to what you write here, it might speed up the awakening of the American people.

I saw the corporate threat back in the 1990s, but at that time, ordinary leftists couldn't bring it into view, and I wasn't strong, bold, and articulate enough to make an impact. Most progressive voices in my neck of the woods couldn't see beyond pet social issues and counter-cultural identity. I felt like a cassandra; it's been so sad to helplessly watch this happening to my country and to the world. I think the internet has given aware people a wider platform, bigger bullhorn for sharing concepts, connecting the dots, and making paradigm shifts. But the oligarchy has a huge head-start on us.

Anyway, thanks.

[chervilant]

25. I find it fascinating

how some participants in this forum glibly inform us that Senator Sanders is not "a good enough candidate" to effect the change we MUST see in our politics du jour. Some naysayers insist that he will not be able to prise away the grasping, greedy tentacles of the hedonistic corporate megalomaniacs, who've usurped our media, our politics AND our global economy.

Yet, people are flocking to the venues wherein Senator Sanders presents his platform. Furthermore, his message resonates for MANY of the disenfranchised 99%, as must be clear to at least SOME of his naysayers, given how much money has poured into his coffers from people who can barely afford to give. Besides, if not for Bernie, radical income inequity would not be discussed by anyone other than those of us who are too poor to effect change.

Thus, I tend to view pronouncements that Senator Sanders is not "good enough" with a ginormous grain of salt. I admire his courage and his integrity--and I'll support him until it's clear that too many Democrats remain ignorant about the corporate oligarchy's destructive hijacking of our democracy.

[erronis]

28. +100. Thanks for stating my view, also.

[firebrand80]

40. It's just my honest opinion of him as a candidate

I like him, I just don't think he's good enough to win the nomination. If you disagree, great. Neither of us have a crystal ball, so we'll just have to see what happens. So far, the numbers are favoring my opinion, but it's still early, anything can happen.

If/when Bernie doesn't win the nomination, you won't see me doing a grave-dance. I'll have nothing but respect for a candidate that came out of nowhere, stuck to his guns, inspired a whole new generation of liberal activists and (potentially) laid the groundwork for the election of a liberal President.

[senz]

61. If Bernie doesn't get the nomination

do you see any other "liberal" candidates out there for 2016?

[Chan790]

104. I think the goal needs to move to the states.

We need to work to not only insure that we can retake Congress and hold it long-term. We also have to work to make sure that it is a Congress that will deny Hillary her corporatist agenda. (I find it appropo that Mussolini referred to the Italian variant of fascism as "Corporatism" because that's my honest assessment of Sec. Clinton based on her own words and evidence...that's she's a socially-moderate fascist in the same vein as Benito Mussolini, Francisco Franco and Pierre Laval.)

[senz]

114. I agree, but we must not give up on the presidency yet.

The Hillarians and seeming "neutral parties" are trying to take the wind out of our collective sails. They are working very, very hard to discourage us. If they truly believed that they were winning, they would not be trying so hard; they'd just let "nature take its course."

This could the point where we should double down and push on through.

But yes it's true that the presidency, though a big part of the story, is not the only part. People knock Obama for not being able to do it single handedly, but I think he did manage to hold back the onslaught, which is why Republicans hate him so much. He gave some here and there, but the corporate takeover of our country would have been much further along if he hadn't been president, and they know it. The only thing that stops me cold is TPP. I wish some investigative reporter could find out what happened to turn him into such a complete supporter of something so dangerous to the American people and people everywhere.

Thom Hartmann observed that a couple of decades ago Mussolini's definition of fascism was still included as a variant in dictionary definitions of the term -- and then at some point it was dropped.

[AgingAmerican]

37. So you agree with the article

In 4 or 8 years it will be too late. Once corporations have power, it's over.

[firebrand80]

45. No, I think that's a little over the top.

[AgingAmerican]

46. Not with economic collapse and the brunt of climate change coming

It's very realistic.

[Armstead]

63. No....Jesus Himself could run as a left/populist alternative and get smothered by the Machine

They will find fault with any candidate who deviates even slightly from The Norm and find a way to sink them.

[Oldtimeralso]

87. Amen! n/t

[jwirr]

12. Two things: first what they are calling populism is nothing

more than pre-1980 Democratic values with a modern twist. Secondly if they do not see enthusiasm it is because this time it is in the form of anger - people have had enough of failed policies.

This is an excellent article - Thank you.

[whathehell]

18. Exactly!

Once again, jwirr, you hit it on the head!

Their 'populism" is nothing but a return to the values and policies of FDR, JFK, Jimmy Carter..

The goal of the Repukes is to destroy the New Deal policies which basically created the middle class

of the 20th Century America.

[LongTomH]

54. Truth, Bro! Third Way, 'Republican Lite,' is a failed brand.

I think the party elites are recognizing this; but, their phony baloney jobs depend on spouting the same garbage over and over again.

[Go Vols]

69. Its got to the point

that you have to be fairly old to remember what a real Democrat is.

:/

[jwirr]

84. Yes, that is one of the things that I am glad I am 74. I can

actually remember some really good presidents that really cared about out country. FDR, JFK, Jimmy Carter.

[Scuba]

13. Great post, Segami. Thanks for putting this together.

[whathehell]

15. Biggest joke: "An inequality based Democratic Party will doom Democrats"

That's funny, it won Franklin D. Roosevelt, (named by historians as 2nd or 3rd greatest president in history) FOUR terms.

America had it's largest middle class and biggest economic successes under Roosevelt's "New Deal" policies.

As argued by Ken Burns in his documentary "The Roosevelts", those policies basically CREATED modern America, and that's

what the Repukes want to destroy.

[mmonk]

16. +1

[kenfrequed]

39. True

But those that fund organizations like the "Third Way" and provide them support tend to be pure Wallstreet.

[whathehell]

77. I agree. We need public funding of elections. n/t

[noiretextatique]

106. but the country is sooooo conservative!

that's the big lie the machine has been shoving down our throats for years to justify policies that enrich the 1%. at least the republicans are honest about their agenda. too many democratic voters actually believe new democrats are democrats.

[whathehell]

107. Yeah, that's crap, and, yes, too many voters do think "new democrats" are democrats

but I think the rank and file ARE catching on.

As a qualifier, I would say that even "new" dems are probably better -- marginally, perhaps -- than Repubs

but that being said, they need to realize that they will ALWAYS be 'second best' at best, when we

have a REAL democrat running against them.

[GoneFishin]

21. The right wing is generally wrong about anything important. In this case, as is often the case, they

know they are wrong, and have to make shit up to justify their talking points.

[Phlem]

23. K&R!!!!

excellent post Segami!

[Martin Eden]

24. This is a MUST READ !!!

Thanks for posting.

[Xipe Totec]

27. Third Way + Fourth Estate = Fifth Column. nt

[fbc]

29. Excellent article. When will the third-wayers wake up?

[PatrynXX]

30. bout time someone said it.

actually was never huge fan of Bill Clinton as things dragged on but because of the Monica affair it forced me to support his private life. I should have known Hillary would be farther to the right when she didn't leave him after all that. Stand by your man. Which again is still her privacy. but hey I did see him in 1992, was too young to vote for him that year.. 17 yrs old. because of him I remained an independent till 2004 and except for the Iowa caucus system, pretty much still am. I'll take the Honest Person first.

[cantbeserious]

32. And With New Dem HRC - The Collapse Will Only Accelerate

eom

[Old Codger]

35. A recipe for disaster

Only for them..... That is the only reason they even care...

[AgingAmerican]

36. So anything that isn't Republican, is a disaster?

Well, this explains a lot.

[Dont call me Shirley]

42. Democratic Party must go to its FDR policies for its survival, otherwise it's just an empty shell.

[NonMetro]

43. The Democratic Party Ended In 1992, After A 60 Year Run.

"New" Democrats, led by Clinton conservatives, pushed all the remaining liberals to the sides and took over the party. They were able to do so because liberal defeats in the previous 3 elections had left few liberals still in office. It was a power vacuum, the Clinton's stepped in and exploited it for themselves, just as they continue to do today. But never fear, in this "New Democratic Party" HRC will work to see that the Republicans don't cut your Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation too much, and she'll do her best to make sure only a smaller number of people lose their jobs to outsourcing, and fewer people are kicked out of their homes from foreclosure. Oh, and she will work for an increase in the minimum wage - you know, as long as it's not too much!

[jwirr]

47. And like Bill she will work behind the scenes with the Rs

to change the laws favoring the banksters and the corporations. Think Glass-Steagall.

[stupidicus]

79. it's never ceased to amaze me how many are either ignorant or in denial about that

leaving quite a few around here and elsewhere, in support of those things.

[raindaddy]

49. Great post!

The Third Way movement has created an exodus from the Democratic party in economic times when they traditionally kick ass.

When they poll Democratic voters, people forget "Democrats" now only represent 30% of the public. Like the Republicans the Democrats lose members every year. Both parties combined barely represent half of American voters.

People have lost faith in a system that ignores the welfare of the citizens it claims to serve and the Third Way has helped create that system.

[merrily]

53. Fairness and equality are a "narrative" by Third Wayers now?

The Third Way authors are as misguided on politics as they are on policy. They argue that "the narrative of fairness and inequality has, to put it mildly, failed to excite voters."

Contrary to election results, Third Wayers claim to be all about alleged "electability" of Democrats (by having Democrats resemble Republicans more and more). What you are looking at right there my friends is called the "handwriting on the wall."

My prophesy: This particular iteration of "mene, mene tekel upharsin" will lead to teaching that Democrats who want to be electable should, um, "de-emphasize" fairness and equality.

The more Democrats behave like Republicans, the further right Republicans will go in order to try to distinguish themselves from Third Way Democrats. Then, in order to be more like Republicans, Democrats will have to go still further right.

If going evermore rightward is your vision for this country, by all means, keep voting and inventing rationalizations for New Democrats.

[Utopian Leftist]

66. Good point, well-stated!

"the narrative of fairness and inequality has, to put it mildly, failed to excite voters."

No, what has failed to excite voters is watered-down, Republican economic proposals, your lack of concern for the 51 percent of US Citizens who see incomes under 30K per year, and your history of Welfare "Reform" for a system that does not even have an adequate safety net, and never has had one. What has failed to excite voters is your perpetual warfare. What has failed to excite voters is your corporate-funded disinterest in global warming and solutions to the fossil fuel industry. What has failed to excite voters is the one percent gaining ninety percent of the wealth reaped during the Obama Administration. I could easily conjure a dozen more things that Third-Way, "New" Democrats have failed to excite voters with. What the above quote makes obvious is that even Democrats (Blue Dog though they may be) are guilty of believing what they want to believe, contrary to facts, just like Conservatives do. Make believe is fun. It doesn't make one "new," however, it makes one stupid. Or evil. Or both.

[merrily]

67. Losing hope that either Party will make life better for them and their families is what

keeps a majority of those eligible to vote away from the polls. FDR excited voters. So did Truman, who survived two challenges from within his own party, as well as multiple challenges from the right. If Truman (and/or FDR's legacy) had failed to excite voters in 1948, President Dewey would have been in US history books.

After two sets of historic losses in a row, though, what did Third Way promise after the 2014 midterms? More "compromise" with Republicans.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025769052

I simply refuse to believe that smart people are that clueless. They hope we are.

Thank you for the kind words and back at you.

[SoapBox]

55. No More Third Way!

Period.

[sabrina 1]

56. The Third Way has destroyed the Dem Party. Turning into Republican lite, losing over 10%

of its base and losing the House and Senate and on their way to losing the WH.

Their neoliberal policies have helped destroy the working class, caused the collapse of the ecomony, and now they are getting desperate because the people have become AWARE OF THEM and now realize they are NOT 'democrats'.

They hate the 'left' more than they hate Republicans. And have made it clear for decades now.

Bernie scares them as does Warrent, OWS and most of all, the PEOPLE. Because all these things show that they are on the way out that they weren't as 'clever' as they thought they were and the PEOPLE are way smarter than they ever gave them credit for.

It's shameful that they were ever given any power within our party.

[ChiciB1]

57. Giving This A Kick & Rec., But Will Come Back to Read All Later. n/t

[Armstead]

62. Stop Attacking and Bashing

The Third Way are your friends. The Third Way are your friends.

[senz]

64. Anyone who says extreme economic inequality is not a major problem for this country

is profiting from the conditions that produced it. They are either Third Way or Republican.

Real Democrats, the ones discarded in the 1990s by Third Way "centrists," care deeply about extreme economic inequality. Third way is much closer to Republican than it is to Real Democrats.

I have seen the "Kodak" rationale used on other sites: it holds that technology, not trade or unequal wealth, is killing American jobs. Don't trust anyone who tries to push that. As the author of the OP points out, Kodak's anecdotal evidence is not borne out by solid economic data. Deregulation and trade deals like GATT, NAFTA, and TPP are what gut the American middle class and the poor. This is how our future is being destroyed.

We have to start defending ourselves against both Third Way Democrats and Republicans. They are the enemy.

[Eleanors38]

65. Third Way: Becoming a third party in a two-party system.

[hollysmom]

90. if only

[Go Vols]

70. K&R for truth

[Enthusiast]

71. Do I need to say it? K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!

[Segami]

75. Even Bernie knows its TRUE.

https://berniesanders.com/the-new-democrats-confront-a-new-reality/

[Enthusiast]

101. You know it if your head isn't buried in the sand.

[colsohlibgal]

72. This Is Pure Truth

I notice the dogged Hillary defenders seem to be leaving this alone.

Sooner or later we have to go back to our roots pre Bill Clinton, we have to bring more equality to our nation. Hillary is not going to do that.

Go Bernie!

[Kip Humphrey]

73. Have you noticed that when articles are posted that are critical of 3rd Way, Hillary supporters

are largely absent in the discussion? Makes me think that by their silence they indeed truly recognize that Hillary is a neo-liberal, 3rd Way adherent and they, like most long-term DUers, are not. Indeed in years previously, many of these Hillarian DUers have written OPs in strong disagreement with 3rd Way, Dinos, Blue Dogs, conservative Democrat policies. There silence in these OPs is damning of their support of Hillary and highlights the degree of irrationality that has overtaken them.

[azmom]

78. K&R

[bbgrunt]

80. k and r for the BIG truth.

[JDPriestly]

82. This article and its critique of the Third Way is absolutely accurate.

Instead of "independent" voters, we have droves and droves of "turned off" voters. Elections don't make any difference in their lives, so why bother?

Kim Kardashian is at least bright and shiny. She at least moves. Some of our Third Way candidates -- dull, dull, dull, stagnating, standing still and holding on to the past for dear life and condescending to boot.

Exciting candidates win. Boring ones lose unless they are in really solid Democratic districts.

The Third Way offers no hope to Americans.

Even if some of our unemployment is due to technological change, most of it is due to our trade policies. Anyone who goes to stores that cater to low-income buyers can see that on the labels of everything they can buy.

We are losing our ability to make things.

Our children do not learn to sew, to knit, to work with wood or even metal -- to make things. And if they don't know how to make things, how are they to create new products or improve the ways that things are made?

Are we to be the food producers and warriors for the new corporate order? Is that the role envisioned for our children and grandchildren? Because we seem headed in that direction.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

83. The ONLY reason the "New Democrats" rose to power was because of voter apathy....

Love the part destroying the LIE they put out that there is a vast number of "undecided voters" that will run in terror of "the loony left".

[ReallyIAmAnOptimist]

86. Perfect CLIFF NOTEs version - Thank you!

Go Bernie!

[Paka]

88. K&R

The time for real change has come.

GO BERNIE!

[Madmiddle]

89. Seems these Blue-dogs

are as dumb as their Right-wing counterpart! Embrace the left you fools. Your Democrats! Get it. You're not republican-light. You are the party on the left... You're supposed to be the good guys!!!!!

[YOHABLO]

96. They like their big houses and fancy cars, perhaps throwing a bone to the poor every now and then.

[whereisjustice]

92. 3rd way Hillary being shoved down our throats, convinced that workers still have too much freedom

Last edited Thu Nov 12, 2015, 07:56 AM - Edit history (1)

and wealth. Until we're living in cardboard shacks like the slums of India where our jobs are going, Hillary and her supporters won't be happy.

And even then, they'll claim the poverty comes from not being "moderate" enough and demand more wealth be transferred from the middle class to the upper class.

New Democrats are out of phase, their pro-corporate, tax sheltering, anti-worker, anti-American solutions are EXACTLY opposite of what is needed.

[CoffeeCat]

93. Does it bother anyone that Hillary Clinton's 4th largest campaign donor...

...is JP Morgan Chase--and this article notes that one of the Third Way board members is a JP Morgan Chase executive?

According to Open Secrets-- Hilary has happily received $696,456 from JP Morgan Chase.
https://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/contrib.php?cid=N00000019&cycle=Career

Third Way is Wall-Street funded. These are the people who wrecked our economy, imploded the housing market and then made middle-class folks like us--save their sorry asses with a bailout.

Our politicians should be working to put these sociopaths in prison---not taking money from them!!!!

When does this nightmare end???

[YOHABLO]

95. I mean really. Is she going to go after the hand that feeds her. I don't think so.

[Segami]

97. 'Bother' is a gross understatement

Last edited Thu Nov 12, 2015, 03:19 AM - Edit history (1)

The span of her career has been nothing more than orchestrated theater & lies.

[delrem]

98. 3rd-way and the Republicans they hold in such esteem are so yesterday.

And oh yes, now the leader of 3rd-way (HRC, obviously) wants to undo everything good that Obama did and restore US ties with Netanyahu, because that appeases the Republicans, who are conceded to in principle.

My fucking lord god above, deliver me from this.

[nxylas]

100. "The Third Way authors are as misguided on policy as they are on politics"

I fear "misguided" is too generous a word. "Disingenuous" is the politest word I can think of.

[raouldukelives]

105. K&R What Wall St investors pay for, we live in. Well, try to at least.

Standing in the way of any fundamental change to make our democracy more responsive, to address the realities presented to us by science, to create a better world for tomorrow instead of an assuredly worse one, is a shareholder.
The more they put into the purses of our enemies, the more they can be congratulated for standing firmly against progress, against democracy and against reality itself.

[sabrina 1]

108. They definitely are getting nervous. And they should as the people get to know who they

are and what they have done to our party.

[WillyT]

115. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!