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Yavin4

(36,027 posts)
Thu Jun 27, 2019, 10:10 AM Jun 2019

Pragmatism, "Half-Loaves", Small Measures, Policy wonkiness is how we got Trump [View all]

Yes, the Russians played a role. Yes, Republicans have gone totally to the darkside, etc. However, the real problem is that the Democratic party has not offered the American people a bold, forward-looking vision that resonates with the public through multiple election cycles.

Ask yourself, what was Bill Clinton's big policy legacy that Democrats throughout the country could rally behind?

Obama's ACA left a terrible legacy with one huge exception, selective expansion of Medicaid. That expansion alone led to a massive mid-term victories in the House in 2018. The lesson here is that the one big policy idea that the Democrats put into law over the past 40 years is what got them huge wins over the Republicans in 2018 and continues to be a electoral force in our favor.

Yet still, there are Democrats that still run on being pragmatic, go for the half loaf, etc. It's hard to rally people to vote for you based on "Pay-Go".

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2018, 20 red Congressional seats, was anti-trump, not blue aspirations empedocles Jun 2019 #1
yup gopiscrap Jun 2019 #12
+1000 Meadowoak Jun 2019 #2
Then why did Clinton win voters who were concerned about the economy? Recursion Jun 2019 #3
"Clinton win voters who were concerned about the economy" of the people who did vote. Yavin4 Jun 2019 #4
Because people were comfortable. That's the problem Recursion Jun 2019 #6
7.5 million more people voted in 2016 NewJeffCT Jun 2019 #8
fear not hope lapfog_1 Jun 2019 #5
Stuff has to actually, you know... pass Congress. Even getting the ACA through was a miracle themaguffin Jun 2019 #7
We might as well hang it up then, because there will never be a major progressive change marylandblue Jun 2019 #9
This all or nothing approach is what is pointless. themaguffin Jun 2019 #11
If we look back, FDR proposed all sorts of bold new plans. marylandblue Jun 2019 #13
It's not about "incrementalism" themaguffin Jun 2019 #14
Which is why we need to build majorities in congress Yavin4 Jun 2019 #10
Majorities are needed period. themaguffin Jun 2019 #15
you build majorities.. stillcool Jun 2019 #16
You build majorities with enthusiastic voters Yavin4 Jun 2019 #17
the real problem is that.. stillcool Jun 2019 #18
Nope, the problem is that white Americans are a lot more responsive to politics based on racism... Spider Jerusalem Jun 2019 #19
I reject your premise Proud Liberal Dem Jun 2019 #20
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