Just because the curtain has been pulled back, pls don't leave DU.

[DissidentVoice]

68. I wonder what CAN be done

At least, within the structure of the Democratic Party. I fear it has been too taken over by DLC/Corporatists.

The first thing that liberals have to do is reclaim the word liberal. Rush Limbaugh has got away with demonising the term. I have pissed a lot of RW people on other internet fora off who try to insult me by calling me a "liberal." I tell them, "it won't work, I embrace the term, same for 'socialist'." I get called "Marxist" too. I ask them if they've ever read "The Communist Manifesto" (which I have read) or "Das Kapital" (which I have not). We have tried to rebrand ourselves as "progressive," and that has become poisoned by the far right too. By the same token, "conservative" has been allowed to become synonymous with "patriotic," and even "Americanism" in general.

We have to be very open what we stand for, and not be ashamed of it.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but some positions are:

True, universal, single-payer health care.

Don't screw up Social Security by privatising it.

Close overseas military bases and bring our troops home.

Cut the fat from the defence budget/MIC (trust me, I was in the Air Force, and DoD is NOT a good steward of the public purse).
TRULY "support the troops" by making sure those with PTSD, TBI, etc. are cared for...especially Guard/Reserve who mostly lose military health care when released from Federal Active Duty.

Fight the continuing evisceration of unions and workers' rights in general. End the abomination of "employment-at-will."

That's only a few things...but I really doubt that the current structure of the Democratic Party would openly embrace any of them.