A Short Note On The Democratic Party And The Progressive Left....

[Lydia Leftcoast]

223. I used to laugh at 1960s radicals who referred to their opponents as "fascists,"

but nowadays, the Republican leadership are at some point on the political scale that is a bizarre mixture of fascism and craziness. They are not the slightly elitist but basically sane Republicans I knew growing up. Some of them come across as downright malevolent with their punitive policies aimed at anyone who is not an affluent white evangelical.

To compromise with such fanatics is not "pragmatic," is not "centrist," is not "realistic." It's cowardly. It's allowing one's self to be co-opted. It raises suspicions of having been bought. People can be excused for thinking that everything that happens in Washington is just a staged fight between the sane and the crazy factions of the Millionaires' Party.

The Republicans never worry about what their moderates think, and they've managed to implement a lot of their agenda. The Democrats have done nothing but play timid defense while adopting the language and framing that the Republicans put forth. They let the Blue Dogs, who are outnumbered by the Progressive Caucus, run the show.

The Democrats keep compromising, and the Republicans just move the goalposts a little farther right.

I don't like Dr. Phil at all, but I do like his stock phrase, "How's that workin' for ya?"