General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A Short Note On The Democratic Party And The Progressive Left.... [View all]malthaussen
(18,531 posts)... bringing people into the fold is desireable, and it would also be useful to educate them on the issues and where the Left has traditionally stood. The fear that the loud and unreasonable voices will chase away the more thoughtful is not to be despised, just look at the GOP. But I think a third-party solution is not in the cards, we Americans are just not used to that sort of thing.
In our lifetimes, the Democratic party has moved from supporting the Great Society to promoting the TPP. I submit that does qualify as something of a drift to the Right. Although in the late '50s and early '60s the Democratic Party had a whole division of Southern Democrats who did leave the fold and join the GOP when they initiated the Southern Strategy, which I think constitutes a major shift in American politics in the 20th century. While the New Deal is a bit before my time, I believe that even though there was some Democratic opposition to those policies, on the whole we were more to the Left then than we are now. Which makes some sort of sense, as I also believe Left policies were only introduced in this country because our rulers were terrified of the Bolsheviks, and decided to throw the odd bone to the working class to stave off revolution. With the fall of the USSR, this goad has been notably absent, hence the drift towards the Right which Mr Reagan and his compatriots initiated.
I share your nausea at the SS situation. Congress resembles more and more a pack of craven cowards who want to stick the burdens of their misrule on the ruled while they abscond with the riches. Unfortunately for them, the world is not large enough for them to escape the consequences of their own inanity.
-- Mal