General Discussion

Ken Burch

(50,254 posts)

37. The "centrist"(i.e., moderate conservative) theft of the term "Third Way" has bothered me for years.

Mon Mar 9, 2015, 12:28 AM

Mar 2015

In the Eighties, I was a member of Democratic Socialists of America-and, at that time, we used the term "Third Way" to describe our goal of establishing well, a democratic form of socialism. It was meant to distinguish our project(at the time)from both the decaying Alcho-Stalinism of the Brezhnev/Andropov/Chernenko era and from Thatcherism-Reaganism, the "ideology" that, tragically ended up prevailing in 1989.

It was NEVER meant to describe the trans-Atlantic idea of a "progressive" politics that agrees with Thatcherism-Reaganism on all but a few trivial side issues...i.e., the policies of Bill Clinton's "Democratic" administration here and Tony Blair's eventually bloodsoaked "New Labour" government in the UK.

And the use of the term still pisses off a lot of "establishment" Dems in this country because, since it holds them accountable for the Democratic defeat in 2000(by demonstrating that it was the obsessively anti-labor and anti-poor people politics of the Clinton-Gore years that caused the growth of the Green Party and led Al Gore to snatch defeat from the mouth of what should have been an easy victory by running a "stay the course-no deviation from the Clinton policies will happen if I'm elected" campaign.

It makes it too hard to demonize people who voted for minor parties in 2000 out of sheer despair of any hope that the Democratic Party would ever break from corporate centrism.

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Why do Third Wayers hate being called Third Wayers? [View all] MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 OP

Truth hurts. hobbit709 Mar 2015 #1

And the truth is that Wall St took over the other party long ago, but they need at least half of the sabrina 1 Mar 2015 #46

+1 Enthusiast Mar 2015 #79

Another +1. n/t ChazII Mar 2015 #94

...^ that 840high Mar 2015 #103

Exactly. Kermitt Gribble Mar 2015 #118

Because pointing out that there are more than two camps undermines the lesser-of-two-evils GoneFishin Mar 2015 #2

Exactly. nt LWolf Mar 2015 #105

Well I am in a hypocritical position here so I want to state that upfront. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #3

So... Are you saying progressives LIKE H-1B program expansion? cascadiance Mar 2015 #5

I don't agree with her on trade. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #7

She wouldn't like H-1b program because she's conservative treestar Mar 2015 #55

Expansion of H-1b program is very good for the Wall Street economy (the 1%'er economy). stillwaiting Mar 2015 #60

Hillary doesn't agree with that stuff treestar Mar 2015 #62

I will NEVER waste energy trying to convince you of progressive ideas. stillwaiting Mar 2015 #63

This post really is a truckload of vomit. Had to say it. Sorry again. nt stillwaiting Mar 2015 #65

A truckload. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #81

It makes me so sad how Reaganite, trickle-down, supply-side bullshit is allowed here. stillwaiting Mar 2015 #87

They seldom come right out and say they favor supply side but their silence speaks volumes. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #90

They've been pretty open about their agenda though. Not so secret that's for sure. stillwaiting Mar 2015 #93

so us old time Democrats marym625 Mar 2015 #98

Not a chance. Don't give up. I hope my posts didn't imply that! stillwaiting Mar 2015 #135

... TBF Mar 2015 #71

Not conservative. LWolf Mar 2015 #106

Seems to me that would mean you wouldn't be offended by the term then. Bonobo Mar 2015 #8

I do get offended when I get called third wayer. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #9

Did anyone actually call YOU specifically a Third Wayer? nt Bonobo Mar 2015 #11

Personally a few times yes and when they call Hillary supporters third wayers in general. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #12

Thank you for your reply. Bonobo Mar 2015 #13

Thank you. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #14

It shouldn't be an insult to people who support the policies of the Third Way. They are a Think Tank sabrina 1 Mar 2015 #49

This, to me, is the most insidious part... Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #80

+1 You nailed it. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #83

Justin.....there's an entire litany of names the President's supporters msanthrope Mar 2015 #77

At this point I need to just not care if they call me third wayer. i know I have nothing to do with hrmjustin Mar 2015 #110

Laughter...Justin...laughter. Nothing works better. I can't even begin to tell you about the msanthrope Mar 2015 #134

One is compelled to conclude you are unaware that your allegiance is with Third Way 2banon Mar 2015 #122

And if you vote for Hillary as the nominee are you third way? hrmjustin Mar 2015 #127

Are you serious? 2banon Mar 2015 #130

Oh Puma lives I see. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #131

How do you define a progressive? JDPriestly Mar 2015 #30

I believe in taxing the rich higher amounts to pay for social services. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #32

Did you support the war in Iraq? If not, do you forgive those that lied to us? nm rhett o rick Mar 2015 #125

I do not support the Iraq war. hrmjustin Mar 2015 #128

how do I put this? Man from Pickens Mar 2015 #4

At my age, I am long past the time I worry about what names people call me leftofcool Mar 2015 #6

No one's actually trying to intimidate you. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #84

If you are a Center-right winger, own it. If you are a Fringy lefty leftist, own it. Rex Mar 2015 #10

Because not everyone who supports President Obama geek tragedy Mar 2015 #15

Do you basically share the ideals of the Third Way? MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #16

No I do not, nor have I ever been a member geek tragedy Mar 2015 #17

May I ask what your disagreements are MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #19

I am a partisan liberal Democrat. geek tragedy Mar 2015 #21

Funny ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2015 #133

Good point JustAnotherGen Mar 2015 #137

Personally it has to do with the negatively posted by some, Third Way isnt Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #18

if you thinkabout it RobertEarl Mar 2015 #20

Issues like minimun wage, wage disparity, education, energy, economy Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #57

On which issues do you agree with the Third Way? JDPriestly Mar 2015 #31

I have listed several in post #57. They have good ideas on handling health issues. Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #58

Neo-cons hate being called Neo-cons too Joe Turner Mar 2015 #22

Wish I had seen your post first rpannier Mar 2015 #25

There is a saying out there about groups that change names frequently. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #85

"re-branding" Cosmic Kitten Mar 2015 #111

This message was self-deleted by its author one_voice Mar 2015 #23

I agree and disagree in part with your use of few rpannier Mar 2015 #26

It's used as fact. Shame over their own policies and their own allegiances are what they're hoping Ed Suspicious Mar 2015 #36

Which is why many of us don't use Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #86

You got Turd Way because of the rebranding dance and the label roulette TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #116

same reason neo-cons didn't like being called such by about 2006 rpannier Mar 2015 #24

I dunno, I actually looked at that website today. I now know the third way is not a myth, but dissentient Mar 2015 #27

I think it's the ''3-way'' connotations. DeSwiss Mar 2015 #28

+1 Baitball Blogger Mar 2015 #74

Never been called Third Way, but I wouldn't take offense. Yorktown Mar 2015 #29

pretending to be morally pure. stonecutter357 Mar 2015 #33

Back when the third way first reared it's ugly head, they didn't hide from it - it was their brand. Ed Suspicious Mar 2015 #34

They know they've lost the argument within the party Ken Burch Mar 2015 #38

third way = closet republicans trying to undermine the democrats nt msongs Mar 2015 #35

That's how I've always felt about it. If Pubs have been infiltrating school boards, state offices, Nay Mar 2015 #52

+1 /nt RiverLover Mar 2015 #56

+1 You nailed it. Enthusiast Mar 2015 #88

The "centrist"(i.e., moderate conservative) theft of the term "Third Way" has bothered me for years. Ken Burch Mar 2015 #37

you were the better third. yurbud Mar 2015 #43

Thanks. n/t. Ken Burch Mar 2015 #47

Why are you calling anybody, anything? Sarcastica Mar 2015 #39

+1. They do it to attempt to tell us we aren't liberals treestar Mar 2015 #54

It is what they call themselves. Check out the link, it's not "calling names" dissentient Mar 2015 #59

Work LWolf Mar 2015 #108

When we "call" someone a Democrat or Republicon, we are describing them by their beliefs. rhett o rick Mar 2015 #119

The same reason tea-baggers hate being called tea-baggers. Fuddnik Mar 2015 #40

because they haven't come up with a new label to escape their record yet? yurbud Mar 2015 #41

the have rebranded more often than Blackwater and venereal disease. yurbud Mar 2015 #42

Why shouldn't they run from 3rd way? Their policies can be blamed for keeping wages supressed, taxes whereisjustice Mar 2015 #44

I can hazard a guess, though I am not one myself. Marr Mar 2015 #45

Because they left behind such a bloody history that the name has a track record. Baitball Blogger Mar 2015 #48

Conservative and corporate policys regardless of party are BAD for America and the 99% anotojefiremnesuka Mar 2015 #50

Third Way - DLC Defenders - Support The 1% - Defend Wall Street - Not Main Street cantbeserious Mar 2015 #51

Does healthcare only support the 1%? Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #61

HealthCARE NO! Health INSURANCE YES! hobbit709 Mar 2015 #69

Are you saying the ACA has only helped the 1%? Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #70

Insurance Company Profits Directly Benefit The 1% cantbeserious Mar 2015 #73

Insurance companies do profit but many have niw qualified for Medicaid Thinkingabout Mar 2015 #75

They are merely pointing that out treestar Mar 2015 #53

Here's the thing Bobbie Jo Mar 2015 #64

I think you're answering a different OP MannyGoldstein Mar 2015 #66

No, I know who and what Bobbie Jo Mar 2015 #67

Did you vote for Reagan, or not? nt msanthrope Mar 2015 #68

I know I didn't, and I doubt there are more than a handful of people on here who did. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #89

It's why I'm asking. nt msanthrope Mar 2015 #91

I was vehemenly and actively opposed to Reagan, it's very easy to say that. Reagan was vile. Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #138

Reagan's utter inhumanity inspired me to become a Democrat. msanthrope Mar 2015 #139

Your post was alerted on, 2-5 to leave it. betsuni Mar 2015 #92

Go figure. Bobbie Jo Mar 2015 #104

This was the first time I commented on a jury decision and I was not shy. betsuni Mar 2015 #109

Didn't a "good Democrat" rank Reagan in the top 10? Maybe they voted for him a time or two too. TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #140

He asked looking down from the pulpit. JoePhilly Mar 2015 #72

They just don't think that they themselves are Third Way, simply because Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #76

Well, when I do my election monitoring, canvassing, msanthrope Mar 2015 #78

Congrats. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Mar 2015 #82

I agree. Marr Mar 2015 #114

How about just stopping calling people things? MineralMan Mar 2015 #95

As a progressive, I don't much care for the application of lables onto others. That's a conservative Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #96

Interesting because historically they named and renamed THEMSELVES HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #97

That has nothing to do with what I said. Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #100

I think it does. I think, just as you suggest should be the case, they named themselves HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #102

And yet the OP's question is not about what folks call themselves but about things folks are called Bluenorthwest Mar 2015 #113

So Pat Robertson can start calling himself pro equality but just continue the hate TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #142

Humans label, it is hardly a function of ideology. The "No Labels" folks are just another TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #141

The problem is that people often don't like being described as what they are. They don't understand rhett o rick Mar 2015 #99

There are no true Scotsmen if one position taints all the rest. HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #101

I don't disagree. But we do describe people and the descriptions are loosely given. rhett o rick Mar 2015 #115

THIS - exactly!!!!!! djean111 Mar 2015 #129

Yes, I'm saying 'careful', re Third Way/DLC...it emerged from mostly southern conservative HereSince1628 Mar 2015 #143

It isn't one issue it is a great many while the opposite is way closer to accurate TheKentuckian Mar 2015 #120

Right. A non-racist neocon isn't progressive. nm rhett o rick Mar 2015 #124

When you hug the oligarchy to win elections their stink rubs off on you. L0oniX Mar 2015 #107

Not if I deny that it does. rhett o rick Mar 2015 #117

Reminds them of things with 3 Octafish Mar 2015 #112

When a tactic works, the apparatchik only reluctantly let go of it... LanternWaste Mar 2015 #121

I don't know, but it is still better than being called collaborating pieces of shit Tom Ripley Mar 2015 #123

Why ask us? Ask Third Way Manny. n/t pnwmom Mar 2015 #126

Because it's tossed around as a perjorative ... 1StrongBlackMan Mar 2015 #132

Because some are centrist that do not toe the Third Way line. Rex Mar 2015 #136

Locking. William769 Mar 2015 #144