General Discussion

sabrina 1

(62,325 posts) Mon May 18, 2015, 10:08 AM May 2015

The Democratic Party IS the Left in this country. [View all]

Last edited Mon May 18, 2015, 12:54 PM - Edit history (2)

We have two parties in this country.

One represents those who are on the Right

The other represents those who are on the Left.

If a candidate from the Dem Party needs to be pulled, pushed, nudged, dragged or shoved to the Left then why should people on the Left believe that such a candidate will be representing their interests?

Isn't that where they should have been all along?

Bernie Sanders is on the Left.

He is not running to push, pull, drag, cajole, nudge or shove anyone else to the Left.

He is running because he represents the Left and has done so for over 25 years.

That is why I am supporting him.

He represents the Left on almost all of the issues that concern Democrats.

Editing to respond to some comments questioning whether or not the Democratic Party itself represents the Left anymore.

According to statistics, most Americans are to the Left on the major issues.

Certainly the Democratic Base is on the Left as we understand that term, on most of the important issues.

To those who questioned the title of the OP, you are correct, statistics and elections and the drop in membership in the Dem Party, the growth of voters now registered as Independents, all point to the fact that voters don't feel the Democratic Party represents them.

So imo, Bernie is not in this race to drag other candidates to the Left, he is in it to win and if he wins, he can pull the Dem Party back from the Center Right position it has taken over the past two decades or so.

I agree iow, that the party itself needs to be dragged to the Left. And the only candidate who can do that is one is already on the Left him or herself.

139 replies

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Highlight:

The Democratic Party IS the Left in this country. [View all] sabrina 1 May 2015 OP

Bernie's life is based on principles, not JEB May 2015 #1

Yes, it is refreshing. Especially since he has a long record to prove that he isn't sabrina 1 May 2015 #2

I don't understand the "drag X to the Left" Bettie May 2015 #119

I don't understand it either. It makes no sense at all. And those who are saying this are democrats. sabrina 1 May 2015 #123

Gotta remember w0nderer Nov 2015 #139

Not since take over by DLC / Third Way. Now a front for corp orgs on point May 2015 #3

The funny thing is that people don't get it. kenfrequed May 2015 #4

You took the right message from te two mid terms where the Third Way lost us sabrina 1 May 2015 #6

My congressman is a bluedog and I hate him davidpdx May 2015 #125

That's what's happening now. People held their noses with promises of 'just vote for the person with sabrina 1 May 2015 #127

I believe there is a push back in the district to find someone to run against him davidpdx May 2015 #129

Re: the Blue Dogs... YoungDemCA May 2015 #15

and many of them are on DU perpetuating ignorance. Phlem May 2015 #32

What I HONESTLY dont get is those who support Bernie, or Elizabeth, mostly now NoJusticeNoPeace May 2015 #103

I don't think people are really worrying about what to do in the GE at this point. They are working sabrina 1 May 2015 #121

A slight tweak to your post Oilwellian May 2015 #26

Well... kenfrequed May 2015 #36

Yes, that is true. But they bristle when you talk about that. Yet, when they dismiss Bernie sabrina 1 May 2015 #5

On point about causing Hillary to shift to the "left."... Eleanors38 May 2015 #70

the only reason he's running is to win. nashville_brook May 2015 #7

it is not an all or nothing argument you are making. sanders and clinton agree on like 90% of issues seabeyond May 2015 #8

+1 YoungDemCA May 2015 #11

then where would the battle be? nt seabeyond May 2015 #13

It's not hard to understand. What IS hard to understand is why any Democratic candidate would need sabrina 1 May 2015 #17

why does sanders have to be dragged to the left with gun issues? seabeyond May 2015 #20

Why does Hillary have to be dragged to the Left on Foreign Policy and Economic issues? sabrina 1 May 2015 #27

i am not tearing the man down, stating fact, that he has to be dragged to the left with gun issues seabeyond May 2015 #30

What was 'liberal' about Bush's Iraq War? About Libya? About the Patriot Act? About sabrina 1 May 2015 #35

side step, shuffle, side step shuffle. no thanks. i do not want to do this dance with you seabeyond May 2015 #37

Because the 'mainstream' knows nothing of him, for starters. babylonsister May 2015 #124

We have two declared candidates right now. I support the one who best sabrina 1 May 2015 #126

The mainstream knew nothing about Obama too AgingAmerican May 2015 #132

We have two parties. Attacking the Left is attacking the Democratic Party. sabrina 1 May 2015 #14

you are creating the drama i do not paly in. again. pragmatically. realistically. logically. seabeyond May 2015 #16

I didn't create the argument. I am RESPONDING to the 'drama' you refer to. sabrina 1 May 2015 #22

you are creating drama arguing this as an all or nothing sum. seabeyond May 2015 #23

Where is the 'drama' about stating a FACT? We have two parties. Is there another one sabrina 1 May 2015 #38

"Where is the 'drama'" i have already told you a number of times what the drama is you create seabeyond May 2015 #40

You told me that the two dem candidates agree about 90% of the issues. I asked for a source sabrina 1 May 2015 #44

saying bernie is right on the gun issue with democratic party is not an attack. see? more drama seabeyond May 2015 #51

It must be painful to lose an argument this badly. Scuba May 2015 #134

another point. you are arguing even on the 10% of disagreement it is all or nothing. even that 10% seabeyond May 2015 #18

Where did Hillary get with the SC? What legislation did she propose that was passed into law? sabrina 1 May 2015 #24

i was referring to obama's presidency seabeyond May 2015 #25

I find it closer to 50% Exilednight May 2015 #19

as a whole, it is reported clinton is with sanders like 90%. a ridiculously high number. seabeyond May 2015 #21

Reported by whom? I have not seen a source for that. She is with him on the issues ALL Dems sabrina 1 May 2015 #31

90% of the issues? sulphurdunn May 2015 #29

tell you what. you have all of the primary to educate yourself on all these issues. seabeyond May 2015 #33

I already know this stuff. sulphurdunn May 2015 #54

good for you. then what a waste of my time to type it all out. which is what i figured seabeyond May 2015 #56

No, it would be useful sulphurdunn May 2015 #59

ty, no. lol. i am not in the need, regardless what you feel. seabeyond May 2015 #61

OK, have a nice day. sulphurdunn May 2015 #65

always. you, too seabeyond May 2015 #66

This message was self-deleted by its author sulphurdunn May 2015 #57

The national Party is right of center. hobbit709 May 2015 #9

Agreed. The Democratic Party is the mainstream, center-left party in the American system YoungDemCA May 2015 #10

Excellent post MissDeeds May 2015 #12

He won't be in the General election in 2016. upaloopa May 2015 #28

The Democrat will be Bernie! So excited to have a Dem candidate to be enthusiastic over, as are sabrina 1 May 2015 #34

Well we will see. I doubt he will be the nominee. upaloopa May 2015 #39

I asked one of my best friends. She had never heard of him either. So I told her all about him sabrina 1 May 2015 #42

Well my wife will watch reality TV up till the night upaloopa May 2015 #45

That's too bad. Then she probably isn't knowledgeable about politics in general. Maybe you could sabrina 1 May 2015 #46

No way. We get along because we let each other upaloopa May 2015 #50

That's good. sabrina 1 May 2015 #120

what an astonishing level of self-delusion TheSarcastinator May 2015 #41

I am responding to the claims that Bernie is only in this race to 'drag' Hillary to the Left. sabrina 1 May 2015 #43

I think he's coming from a position BainsBane May 2015 #68

Is that a pretty ego-centric view ... 1StrongBlackMan May 2015 #47

I don't know, is it? I am a Democrat because that is the party that most represents my, mostly left sabrina 1 May 2015 #49

This is just flat out untrue. F4lconF16 May 2015 #48

At this point, I probably couldn't agree with you more. I am no longer represented by this party sabrina 1 May 2015 #53

No, that makes more sense. F4lconF16 May 2015 #55

"she is not to the Left. " again. your all or nothing sum... argument. she is not left, at ALL? seabeyond May 2015 #58

What does 'good that Bernie is in the race, he won't win BUT he will help sabrina 1 May 2015 #74

bernie is more left than some on gun issues. not AS left as others. that is what it MEANS to me. seabeyond May 2015 #75

I know you support Hillary, and you must know sabrina 1 May 2015 #76

" I know you support Hillary" no you do not. seabeyond May 2015 #78

Okay, then why are you attacking Bernie? I've seen you do it repeatedly. Which is fine, so long as sabrina 1 May 2015 #89

you keep defining stating sanders position on guns as an attack. that is your bad. not mine. seabeyond May 2015 #90

There are literally hundreds of issues that Bernie has taken an outspoken stand on and backed up his sabrina 1 May 2015 #96

you asked a question about pulling to the left. i answered. now, shuffle shuffle, side. that is all. seabeyond May 2015 #98

btw... i have probably said at least 20 times, i feel sanders can win. seabeyond May 2015 #93

Good we agree on that. He can win and yes, he does have the attention of younger voters sabrina 1 May 2015 #102

i have repeatedly said. i am around lots of first time voters. i have kinda handed this election seabeyond May 2015 #104

That's good to know. I have faith in the younger generation also, it is going to be their world sabrina 1 May 2015 #105

+1 BainsBane May 2015 #71

The Republican Party has slid deep into Fascism the Democratic Party much less Fascist. gordianot May 2015 #52

K&R! Katashi_itto May 2015 #60

Only because the left was systematically purged BainsBane May 2015 #62

Good post and I agree with most of what you say. America was an idea, our Constitution was sabrina 1 May 2015 #73

And I completely respect your support of Sanders BainsBane May 2015 #77

Thank you, I appreciate your civility and thoughtful posts. n/t sabrina 1 May 2015 #80

Truth! vive la commune May 2015 #87

One Low Bar colsohlibgal May 2015 #63

Yes, it does and only one candidate so far can pull the entire party back from the brink sabrina 1 May 2015 #108

Answer: the Democratic Party is also the Party of the Center... brooklynite May 2015 #64

Right now, the "Party" doesn't claim Any identification other than a vague corp. centrism. Eleanors38 May 2015 #69

Republicans have their own party. Let THEM stay in that party and FIX IT. We don't need to change sabrina 1 May 2015 #79

"this is why the Dem Party lost two mid terms" brooklynite May 2015 #94

i thought the issue was gerrymandering? i know mid term does not get out dem vote. seabeyond May 2015 #97

...at the House level; gerrymandering doesn't affect Senate or Presidential brooklynite May 2015 #99

Ty. nt seabeyond May 2015 #100

The Dem Party lost the Senate and the House by refusing to listen to the voters. sabrina 1 May 2015 #101

Many of the people who lost also ran away from Obama and the ACA davidpdx May 2015 #128

Hillary Clinton remains _NOT_ the answer eloydude May 2015 #109

Once again, explain how Sanders wins a national election... brooklynite May 2015 #111

The forgotten left... eloydude May 2015 #113

see. here is you major, kick in the ass, fail. lesser evil? some of us actually see the harm seabeyond May 2015 #114

So you foist Hillary on me? eloydude May 2015 #115

i do not "foist" shit on you. i am calling the "lesser of two evil" bullshit comment you made. nt seabeyond May 2015 #117

As a socialist, I can tell ya that just ain't so. Lizzie Poppet May 2015 #67

I know. But that is what we are told. And so long as we are told that, then we should demand sabrina 1 May 2015 #84

Excellent point, and I agree. Lizzie Poppet May 2015 #92

But our leaders are all far right republicans. And strangely enough, the party is now useless Doctor_J May 2015 #72

President Obama is a "Far Right Republican" brooklynite May 2015 #95

Obama already identified himself as a Reagan Republican eloydude May 2015 #110

Yeah, that's right. Obama is a Republican! Major Hogwash May 2015 #133

The balance of left and right politics UglyGreed May 2015 #81

I would agree with anyone who says that Bernie's candidacy and eventual victory will be the sabrina 1 May 2015 #86

Spot on UglyGreed May 2015 #106

I am going to support him in the primary redstatebluegirl May 2015 #82

Bernie is a man of his word. So I do not doubt him when he says 'I will not be a spoiler'. sabrina 1 May 2015 #85

I agree that saying he is unelectable is not appropriate. redstatebluegirl May 2015 #88

I know how you feel. We've all been disappointed so it's natural, and probably a good thing NOT sabrina 1 May 2015 #91

Until recently I was registered Independent. MuseRider May 2015 #83

Good for you, and you are exactly right. Why on earth would we want to take on the job of sabrina 1 May 2015 #107

If the Democratic Party is The Left we are probably screwed. Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #112

I think we are screwed. But I think BernieSanders gives us an opportunity to sabrina 1 May 2015 #116

Yes it does seem like the Sanders 2016 campaign has a sense of urgency about it. Cheese Sandwich May 2015 #130

KnR CharlotteVale May 2015 #118

Well, you tried BrotherIvan May 2015 #122

47 years. Major Hogwash May 2015 #131

Bernie's been a Democrat his whole life. sabrina 1 May 2015 #136

Hahahaha!!!!!!! Major Hogwash May 2015 #137

Not nearly as funny as you! Lol! sabrina 1 May 2015 #138

K&R Scuba May 2015 #135