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Kentonio

(4,377 posts)

142. My issue with this, is that it assumes we all want the same things

Mon Aug 7, 2017, 06:24 AM

Aug 2017

But that the centrists are just more pragmatic about how we get there. I don't think that's actually true though. There are plenty of Democrats who don't want single payer, who don't want free college tuition, who don't think taxes on the rich should be raised or minimum wage levels substantially increased.

For these people it's not about a pragmatic route to progressive ideals, it's about pushing their own agendas at the expense of ours while painting us as naive wild-eyed extremists. I'm sure as hell not going to bow down to that.

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IMPORTANT.... From Howard Dean [View all] charlyvi Aug 2017 OP

Howard Dean of now makes me sad. aikoaiko Aug 2017 #1

He's right. Purism is self-satisfying. Pragmatism helps other people. Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2017 #27

Yes he's right. Dem party is a coalition. sharedvalues Aug 2017 #38

I'd agree with this. Governing is about compromise, and winning elections is about pragmatism. Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #46

He may have a point. But I have a hard time taking him seriously liberalnarb Aug 2017 #50

By golly, you're right! He's not pure enough for me to listen to him, either. Midnight Writer Aug 2017 #83

I have an easy time taking him seriously DFW Aug 2017 #97

Thanks for this post. I've been a fan of his for a long time. yardwork Aug 2017 #98

Every time we get together DFW Aug 2017 #100

Most excellent post. Thank you. nt fleabiscuit Aug 2017 #127

I got to sit by him at a Dem dinner a few years ago. He Alice11111 Aug 2017 #132

+1000 jaysunb Aug 2017 #133

Yes, he IS right. calimary Aug 2017 #68

Salvor Hardin (the Foundation trilogy hero): lastlib Aug 2017 #80

But there are few purists. This is just an "enlightened" way to say STFU to critics aikoaiko Aug 2017 #101

Not STFU, not at all, not one bit of Shut the Fuck Up. No. Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2017 #105

Pragmatism is good. But this whole "progressive purists" argument is phony baloney KPN Aug 2017 #117

Now is a good time for those discussions, the "battle" you refer to. Bernardo de La Paz Aug 2017 #120

Whining is not voting; Dean talked about whining aikoaiko Aug 2017 #125

In France, there is a tacit agreement, that all left center Alice11111 Aug 2017 #135

THIS KPN Aug 2017 #114

You have a point. aikoaiko Aug 2017 #126

Pragmatism is what gets us through life. If you're Kahuna7 Aug 2017 #116

He is 100pc right. We wouldn't be here had he been the DNC chair in 2016. Alice11111 Aug 2017 #131

Me too wallyworld2 Aug 2017 #39

All the Washington politicians are in the pockets of ins. and pharma. Incl. Obama. Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #48

Is that why he never mentioned it again? Hulk Aug 2017 #71

Now come on. Jakes Progress Aug 2017 #88

You just made my point. The Democrats wouldn't have removed that provision, you say. Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #108

I think Single Payer actually has more of a chance now delisen Aug 2017 #76

Why? Jakes Progress Aug 2017 #89

Did he actually say this? eShirl Aug 2017 #2

He said this on AMJoy this morning. nt R B Garr Aug 2017 #5

Yes, on one of the msnbc programs Skidmore Aug 2017 #6

YUP! bdtrppr6 Aug 2017 #28

Yes he's so right onecaliberal Aug 2017 #85

He also said that most of this "division" is a small, but loud, group of people progressoid Aug 2017 #75

He is right. hrmjustin Aug 2017 #3

By all means lets get back to the Democratic Party I grew up with. LiberalArkie Aug 2017 #19

WTF! hrmjustin Aug 2017 #23

Now you know that the southern Democrats then are the extreme Republicans now. nt Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #49

Could it also be stated that the then Racist Democrats INdemo Aug 2017 #106

It started long before Obama. It started w/the Civil Rights Act. Honeycombe8 Aug 2017 #109

Oh sure.... paleotn Aug 2017 #51

bull bluestarone Aug 2017 #58

There is no Democrat advocating that Progressive dog Aug 2017 #107

He's right. I heard that this morning and totally agree. And to think R B Garr Aug 2017 #4

The "what if" game is hard to play and nobody knows what would have happened anyway marylandblue Aug 2017 #52

Elections are different from assasinations. R B Garr Aug 2017 #60

+ a million or so! eom BlueMTexpat Aug 2017 #93

If Gore had been allowed to take office DFW Aug 2017 #99

Exactly, THANK you. No Iraq invasion and no Citizens United, great points. R B Garr Aug 2017 #143

I don't know any Nader voters personally DFW Aug 2017 #144

Very understandable. It's been interesting to see Gore on TV so much with his new movie coming R B Garr Aug 2017 #145

Judy would hang Howard by his toes from a Vermont maple tree if he ran for national office again DFW Aug 2017 #146

Thanks for the insights. Howard's 50-state strategy R B Garr Aug 2017 #147

Gingrich gives you a warning signal the first time you meet him. DFW Aug 2017 #148

While he might be right, calling Dems "whiny" is akin to Hillary's "deplorables" comment. Vinca Aug 2017 #7

Democrats are not as delicate as the deplorables. Squinch Aug 2017 #8

Agreed. zentrum Aug 2017 #18

They need to be called out. They attack others in far worse ways JI7 Aug 2017 #22

Oh, I don't know. WinstonSmith4740 Aug 2017 #32

Actually I think Clinton was on to something. delisen Aug 2017 #36

She referred to the racists as deplorable. Racists are deplorable. sharedvalues Aug 2017 #41

yepper bluestarone Aug 2017 #59

any Trump voter that STILL supports him is an A grade Deplorable as far as I'm concerned LiberalLovinLug Aug 2017 #82

Agree, this is like driving a wedge right down the middle of the Dem party Quixote1818 Aug 2017 #63

So the whiny ones are hurt by this nini Aug 2017 #87

Politics: the art of the possible sandensea Aug 2017 #9

Exactly. charlyvi Aug 2017 #11

A noble but eminently unsuccessful politician once said: sandensea Aug 2017 #13

Unless your party is fully owned by donors sharedvalues Aug 2017 #45

Those donors did not want Trump marylandblue Aug 2017 #54

He co-opted the hate they cultivated! sharedvalues Aug 2017 #78

It Should Be Pointed Out Me. Aug 2017 #10

Thank you wryter2000 Aug 2017 #16

Thank you for pointing that out. MrsCoffee Aug 2017 #33

This should be higher up. Context is everything. elehhhhna Aug 2017 #130

amen DrDan Aug 2017 #12

Great - let's have Dem party stand on Single Payer! That'll be uniting. nt earthshine Aug 2017 #14

I agree that purity tests could easily make Dems a permanent minority .... CaptainTruth Aug 2017 #15

He's absolutely right NastyRiffraff Aug 2017 #17

I can think of one individual politician that I wish would read and learn. boston bean Aug 2017 #20

"I'm from the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party" was a better quote from him. Gore1FL Aug 2017 #21

I think he got that from paul Wellstone JI7 Aug 2017 #25

He is right. For some it's a career/hobby. They aren't interested in actual policy JI7 Aug 2017 #24

He is obviously correct. Many have said this one way or another. None of this is rocket science. nt DoodAbides Aug 2017 #26

Welcome to DU, DoodAbides! calimary Aug 2017 #69

I like Dean. nt DoodAbides Aug 2017 #70

Wonder if he feels the same about the "center" purists n/t LarryNM Aug 2017 #29

I completely agree with him. lunamagica Aug 2017 #30

Post removed Post removed Aug 2017 #31

???? kentuck Aug 2017 #34

Mr. Dean is a lobbyist for the pharmaceutical industry DefenseLawyer Aug 2017 #42

But that still doesn't mean he's incorrect. paleotn Aug 2017 #57

You don't think the ENTIRE GOP Party wanted Trump in either do you?? aeromanKC Aug 2017 #35

Howard Dean has affirmed his support for women's delisen Aug 2017 #37

Dean is absolutely correct -- I recall his presidential bid BarbD Aug 2017 #40

Yes, yes, yes. charlyvi Aug 2017 #43

He wouldn't be talking about single payer for all if the left didn't push for it, hard. femmedem Aug 2017 #44

Memo to my fave, Dr. Dean: When one writes, one can write correct and eschew "gonna" and other WinkyDink Aug 2017 #47

It can be a fine line. On one hand you want the seat, Dustlawyer Aug 2017 #53

This isn't about "pure" or "impure." It's about competing agendas. David__77 Aug 2017 #55

So says the big pharma "unofficial" lobbyist 50 Shades Of Blue Aug 2017 #56

Sure... sell your souls just to win woundedkarma Aug 2017 #61

Exactly.... paleotn Aug 2017 #62

I love Howard Dean on issues loyalsister Aug 2017 #64

He's aboslutely correct. NEDem Aug 2017 #65

K&R Scurrilous Aug 2017 #66

I agree with Howard Dean NBachers Aug 2017 #67

#1 I don't know what he is referring to. #2 I question whether this really comes from Howard Dean! TryLogic Aug 2017 #72

Purity and purity tests are One Thing concreteblue Aug 2017 #73

Purity cost us this last election. kellytore Aug 2017 #74

Flat out wrong. concreteblue Aug 2017 #91

Thank you Howard Dean riversedge Aug 2017 #77

Good for Howie! We represent Diversity AND Unity. elfin Aug 2017 #79

Agreed! llmart Aug 2017 #81

Howard Dean is exactly right. People who use their voting power to hurt others are not on our side. BzaDem Aug 2017 #84

I saw that on AM Joy... Stellar Aug 2017 #86

Thanks for posting the source of this. janx Aug 2017 #136

Exactly! Stellar Aug 2017 #139

Pragmatism. Is that what's moved us to the right of D.D.Eisenhower? George Eliot Aug 2017 #90

Yeah, but it's not about purity BainsBane Aug 2017 #92

Which is true of most people across the political spectrum aikoaiko Aug 2017 #104

I stand with Howard Dean BlueMTexpat Aug 2017 #94

+1 riversedge Aug 2017 #102

This message was self-deleted by its author NurseJackie Aug 2017 #95

several problems tomp Aug 2017 #96

Dear Howard, Donald Trump is President BeyondGeography Aug 2017 #103

THIS TooStrong Aug 2017 #137

He did not say that. He said that it was a relatively small number of people and that the media janx Aug 2017 #140

To some extent... floWteiuQ Aug 2017 #110

We should have a President Dean HelenWheels Aug 2017 #111

Dean is right. The proof is those who are attacking him in some of these comments, Nitram Aug 2017 #112

How is that from Howard Dean? rock Aug 2017 #113

WTF? Why are you even posting this crap here? KPN Aug 2017 #115

I will post what I want to post. charlyvi Aug 2017 #118

OK then. KPN Aug 2017 #121

The majority of posts on this thread disagree with you. charlyvi Aug 2017 #122

My apologies if you took my post personally. KPN Aug 2017 #123

Where would Frederick Douglass have fit on this spectrum? In general, I agree with Dr. Dean but... NNadir Aug 2017 #119

As usual, the centrists, including Dean, have it exactly backwards . . FairWinds Aug 2017 #124

Who's whining now? LWolf Aug 2017 #128

He as not talking about women's rights : elehhhhna Aug 2017 #129

I heard Governor Dean make this statement yesterday nn MSNBC Gothmog Aug 2017 #134

....or whatever we're gonna have in health care." Plucketeer Aug 2017 #138

Dean is 100% right. Trumpocalypse Aug 2017 #141

My issue with this, is that it assumes we all want the same things Kentonio Aug 2017 #142