Can we talk about a PROGRESSIVE COALITION within the Dems?

[marions ghost]

A lot of us progressives and grassroots organizers are aware of the serious shortcomings of the Democratic party. See the current discussion about this “Is It Time to Start a Progressive Party? (posted by The Sushi Bandit) – http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2138142&mesg_id=2138142

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So for those who believe a 3rd party is unrealistic at the present time, can we discuss creating a strong coalition WITHIN the Democratic party? Is this worth it? What would it take?

There IS opportunity now...obviously. With the Neo-cons not looking good and the growing abuses of the administration exposed, it is time to look forward more positively and get out of this downtrodden mindset we have been laboring under, where we are always compromised, always begging for crumbs from our own party. I’m assuming that we are together at least on one point--that we have been betrayed by the DLC. It seems the Corporate Democrats have used us for a long time. As Douglas Carpenter said: “In 1973 DNC Chair Robert Strauss basically threw away the small donor list and grassroots activist list of the Democratic Party and turned the party away from progressive policies and toward corporate lobbyist dependency.”

Maybe we can get out of the trap of talking left-right-center politics. This has not served us well. We have been isolated into “the fringe left” when a lot of us are about as “far left” as Howard Dean. As OneBlueSky said : “The issue is --there is a very small group that controls everything versus the people. ..the right-left stuff is what they push on us to keep us from focusing on the REAL dichotomy.”

How can we become an effective presence within the Democratic party? I think we need our own identity and name (names give visibility and help to avoid stereotyping) –in other words how can we create a positive place for Dems like us to go? We may not have big money, but we do have numbers and so we can do it with small-donor money. I’m tired of working to get people elected to office who really don’t represent my views whatsoever (though they may pretend to). Been there, DONE that, like so many posting in the other thread. I’m tired of putting up and going along with the DLC mentality…but I don’t see a separate 3rd party as realistic in the current climate. So what kind of organization do we need—those of us who are no longer prepared to swallow the passive “go along and get along” philosophy? As Telly Savalas said: “If the progressive movement can’t win the ear of the 'left-most' of the two major parties, then how can it be expected to win the ear of the entire nation?”

Where are we now on this?" It seems that Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is trying to be this kind of organization--am I correct about this? Will they be able to form a strong alliance of progressives who actually have some clout within the Democratic party? In the previous discussion, nadinbrzezinski said “Democracy for America and PDA... they are trying...within the strictures of the 50 national parties, but mark my words, if the DLC tries to block this evolution, it will get ugly...”
I wonder, if this really is an evolutionary moment for the party... if MAYBE the Corporate Democrats could find out that a progressive agenda isn’t so scary after all.