2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Shame on all Dems who wrongly say "Hillary didn't talk about jobs or opportunity etc etc when they [View all]CajunBlazer
(5,648 posts)After the primaries I am sick and tired of the ultra progressives. At least we wouldn't have to put up with their arrogant, self centered whining here on DU.
For everyone of them that we lose we could gain the votes of three centralist independents because we wouldn't have our left fringe doing their best to push our candidates as far left as possible.
They need to understand that if you are not in the majority in a party (and they aren't - see the results of the primary), you don't get to call the shots. If we move forward with a center left populist message which will attract of the young independents as Bernie did with his giveaways and bring back working people to our ranks, while remaining attractive to the fastest growing demographics, we won't need the ultra progressives. But they will need us.
Let them break away and form their own party. Then they will finally understand how few their numbers really are. They would become just another irrelevant third party with no future, ready to be cast into the garbage bin of history.
And who would lead them. Surely they don't expect leaders like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren to join them in exile. Anyone of any standing knows they can best work to work for their causes and to satisfy whatever ambitions they may have inside of the system. But I'm sure that their new party could persuade some totally unqualified token like Jill Stein to take up their banner.
On the other hand if the ultra progressives think rationally instead of emotionally (not one of their strong points) they will stay in the party and vote Democratic for a change. Maybe they can convince others that their way is the best way and work to elect candidates that reflect their views - in other words they would have to participate in the democratic (with a small d) process. However, to be effective they would have also so have to compromise and understand that good is not the enemy of perfect. Unfortunately compromising and admitting that a half loaf is better than no loaf at all, but again those not among their strong suits.
Unfortunately they are not going anywhere despite their threats. Looks like we are stuck with them for the duration whether we like it or not, and we have absolutely no hope they will change.