The way to make the Democratic party viable again is:

[cool user name]

To purge the DLC (let them form their own party) and get rid of this policy of "triangulation" and back to core principles which each and every democrat should defend vigorously.

Who agrees? Who doesn't?

Please discuss.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PassingFair]

2. I'm nice.

I think they can stay if they START REPRESENTING
THE POPULACE!

It's never too late to change.....

[blm]

3. Expose and deal with the GOP control of the media and the voting machines.

You'll see how viable the Democratic has always been - it's just the media and the voting machines that were keeping up the lies of RW dominance of the issues.

[cool user name]

5. I didn't see much opposition from the likes of Hillary or Joe.

:shrug:

What's the use of having an opposition party?

[blm]

36. They rely on the media, too - Dems BELIEVED the media spin that the

country was turning rightward. The media and voting machines said so.

[Protagoras]

4. Even a big tent has a roof and walls

or it isn't a tent at all.

Corporatism is not the answer.

[cool user name]

6. Very much agreed. Thank you. n/t

[Nevernose]

9. What if it's a pavilion-style tent?

:)

[Iniquitous Bunny]

7. Stand up for our principles.

Centrism is caving. Caving shows weakness. Weakness doesn't win elections.

[readmoreoften]

8. No purge. I just think we should stop paying attention to them period.

We need to take the party back to the center. If they want to hold their noses and pull the lever for a progressive candidate, they're welcome.

[Toots]

11. I agree with you

They may be the money people (and we do need money people) but our votes count. If we are strong enough to put our people in there then they will either hold their nose as you say or leave on their own and we will see just how whacked out the left really is. Who knows maybe we might even create socialized medicine just like every other Industrialized Nation. We might actually repair our infrastructure and spend all effort possible on developing Alternative energy sources. Crazy whacked out thoughts those might be...:silly:

[Selatius]

10. Ignore, not purge

If you want to win, you should adopt the message of economic populism. Leave the DLC behind by ignoring it.

Standing up for workers is the key to victory, but people who exercise power and influence in this country today don't want to invigorate their employees. The last thing they want are workers who are awakened from their slumber. Ignore them too and just talk to the workers. It's their votes that count, not the wealthy's money.

[The Magistrate]

12. Politics, Sir, Is A Business Of Addition, Not Subtraction

The course you are advocating is one of subtraction, and doomed to failure accordingly.

[readmoreoften]

13. Agreed.

It would be nice if the centrist democrats didn't try to push out progressive democrats as well, by calling them greens and 'the far left.'

[cool user name]

14. I appreciate the civil reply yet I disagree.

If you continue to run with the wrong crowd, you are at a high risk to become one of them. You hang out with drug addicts, chances are you will become one.

If you stay with an abusive spouse, you will continue to be hurt.

It's time to bid farewell and chart a course for real progressive politics.

[The Magistrate]

15. In Politics, Sir

Only the number comprising the crowd matters; its character is quite irrelevant.

[cool user name]

17. Of course the character is definitely relevant.

If the majority were Nazis, doesn't mean I should open up my "big tent" and find common cause with them?

Perhaps, I misunderstood your point.

[The Magistrate]

19. You Pushed It Further Than My Inclination Is To Do, Sir

Any general principle is likely to break when pressed to exceptional extremes. But by the same token, exceptional extremes are a poor basis on which to judge the usual run of circumstances.

The point remains that to win general elections, a number of people who do not necessarily share the whole of the views of the most committed partisans must be enticed or convinced into alignment with the side one favors. There are no great untapped reservoirs of leftists out there waiting in the wings.

[cool user name]

21. I think there are a good many who are disillusioned.

I think there's a great reservoir waiting to be tapped as long as they are listened to.

[The Magistrate]

26. There We Will Have To Agree To Disagree, Sir

That is not my view of the scene, and we can neither prove our subjective impressions to the other's satisfaction.

There is certainly room for benefit from well aimed registration drives, and "get out the vote" activities.

There are certainly a number of people who have lately tended to vote Republican who are quite disenchanted with their usual choice nowadays, and inclined either to sit on their hands or vote for us.

[cool user name]

29. A pleasurable exchange nonetheless.

:toast:

[The Magistrate]

35. Indeed, Sir: A Pleasure To Make Your Acquaintance

[Armstead]

23. I think Magistrate you have to be careful about defining "leftists"

You are correct that there is not a lot of people waiting for the Great Socialist Revolution.

BUT if you define traditional Democratic pronciples like Social Security, Medicare, Workerts and Consumers Rights and otehr liberal beliefs, there is a great untappd reservoir of people -- including many moderates and even many conservatives (the honest kind).

The so-called "center" as defined in the political spin by the media and Establishment Politicians is actually much farther to the right than most people.

The disaffection with politics is a sense that NO ONE IS STANDING UP FOR THE AVERAGE GUY AND THE DISADVANTAGED...Start standing up for the real interssts of real poeple, and the democrats will be reflecting what most people truly believe.

[cool user name]

24. Thank you for saying it better than I.

:cheers:

[The Magistrate]

28. Well Said, Sir

There is certainly an unserved market for populist agitation, but that is not, to my view, a particularly left thing, and a number of the people who might well respond to it are, as a matter of practical fact, repelled by identification with "the left", as it is commonly presented. We are going to have to manage a sort of "re-branding", to use the marketting terminology, to reach those people.

[SaveElmer]

18. When, in the history of our country, has the course you advocate...

Worked...?

I can save you the trouble of looking it up...the answer is NEVER...

[cool user name]

20. What policy are you referring to?

When I used the term "purge," I wasn't terming it in the Stalinesque sort of manner.

I meant simply to voice our collective will as to render them non-actors in the Democratic party (and as a consequence, they should seek their own party).

Now as far as purging elements (in the traditional sense) working. Sure it's worked. The Nazis did it. The Bolsheviks did it. Not that those are examples to aspire to, not by any stretch of the imagination, but then your inquiry didn't have any qualifiers.

And I didn't have to look it up ... they just came from right off the top of my head.

Edit: I see that you did say "in this country" so I'll have to reply shortly.

[SaveElmer]

27. Nice try sparky...

I said OUR country...so your point about Bolsheviks and Nazi's are irrelevent


You say...

"I meant simply to voice our collective will as to render them non-actors in the Democratic party (and as a consequence, they should seek their own party)."


When in the history of OUR country (not the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany), has this worked...

Again I will save you the trouble...the answer is never...

[cool user name]

30. No need for names ...

I edited my post (if you had bothered to read it) and now you want to get snarky with me?

Very quaint.

Anway, I'll reply when I can dig up some research.

I don't accept your absolute answer. I can think for myself, thank you very much.

[SaveElmer]

31. I'll be here...nt

[cool user name]

32. I might not.

You couldn't even see fit to apologize for being snarky, why should I spend energy and focus on you?

[SaveElmer]

33. I'm sorry...

For the namecalling...I did not mean to offend!

[cool user name]

34. Forgiven ...

:hi:

Ok, I'm bookmarking this thread.

I don't claim to know the answer but I will see if I can do some research and reply.

[Cleita]

16. I agree. They just aren't Democrats in the traditional mold.

Let them do their own party. They will replace the Republicans if they do, and that will be the death of the GOP.

Now I fully expect all the DLCers to arrive on this thread to tell us how we can't get along without them.

:boring:

[cool user name]

25. See a couple of posts upthread ...

A couple already came out.

;)

[Armstead]

22. I agree -- You summed it up perfectly

[yurbud]

37. wouldn't need a purge if we had a mandatory anti-corruption pledge

no corporate money, when out of office, no lobbying, CEO, other exec or board jobs. Period.

They want to help Jimmy Carter build houses for poor people, great.

Otherwise, if they do any of the things above, they forfeit the very generous pension they get for serving in Congress.