Has the Democratic Party jumped the shark?

[kentuck]

Seriously.

Throughout our history, the political Parties have made dramatic changes at historical moments. Who really thinks that Abraham Lincoln would have been a member of today's Republican Party? And what Democrat today would be a member of the pro-slavery Party of the mid-19th century? Why did the Whigs disappear?

When did they change and why? It usually doesn't happen overnight but it can happen rather quickly. For example, the Democratic Party became more socially-minded during and after the Great Depression. That event changed our Party dramtically. Before that, Theodore Roosevelt, was the reformer and progressive of the time. And he was a Republican.

Now, the Democrats are at a crossroads, once again, in my opinion. Will they continue to be the socially progressive Party for a larger middle-class and rights for everyone? Or will they become the Party of Big Business and Wall Street? Once we find ourselves defending Wall Street and Big Business, we have already changed. We are not the same Party that passed Medicare or Social Security or any of the programs that help average working Americans. The Healthcare Reform is meant to help the Big Insurance companies more than anyone else.

Is the Democratic Party changing once again??

[Tesha]

1. It changed in '92 when the DLC took over and "triangulation" became the order of the day.

They decided winning was far more important than any sort
of adherence to principles.

Tesha

[Johonny]

4. I think it changes earlier than that

When Reagan Democrats finally crossed party lines. The party slowly lost it's old south representation and had to find new candidates that appealed to these regions. It's also partly due to the disintegration of the Rockefeller Republicans who found themselves without a party and clearly are moving into the Democratic party. It's odd but most of liberal radios big hosts are children of Rockefeller Republicans or people like Ed Shultz. I mostly have no problem with conservative Democrats. Most often have liberal stance on at least some core party principals. I think what's maddening to most DUers isn't that they exist at all, but they seem now to come out of even solid liberal districts these days.

[tekisui]

2. Everything is temporary.

I hope it continues to change.

[Raster]

3. There may be the appearance of two political parties in Washington....

...however they both feed at the same trough and by the same hand. Never before in our country's history has the monied corporate influence been stronger. And to be fair, never has it been more evident. Your elected representatives in Congress don't serve you. They serve their corporate paymasters. It is extremely difficult to get elected to Congress without corporate monies. It is almost impossible to retain a Congressional seat without corporate backing.

[ChiciB1]

8. I Agree With You AND i LOVE Your Sig Line... I Was Just Talking To

someone about God, agnostics and atheism! A coincidence for sure, but good anyway!

[Raster]

10. Thank you!

[ChiciB1]

17. That's The One... I'm Going To Copy Those Words (If You Don't Mind)

and put them on my FRIDGE! That way I don't have to "splain" my position all the time!

Meanwhile, I have this bad "hangover" habit of saying "Oh, My God" when something surprises me! Maybe Oh, S--t is something I should practice more!

I was brought up a very strict Catholic and it took me several years extricating myself from those teachings... quite a long time ago when I was younger and thought I was going to be struck down by saying what I really felt!

I'm okay now... sorry for my late reply! Seems I keep saying that these days! It's been a busy times for me, and I post and don't come back right away... not good, but I have a penchant for speaking out anyway!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

5. They didn't jump the shark. They were swallowed by the corporate and Pentagon sharks.

And, now, we are told it was good for us.

[ChiciB1]

6. All I Can Attest To Is that THIS DEMOCRATIC Party Isn't THE DEMOCRATIC

Party I joined a long time ago. There was a time when it was MUCH MORE PEOPLE oriented and wanted to improve the status of the common man. Sure there's always been greed and money... but the Liberal/Socialist aspect certainly seems to have vanished from where I'm sitting.

There are VERY FEW people in Congress that I would actually vote for at this point in time. I'm a Paul Wellstone type, so that should explain what type of Democrat I've ALWAYS been! Love Bernie Sanders and there are more like Grayson too. However, not near enough to make a damn bit of difference because the Democrats of today have been leaning too far to the right for me. Not just the middle, but to the RIGHT!

And for that reason, I so wish we could start a New "OLD" Democratic Party where I would feel more comfortable. I sometimes feel I'm squeezed to side with the Democrats we have today because the HORROR of being a Repuke is so repugnant! And to make matter worse I live in such a Red District that even the Democrats here think I AM a Socialist!

JMHO!

[kentuck]

9. Interesting comment...

I am certain there are many Democrats like you. Unfortunately, we cannot make any progress without sacrifice. If the present "Democratic" Party knew for a fact that they were going to lose voters like yourself, the Party would change. They would have no choice. As it is, they take you for granted, whether they change or not, and the same old politics goes on election after election, and nothing gets accomplished. Average working people fall deeper and deeper into the hole of right-wing politics, in my humble opinion...

[tblue]

13. Not that long ago, there were liberals and conservatives in both parties.

Legislation was not passed so reliably along strict party lines. Now, I think since Nixon, the party lines are more strictly drawn. There is no real bipartsanship anymore. But I think things are worse now since there are so few liberals, even in the Dem party, and absolutely none tn the Repubs.

[bertman]

7. Yes. It's a done deal.

[jpak]

11. Yes - it has changed to the "Democrat" party that holds wide majorities in the Congress and the WH

a sure sign of shark jumping

:thumbsdown:

[tblue]

14. Well then maybe we need to start a new DemocratIC party for those who will not stand

idly by while the name of the party is bastardizd and the principles of the party are overrun by corporate interests.

[jpak]

15. In my state, we have something called "Democratic Party Primaries"

and we choose progressive Democratic representatives that beat the pants off stupid teabaggers.

Just sayin'

[SemiCharmedQuark]

12. What era do you consider to be the defining era of the Democratic Party?

I assume sometime after the 1960s when the Dixiecrats left. But then upthread someone says the party lost it in the 1980s. So...what...the Democratic party of the 1970s?

[HughMoran]

16. "The Healthcare Reform is meant to help the Big Insurance companies more than anyone else."

Is that a fact. Hmmmm....

[kentuck]

19. If they can pass the Reid proposal...

and improve upon it, it could be a big help to the American people. Some of the proposals that have been floated, without the public option i.e., would mostly just give more money to the big insurance companies. I still have hope...

[cali]

18. Seriously, no. The democratic party is not endangered.

Oth, though they may do well in the next election cycle, the republican party is seriously threatened by a rapidly changing electorate.