In early February a group of Democratic strategists, elected officials, and political operatives gathered at a retreat organized by the centrist group Third Way. The goal was clear: figure out how to win back working-class voters and chart a path forward for a party still grappling with its identity and message.
How does this stack up against the fact that many Trump voters were also Bernie voters? Bernie doesn't find NASCAR rallies necessary, and he doesn't moderate his policy prescriptions. He is authentic and plain spoken, not full of jargon. He doesn't moderate his views depending on the audience. I believe voters are looking for authenticity rather than canned and careful plans. My concession to the messaging issue is that I also believe that focusing on and constantly naming the many smaller constituencies leaves the impression that straight white males are the problem, rather than the racism and homophobia found in every possible breakout group.
Rather than blaming the Harris campaign, as well as the things she stood for, what about blaming the FACT that everyone with two eyes to see could see that Biden should have stepped out at year 2.5, had her ascend to the presidency, and had her run as the incumbent with her own voice and leadership proven. Failing that, at year 2.5 he should have announced that he would not run so that all candidates could have made their cases. I cannot tell you how angry I am at Jill and the other Biden handlers.
Another article indicated that there was a notion that moving away from small dollar donations was necessary. REALLY??? I don't think small dollar donors are responsible for whatever shift took place. As a small dollar donor, I was voting against all of the things that Trump represented, and which have come to pass already. Plenty of people were. Former Republicans were. But if that proposal simply meant that they would suggest not bombarding their small dollar donors a dozen times a day, then I am all in for it.
You couldn't be more right about donations. For heaven's sake, the richest man in the world just bought the presidency for the Republican Party--and himself. And most of the other plutocrats are lining up behind the orange fuhrer. Small donations are the life blood of the Democratic Party, but there has been some noise from top party officials about going harder after the "good" billionaires. I would submit that this is a bad idea because such a creature does not exist, by definition: In order to accumulate massive wealth, you have to swim in some really fetid hog lagoons. Philanthropy always, always has been a rotten substitute for social policy that works for equal opportunity and access to...well, everything.
These "Third Way" clowns have never had anything useful to offer the Democratic Party, and that goes double for their recommendations here, which amount to Dems going Nascar Lite. That is just phenomenally stupid, in part because conceding ground to Republican/Maga reactionary/racist/misogynist/homophobic/anti-immigrant policies and ideology is morally repugnant, and in part because it doesn't work. Third Wayers claim the progressive left is too concerned with "identity" issues even as state legislators in red states are passing laws and making proposals to destroy the lives of trans people, end gay marriage, disenfranchise women and minority voters, and on and on. Seems that Repubs are still pretty obsessed by all that culture war stuff. The difference here is that the right is whipping up hate against chimeras, while progressives (and some moderate Dems) are working to protect the lives and livelihoods of the very real people targeted by these ginned up moral panics.
These people should never be allowed anywhere near a political campaign ever again. They're chronic losers advising us to be "moderate" in the face of eugenicists and fascists.
How does this stack up against the fact that many Trump voters were also Bernie voters? Bernie doesn't find NASCAR rallies necessary, and he doesn't moderate his policy prescriptions. He is authentic and plain spoken, not full of jargon. He doesn't moderate his views depending on the audience. I believe voters are looking for authenticity rather than canned and careful plans. My concession to the messaging issue is that I also believe that focusing on and constantly naming the many smaller constituencies leaves the impression that straight white males are the problem, rather than the racism and homophobia found in every possible breakout group.
Rather than blaming the Harris campaign, as well as the things she stood for, what about blaming the FACT that everyone with two eyes to see could see that Biden should have stepped out at year 2.5, had her ascend to the presidency, and had her run as the incumbent with her own voice and leadership proven. Failing that, at year 2.5 he should have announced that he would not run so that all candidates could have made their cases. I cannot tell you how angry I am at Jill and the other Biden handlers.
Another article indicated that there was a notion that moving away from small dollar donations was necessary. REALLY??? I don't think small dollar donors are responsible for whatever shift took place. As a small dollar donor, I was voting against all of the things that Trump represented, and which have come to pass already. Plenty of people were. Former Republicans were. But if that proposal simply meant that they would suggest not bombarding their small dollar donors a dozen times a day, then I am all in for it.
You couldn't be more right about donations. For heaven's sake, the richest man in the world just bought the presidency for the Republican Party--and himself. And most of the other plutocrats are lining up behind the orange fuhrer. Small donations are the life blood of the Democratic Party, but there has been some noise from top party officials about going harder after the "good" billionaires. I would submit that this is a bad idea because such a creature does not exist, by definition: In order to accumulate massive wealth, you have to swim in some really fetid hog lagoons. Philanthropy always, always has been a rotten substitute for social policy that works for equal opportunity and access to...well, everything.
These "Third Way" clowns have never had anything useful to offer the Democratic Party, and that goes double for their recommendations here, which amount to Dems going Nascar Lite. That is just phenomenally stupid, in part because conceding ground to Republican/Maga reactionary/racist/misogynist/homophobic/anti-immigrant policies and ideology is morally repugnant, and in part because it doesn't work. Third Wayers claim the progressive left is too concerned with "identity" issues even as state legislators in red states are passing laws and making proposals to destroy the lives of trans people, end gay marriage, disenfranchise women and minority voters, and on and on. Seems that Repubs are still pretty obsessed by all that culture war stuff. The difference here is that the right is whipping up hate against chimeras, while progressives (and some moderate Dems) are working to protect the lives and livelihoods of the very real people targeted by these ginned up moral panics.
These people should never be allowed anywhere near a political campaign ever again. They're chronic losers advising us to be "moderate" in the face of eugenicists and fascists.
The Third Way is the group that went pro-corporation years ago. They need to look in the mirror of why we lost the middle class.