Democratic Party 2017 and beyond

[The Feral Slasher]

Solid post, and I can't disagree with any of your points...I might shade them one way or another, but all are valid, IMO. They're all also correctable, if the party leader wish to do so...that's the biggest question.

I like the concept of offering Medicare to all, it's essentially single payer health care, and you're right, if the GOP left it alone, they would rule for decades.

thanks - and I appreciate that you asked the question and were willing to listen to another point of view. That is always a good thing and I'm sure I could do a better job of that myself.

[Hornsby]

thanks - and I appreciate that you asked the question and were willing to listen to another point of view. That is always a good thing and I'm sure I could do a better job of that myself.

Appreciate it...I figure if I'm going to be yammering around here, I'd better listen and see what other have to say, and why they think it.

[nots]

I think is an accurate assessment:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-democrats-lost-union-workers_us_58cc0aede4b0ec9d29dbb226?ref=yfp

[The Feral Slasher]

Truly amazing how popular Bernie is and how unpopular the Dems are.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/mar/17/everyone-loves-bernie-sanders-except-democratic-party

If you look at the numbers, Bernie Sanders is the most popular politician in America – and it’s not even close. Yet bizarrely, the Democratic party – out of power across the country and increasingly irrelevant – still refuses to embrace him and his message. It’s increasingly clear they do so at their own peril.

A new Fox News poll out this week shows Sanders has a +28 net favorability rating among the US population, dwarfing all other elected politicians on both ends of the political spectrum. And he’s even more popular among the vaunted “independents”, where he is at a mind boggling +41.

This poll is not just an aberration. Look at this Huffington Post chart that has tracked Sanders’ favorability rating over time, ever since he gained national prominence in 2015 when he started running for the Democratic nomination. The more people got to know him, they more they liked him – the exact opposite of what his critics said would happen when he was running against Clinton.

One would think with numbers like that, Democratic politicians would be falling all over themselves to be associated with Sanders, especially considering the party as a whole is more unpopular than the Republicans and even Donald Trump right now. Yet instead of embracing his message, the establishment wing of the party continues to resist him at almost every turn, and they seem insistent that they don’t have to change their ways to gain back the support of huge swaths of the country.[/

[Redbirds Fan]

It may serve Bernie (and by extension the Party) best if, at least for now, Democratic politicians don't fall all over themselves or him.

[Sour Masher]

I think is an accurate assessment:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/...dbb226?ref=yfp

It does seem like a strategic error by Dems that they have done such a poor job with addressing the concerns with outsourcing. I don't think most Americans are uber isolationist, but will accept the whole package of isolationism and nationalism if it means keeping jobs in the US. Dems need to do a better job of selling the notion that we can take care of and protect American workers and jobs while embracing a global economy.

Of course, that may be hard to sell, because it may not be entirely true. As we shift to new industries that are more lucrative and sustainable in the 21st century, there will inevitably be growing pains that hurt many. This will only be exacerbated by continued automation, which will affect not only manufacturing, but will increasingly impact service industries as well. The hard truth is that shifting toward new types of jobs will involve displacing many folks. What Dems need to do is figure out a way to help these folks acquiring training to transition to new types of jobs, and encourage the growth of industries that will provide job opportunities in the geographic areas that are losing them. They need to give people hope of stable employment or they will continue to lose to those making those promises, even if their oppnents promises are false, or only offer temporary relief to this ever-growing problem.

[The Feral Slasher]

It may serve Bernie (and by extension the Party) best if, at least for now, Democratic politicians don't fall all over themselves or him.

What does that even mean ? If it means what I think it does it explains a lot about why Donald Trump is our president.

[Redbirds Fan]

I think Bernie is doing a great job, and I think he has a great message. We don't need to be working against each other. But there's an argument, and I think a pretty good one, that Bernie and the Party might accomplish more right now if they are not yoked together.

We've talked about this. An OpEd in The Guardian doesn't change the dynamic. They just needed a way to juice up the announcement that Bernie is the only US politician that anyone likes at all.

[GwynnInTheHall]

I think Bernie is doing a great job, and I think he has a great message. We don't need to be working against each other. But there's an argument, and I think a pretty good one, that Bernie and the Party might accomplish more right now if they are not yoked together.

We've talked about this. An OpEd in The Guardian doesn't change the dynamic. They just needed a way to juice up the announcement that Bernie is the only US politician that anyone likes at all.

What exactly, is the Democratic Party going to accomplish without Bernie?

[The Feral Slasher]

But there's an argument, and I think a pretty good one, that Bernie and the Party might accomplish more right now if they are not yoked together.

We've talked about this. An OpEd in The Guardian doesn't change the dynamic. They just needed a way to juice up the announcement that Bernie is the only US politician that anyone likes at all.

What are Bernie and the Democrats going to accomplish separately ? I can't envision either one being successful without the other, at least in the short term. I'd really like to hear an explanation of your thoughts on this.

Not sure Bernie's popularity needs any juicing at this point, the Democratic Party on the other hand....when will the Dems start to listen to the American people an not the party leaders ?

[GwynnInTheHall]

What are Bernie and the Democrats going to accomplish separately ? I can't envision either one being successful without the other, at least in the short term. I'd really like to hear an explanation of your thoughts on this.

Not sure Bernie's popularity needs any juicing at this point, the Democratic Party on the other hand....when will the Dems start to listen to the American people an not the party leaders ?

[GwynnInTheHall]

So they have a poll gauging popularity for potential 2020 Presidential candidates and the headline is about Biden being the overwhelming choice of the left.

https://morningconsult.com/2017/06/17/popular-2020-democratic-prospect-not-named-joe-biden/

Funny how they didn't even have Sanders as an option for a run in 2020.

I guess it's never too early to start the ünelectable" bullshit narrative.

Some people never learn.

[Hornsby]

So they have a poll gauging popularity for potential 2020 Presidential candidates and the headline is about Biden being the overwhelming choice of the left.

https://morningconsult.com/2017/06/17/popular-2020-democratic-prospect-not-named-joe-biden/

Funny how they didn't even have Sanders as an option for a run in 2020.

I guess it's never too early to start the ünelectable" bullshit narrative.

Some people never learn.

The problem is that they're both too old for the job. Bernie will be 79 on election day, far too old to campaign 20 hours a day for a year. Biden will be 77 on election day, also too old to run, or hold the job for 4 years. The Dems need to find a younger person...by that, I mean someone under 60 years old. It can't be that hard, can it?

[GwynnInTheHall]

The problem is that they're both too old for the job. Bernie will be 79 on election day, far too old to campaign 20 hours a day for a year. Biden will be 77 on election day, also too old to run, or hold the job for 4 years. The Dems need to find a younger person...by that, I mean someone under 60 years old. It can't be that hard, can it?

I don't disagree, I'm just surprised some people out there are still pushing Sanders to the curb and promoting Establishment candidates.

The left is in serious trouble if they can't come to an accord and shit like this doesn't help.


It's never going to be totally Sanders way nor the Centrists way so what do you think can be done?

I have a hard time seeing the DNC moving away from what they think will work (Seems to me they think the General loss was more a fluke than their doing)

It's also hard for me to see the Berners giving ground.

It won;t be Trump in 2020, but if we don;t get our shit together soon, it'll be someone else on the Right who'll be taking the oath of office in 2020.

[Hornsby]

I don't disagree, I'm just surprised some people out there are still pushing Sanders to the curb and promoting Establishment candidates.

The left is in serious trouble if they can't come to an accord and shit like this doesn't help.


It's never going to be totally Sanders way nor the Centrists way so what do you think can be done?

I have a hard time seeing the DNC moving away from what they think will work (Seems to me they think the General loss was more a fluke than their doing)

It's also hard for me to see the Berners giving ground.

It won;t be Trump in 2020, but if we don;t get our shit together soon, it'll be someone else on the Right who'll be taking the oath of office in 2020.

I agree 100%, there needs to be someone who can bridge the gap between the branches of the party. I think that person is out there, just not the face of the future quite yet. Obama was making noises in 2006, but wasn't thought to be "the man" quite then, IIRC, so that person still has time. I just don't think that they can continue to trot out the same old faces and hope to win. The GOP is soulless, but they know how to win elections. And frankly that's the only litmus test that counts these days.

I think that Perez and Ellison can come up with a plan, hopefully soon, so they don't blow the 2018 mid terms as well...

IMO, the Centrists need SOME of the progressives, but not all of them. So the shifting of the party to the left has to continue, but not a major lurch that'll scare us old folks off.