Op-Ed What does the current establishment Democrats stand for?

[Kulindahr]

It is a great post and as a conservative (which is not ever a republican) there are things that a federal government can do cost Effective healthcare and national security. Identity politics is based on emotion, a foundation of sand.

Yes, a superb post.

I want to pick out one line: There has to be an intellectual consistency and honesty....

That's missing all across the spectrum.

 

[ballcaphair]

Yes, a superb post.

I want to pick out one line: There has to be an intellectual consistency and honesty....

That's missing all across the spectrum.

It is truly missing and devalues comprehension and understanding. It makes them impossible.

 

[Julian89]

No one here has said that donations from any source has no influence on the political landscape.

I am not in a position to know whether the common persons suffers as a result of donations to political parties. Nor are you.

Do I have to connect the dots for you? Perhaps one example will be good enough. More than a decade ago, Wall Street lobbied heavily for the passage of the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005. Many Democrats voted to pass this law. In a study to assess the impact of the said law conducted by Michael Simkovic published in the American Bankruptcy Law Journal:
" (t)he data suggests that although bankruptcies and credit card company losses decreased, and credit card companies achieved record profits, the cost to consumers of credit card debt actually increased. In other words the 2005 bankruptcy reforms profited credit card companies at consumers' expense."

Campaigning, and being in office are different, and differing realities....

Of course. But we're discussing why the Deplorable-in-Chief defeated Hillary Clinton. Again, one of the reasons is that because he campaigned to the left of Hillary Clinton on economic issues.

 

[Julian89]

You cannot lose what you never had.

The Pragmatic Tradition of African-American Voters (New York; April 2016)

How Bernie Sanders Exposed the Democrats’ Racial Rift (Politico; June 2016)​

Compared to what pundits and Establishment Democrats are claiming, I'll rather rely on facts based on empirical evidences:

Reference: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...nders-countrys-most-popular-active-politician

 

[Julian89]

Who is the real New Deal Democrat? A one time Barry Goldwater supporter who morphed into the epitome of establishment, corporate triangulating Democrats.. or the Socialist who has loyally caucused with Democrats and who has had a consistent message of making America work again for poor, minorities, working class, middle class. Clue: Not her.

In the end, I am more pessimistic than ever. I don't believe Trump will last much longer..he is imploding, and hopefully the damage he does before being forced to resign or be impeached.. because it WILL come to that.. isn't catastrophic. Whoever replaces him... Pence or someone else by 2020 will still favor strongly conservative policies that will gut the heart of America but not the most obvious vestiges of racism and white nationalism. Dems will continue to push their more malleable corporate friendly people, and people here and out in the country blind to the deep flaws of our compromised (and all-too compromising) establishment will eagerly back them up and spit at those reformers who know that there is a real deep pain in this country for a lot of people that haven't benefitted from the wonders of the global economy... Democrats need moral clarity and credibility and not slogans and focus groups but to get god damned real.

The genie of white nationalism will get set back but they now have a taste of power, a voice in the GOP... there will be a struggle over the next few years for the nation's heart and soul and I really don't know if we will get through this. I truly hope so but have my doubts... we need unity but we also need a commitment to live to the best ideals of what America can be. We need a little less ambition and love of power, a little less ego and a lot more genuine concern to get things done to help make America really a land of opportunity for all.

To those who don't want to listen or reflect, I don't give a flying fuck. I don't want the Russians to get a pass... I know they are awful, and Putin is no potential friend to work with or get soft on. We have to know what they did, and try to make sure it never happens again. But we also have to acknowledge our government has played these kind of games(not to the institutional level but in terms of favoring governments that met our interests and sometimes removing governments that didn't). To act otherwise, with unreflective moral superiority, would be a hypocritical disgrace.

There has to be an intellectual consistency and honesty we don't have really. All we have is finger pointing and accusations .. casting aspersions on the motives of Bernie or his supporters. Some have gone with the far right, and supported Trump... a small number but a distressing thing nonetheless. Bernie isn't God, he's not our Savior but he isn't the devil either by any means and what he supports and represents is where we should be as a starting point of reference... trying to do the best for Americans who work hard or want opportunities but see how much the deck is stacked against them. Sometimes even by those Democrats who say they stand with ordinary Americans.

Sorry for the rambling, but I'm done with self serving , self described progressives standing in judgement over others.

But I also strongly advise those non-establishment supporting Democrats to fight within the party, to not minimize future outsiders like Trump who unlike him may have greater political gifts and be far more dangerous... we cannot afford to give continued power to the GOP. We have to keep working to move the party from comfortable establishment power to serving the interests of the people who elected them to represent ordinary Americans from all walks of life... we are seen as the enemy by some but we want Democrats to be Democrats again and stand for something better than just improving things on the margins. We have on average 2% growth a year, and where it was a given we would expect succeeding generations to do better and have more opportunities to hey, next generation... you're on your own! We need to appeal to American optimism and vision, to be creative.... not anti business but against having a scenario where the big winners have a huge table to themselves where party leaders hang but the rest of us have to share a small table of leftovers and limited opportunities. We need a truly forward thinking, inspirational leadership and yes wherever possible we have to spark that creativity and leadership ourselves and not wait for Washington, DC's attention or approval.

I just want to see America attain amazing possibilities in a time where so much is bringing us down. I am not a troll, maybe a dreamer but I'm damned proud to be one. I apologize for nothing except I wish I had the intellect and talents to go out there myself and be a real part of that change. But if I can't, I damn well will strongly encourage those who dare dream of big possibilities to go and help bring it about.

I feel your genuine passion. Whoever you are, I hope you consider running for government office. If I can communicate my societal passions and desires the same way you do, I will consider being a candidate myself. We need people like you. We welcome people like you to be a part of Our Revolution: https://ourrevolution.com/

 

[ballcaphair]

I feel your genuine passion. Whoever you are, I hope you consider running for government office. If I can communicate my societal passions and desires the same way you do, I will consider being a candidate myself. We need people like you. We welcome people like you to be a part of Our Revolution: https://ourrevolution.com/

Newpapers, TV and radio are history. America's future will be designed by social media and the internet. It will expand daily. My concern is that it may all be contaminated by Russia and whomever.

 

[opinterph]

Compared to what pundits and Establishment Democrats are claiming, I'll rather rely on facts based on empirical evidences:

I’m not sure how learning that back in April~ Senator Sanders was “the only person in a field of 16 Trump administration officials or congressional leaders included in the survey who is viewed favorably by a majority of those polled” ~adds a tremendous bounty to our trove of empirical evidences. What do you regard as the practical application of that knowledge?

 

[ballcaphair]

Compared to what pundits and Establishment Democrats are claiming, I'll rather rely on facts based on empirical evidences:

Reference: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaig...nders-countrys-most-popular-active-politician

I’m not sure how learning that back in April~ Senator Sanders was “the only person in a field of 16 Trump administration officials or congressional leaders included in the survey who is viewed favorably by a majority of those polled” ~adds a tremendous bounty to our trove of empirical evidences. What do you regard as the practical application of that knowledge?

How would we figure emotional reactions and hyperbolic rhetoric from empirical evidence?