Another Good Read – The Dems have been Moving Left for Thirty Years
I’ve heard for years that the Democratic Party has been steadily moving to the right as Republicans have gone extreme right. That belief has become an article of faith among Dems, but Five Thirty Eight has published a data study that this belief is not true and that the opposite has been occurring for 30 years. Pretty interesting and recommended reading.
I almost spewed my coffee reading that.
1The 1956 Republican Party Platform was well to the left of the 2016 Democratic Party Platform.
The Democratic party is a multi-headed beast, however. That survey reports on what low-lifes like us believe and hope for. But at the national level the Democratic organizations and professionals seem to be working for their own profit and comfort. The DCCC forbids contracts with any campaign organization or company that backs primary challengers. But it’s ok if they work for Republicans:
https://theintercept.com/2019/12/16/dccc-consultants-republican-with-honor-pac/
Yeah, I know. We have to take back power from them, and it’s gonna take more than grumbling on the internet with like-minded people. But right now my impression is that any letter I send to the DCCC will get returned with the snide remark “you seem to have forgotten to enclose a check for at least $10k. do that and we might then read your letter.”
Sorry, El Jefe. You posted an encouraging point, and here I am being all … well, surly. Mebbe later in the day I’ll take it as the ray of sunshine it really is.
2I happened to catch that article yesterday, as well.
Except.
My take is a bit different. Rather than moving left, I think the party has been broadening — especially during the past three years.
Yes, The Squad is in Congress —– and more power to them!
But — the party also wants to be welcoming to all the Republican defectors since Trump took [and I use the term advisedly] office.
I, personally, believe that the accommodation strategy is a fool’s errand:
W. stole the election and the Republicans stuck with the party.
McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate and they stuck.
Rick Santorum said, “I don’t want to give my money to blah people,” — and they stuck.
McConnell denied Obama any damn thing he wanted to get done, no matter how it might help the country at large — and the Republicans stuck.
He kept Merrick Garland out — and they yawned.
He methodically stacked the courts — and they rooted him on.
I could go on, but you get the drift.
If the DNC thinks the **ahem** “principled Republicans” won’t go slinking home once the crisis is over, I’ve got a lovely bridge to sell them. Cheap. Just a couple of billion should do it.
Moving Left would have been the better move — but they WOULD persist in fooling themselves into believing that the R’s would keep voting D if they only felt welcome enough.
As for me, I’m hoping the Republican party dies a quick, agonizing death, that the Democratic party becomes the Party of the Status Quo and something like the Green party picks up the left end of the spectrum — before it disappears entirely.
3Guess that all depends on how one defines “Democratic Party” or what is the definition of “is.” j/k
Consider the issue of energy efficiency. Had steps been taken in the 1970s a gradual transition away from fossil fuels would have been plausible. Is AOC radical? Are the green energy solutions radical? Maybe, in the eyes of a Republicon. Substitute urgent for radical. Take away the Republicons Frank Luntz style memes and address the necessity. Take fear out of their ‘debate’ and force them to legitimately address solutions.
Check out some of the Medicare legislation from the 60s. Even then the insurance companies had influence. For you seniors purchasing gap policies, that little codicil that allows them to charge you a little % for every year past 65 that you didn’t purchase insurance dates back to 1964. There are some serious tentacles that need chopping to produce productive health care.
So, have Democrats changed? Not really, or not that much. However problems and goals that have been obstructed for decades do create an urgency to address the issues.
4“[T]he opposite has been occurring for 30 years. Pretty interesting and recommended reading.”
The data clearly doesn’t say that, el Jefe. It shows that ‘the opposite has been happening’ only for something much closer to seven years. Missing from the data is the period from 1970 to 1985. I think if that were included the picture would look decidedly different.
Also missing from the data is any information about liberal attitudes toward taxes and the use of government programs to help the poor. THAT is where Democrats have most decidedly moved toward the right over the past 40 years (although I would guess that has also changed in the past seven years.
5I’m voting DEM in 2020 because I KNOW the rePUKEian are a repulsive bunch of hate filled aholes. But I don’t think the DEMs have the cajones to be the social changers I would like!
6Moving left? Recently? Well damn my amnesia! I thought we had been moving left every since Franklin Delano Roosevelt came up with Social Security, the Civilian Conservation Corps, etc. etc. Gotta say that the move left makes me kinda sleepy inasmuch as it isn’t going as fast as FDR had it fired up to be.
7LMFAO Don’t blink or you’ll miss it!
Mitch McConnell: Republicans will vote to dismiss impeachment charges after opening remarks.
comment from article:
“John Dean has said house democrats should pass the articles of impeachment. Then refuse to send them over to the senate. If McConnell is going to make a mockery of our constitution, and have a sham trial. Democrats shouldn’t play his game. Don’t send the articles over. Just keep investigating Trump’s crimes.”
https://www.alternet.org/2019/12/mitch-mcconnell-republicans-will-vote-to-dismiss-impeachment-charges-after-opening-remarks/
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