Are the Democrats back on track?

I think that another round of Feinstein will do. I'm all for the progressive agenda and replacing our older more moderate people with new ones, but I also feel leaders like Diane Feinstein have a very strong voice and style that works in Congress. Honestly, I don't know if she's considered on the progressive side or not. That's my mind...

 

I hope the young and progressive Republicans of today who have taken the core GOP values and discarded all the social conservatism and religious extremes will work with these younger Democrats who seem to be more about the people than about ties to the establishment elite.

I think young people are going to turn both parties into something they have so desperately needed to become: modern.

Both parties seem more inclusive as of late too. We're seeing more young women, and people of color and even immigrants serving in increasing capacity in government. Definitely feels like we're in a transitional period between old and new.

 

^
You really think so? I rarely hear an American say that. The hope, yes. Seeing it currently happen... no.

 

Not at the top, no. But in local politics and with younger voters, yes, absolutely. But at the top, the reins are still grasped firmly by the establishment of both parties.

But winter is coming...

 

For that to happen, "the people" on whom the party is to be based will have to overcome their false consciousness and realize that the "populist" demagogues in the Republican Party mean them mischief. "The people" are a mixture of white and dark, and the demagogues pit one against the other. The last time they got together was during the Great Depression. That's, unfortunately, not an impossible event in our future, but we need to come up with something else. What will that be? I think we'll find out, since Trump's policies are likely to lead to one disaster or another. Until that happens, it's probably futile to come up with the rallying cry.

 

Neo you should join us! You are more like us than them...and we love you!

 

Us vs. Them. Yeah, that's the solution. No chance on a continuation of the status quo

So yes, if constructive people on both sides work together by joining these 2 parties and changing them on the inside that would be great. Better than try to counter one of them by some divisive mentality that only sounds righteous. Unfortunately I think the top will remain going the same directions.
Progressive change for your country lies in independent and 3rd party voting and of course not going for short term 'winning'

 

I'm afraid, as Lord Keynes reminded us, "in the long run we'll all be dead." My grandchildren (which I have none of at present) may see the triumph of a Third Party in the United States, if there still is such a place then. The last one to be successful was the Republican Party, just before the Civil War. Third Parties helped to elect Trump and G.W. Bush. A vote for Nader was a vote for G.W. Bush, and a vote for Johnson or Stein was a vote for the Donald. Trump did better with independents than with the electorate at large. Independents tend to be "a confused and clueless horde, whose interest in politics veers between the episodic and the non-existent" The Trouble With Independents The political parties perform a useful role in structuring and aggregating diverse interests into winning coalitions. The lesser of evils is probably the best a secular democratic society can do.

 

Did you pay attention when Trump nominated Gorsck to the Supreme Court?

 

Now that Kennedy is going out to the back 40 pasture, Trump & McConnel will be sticking it to us again. I see no reason to cooperate with Republicans at all. When we win in November, we need to go after them hard. When we win in 2020, we'll have to triple their taxes (rich Republicans) and reverse all the environmental damage, economic damage, health care damage, social services damage, & so on. At this point in history, the Republicans are only interested in hurting the Democrats.

 

She was willing to stand up against the top Republicans just a few weeks ago, and did it with style and pazzaz!

 

Wow: Alexandria Ocasio Cortez !

 

If Dems run on that platform they're guaranteed to lose.

 

She rejected corporate funding and beat the guy that was in position to take Nancy Pelosi's spot and she's only 28. This should be a huge wake up call for establishment democrats.

 

They weren't paying attention. The last election proved that. While the republicans put up a faux diversity array, the democrats went with two old white people (one of the most hated demographics in the US). Cortez is certain proof that old white democrats who run against ANY non-white democrats are on thin ice. Look how she unseated a 10 term establishment tick. That guy was really dug in deep and was eyeing Nancy's seat hard.

 

Yeah, Nancy down played the win. She should be shaking in her boots.

 

On the issue of 3rd party penetration, I've watched a few lessons. Yes, the establishment on both sides have created a legal and financial wall to keep a 3rd party from getting above the mildly humorous jokes stage. I know, I voted for Perot. He had a good message and a proven fiscal record. While Jimmy Carter sat on his fucking thumb, Ross Perot flew to Iran with a sack of cash and bribed the Iranians into keeping the hostages out of the Iranian prison system and sequestered safely.

Fast forward to 2016, and we actually had two 3rd party candidates; Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump. While neither adopted a 3rd party mantle, everything about them was non-establishment. For a couple of decades Trump was a darling to the democrats and showered them with cash. Bernie might have beaten Hillary in a fair match, but we'll never know now, thanks to establishment democrats.

Trump saw his way of life under threat by either party or I'm fairly certain he would not have run. Instead he chose which party would be easiest to defeat first, the republicans. Especially with that array of clowns and tokens they put on the stage. After whipping them, Hillary made it too easy for a guy with his momentum and drive to wax her ass. Which he did handily using the actual process that's on the books (which is why whining about the "popular vote" is a waste of time).

We're watching weird history get weirder folks. 2018 is going to be very exciting. If there are any debates, I'm bringing back the chat room drinking game (Cheap Shots).

 

I don't know, maybe Nan back-channeled some cash to Cortez to shut down any competition for her seat.

 

Yes! We need a new America! Not a racist America!