Ok, let's talk about conservative Democrats

[CC27]

Kentonio (2,747 posts)

Ok, let's talk about conservative Democrats


First up, this isn't another thread to talk about Mello and Sanders and Kaine etc etc repeat ad nauseum. There's already more than enough of those. What I'd like to discuss is the broader question of which candidates we should be putting forward and whether allowing a conservative wing of the Democratic party is actually a wise strategy moving forward.

The argument as I see it is this: To make progress in conservative & southern states we have to run candidates who are outside the progressive wing of the party. This can well result in candidates who do not completely share the party ideology on major topics including workers rights, abortion, guns, healthcare and more. The theory goes that it's better to have someone in the D column who shares some or most of our ideals, than not. Over time this is supposed to allow increased exposure to Democratic thought and allow for those states to start moving more towards us ideologically.

On the opposite side of the argument is the idea that by allowing conservative Democrats we weaken our own national message and lessen our power to enact national legislation even when we have a majority (they won't always vote our way in case they're attacked with their vote at election time (see public option etc)). There's also thinking that by running conservative Democrats, we don't offer in the people in those states a genuine choice between our ideology and the Republicans, but rather between the GOP and a watered down version. It's possible this could be a contributing factor to our inability to connect with working voters in some of those states and the growth of the 'politicians are all the same' mentality that has infected a lot of voters. There's also the argument that by running progressives we can grow the progressive message there, which is undermined with conservative candidates.

I can see some truth in both sides of this one, and it troubles me not being able to see a clear route forward. My instinct is that we should run on our ideals and ensure that the Democratic 'brand' is clear and united in the values we represent. At the same time though there's certainly truth in 'the perfect is the enemy of the good'. If running pure progressives in southern states is just going to condemn us to decades of GOP rule in those states, then are we just being self-destructive handing over power so easily to those who resent everything we hold dear?

I'd be really interested to hear people's thoughts. And please, let me ask one more time for people to not turn this into a thread about individuals. This is just about strategy.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10028980638

No such animal. BTW, you much way too much sense for a real DUmmie. Mole city.

[SSG Snuggle Bunny]

If the statists and the commies can't even find peace amongst themselves what makes them think a conservative democrat would be welcomed amongst their howling mob?

[SVPete]

The D Party drove most/all of those folks out of positions of power/influence a couple of decades ago. And as for ordinary "conservative Ds", they're either sheeple sitting quietly in the back of the bus, voting as they're told, or they jumped out of the back of the bus years or decades ago.

Have the DU Prog-Purists attacked yet? Should be very         .

[Duke Nukum]

My instinct is that we should run on our ideals and ensure that the Democratic 'brand' is clear and united in the values we represent.

What values? The only Democrat ideal is hypocrisy. And even at that, you are quick to accuse outsiders of being 'hypocrites' while embracing your own hypocrisy.

[Ralph Wiggum]

Read that twice and still can't decipher the word salad.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Let me guess, when you DUers say 'Talk about' them, you don't plan on it being in a good way...

[SVPete]

Let me guess, when you DUers say 'Talk about' them, you don't plan on it being in a good way...

That's the key to this word salad. DU-folk see less extreme, less "pure" Ds as THEY, not WE. With that mindset, two outcomes are most likely:

* Less pure Ds will continue to be ostracized and driven out of the party;

* Party purists hold their noses and tolerate the less pure, assuming the less pure are too blind to see the held noses.

Either way, there will likely be a continued "leakage" from the D Party of the Progressively Impure.

[jukin]

The sane democrats of yesteryear are what we call RINOs or DIABLOs.

For my complete proof: Paul Ryno to fund planned parenthood but not the wall. Also, republican senators laughabout building a wall.

SO the left has done major damage to the country by pushing the former democrat party into being nothing more than the CPA and made former democrats into the GOPe. A lurch to the left and into serfdom for average Americans.

[Delmar]

Response to Kentonio (Original post)Wed Apr 26, 2017, 12:52 PM
Star Member MineralMan (93,284 posts)
95. It is impossible to discuss your topic without using examples.

Those examples are people who have been elected to office or have failed to win their election.

Since you wish to exclude the mention of specific examples by name, there is no real way to participate in the thread.

Sorry.

Reading that short post was tiring enough.  I can't imagine how boring it would've been if he had been fully prepared and equipped for participation in a manner that he'd consider satisfactory.

[I_B_Perky]

Read that twice and still can't decipher the word salad.

Glad I wasn't the only one.   

[DUmpDiver]

Over time this is supposed to allow increased exposure to Democratic thought and allow for those states to start moving more towards us ideologically.

LOL. Because anyone who is "exposed to Democratic thought" will see that it is the only one, true ideology, right?

I guess they didn't have enough exposure to "Democratic thought" (oxymoron) having the press fawn all over Obama for a decade.

Sorry, numbnuts, but not everyone wants a government of leftard elites running their lives.

[Carl]

I think the Readers Digest version of that is..."We can`t win outside of a few cities so how do we lie to them in the rest of the country?"

[BadCat]

Precisely.