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Marie L's avatar

Get LGBTQ, transgender and same sex marriage off the top of their agenda. Focus on unions, voters rights, universal healthcare and above all education. Dumbing down of America gave us the dumbest President in US history. Make civics class mandatory. Get politics out of the churches or tax them. Overturn Citizens United. Above all quit talking about Trump and focus on what democrats are getting done.

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JoanneQ's avatar

Are you suggesting that Dems should be quiet when these groups are demonized by the right? Or perhaps they should pile on too?

Don’t be ridiculous. The right are the ones talking about these issues and firing up their base. Maybe they should shut up.

Also, no one is talking about same-sex marriage, as it is the law of the land. Again, maybe the right should shut up.

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Marie L's avatar

No Dems should not be quiet. But democrats are not *all* LGBTQ. In fact they are a small minority. Talking about same sex bathrooms, transgender treatments when 0.6% of our population is trans. It’s ludicrous. It cost us many votes. Where has that left the Trans community now? They are wiped off the White House website and they will be set back 4 years now. Voters rights, universal healthcare, union workers, etc… are what voters want to hear. Without a democrat in office the LGBTQ community are doomed.

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Laura Who's avatar

I think you might have misunderstood what Marie was conveying.

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Krysia Alexander's avatar

Marie, I agree, we leave no one behind but through education, universal healthcare, civics starting in 6th grade, history not memorization but showing cause and effect, supporting unions, increasing minimum wage, all of these take care of everyone, and I mean everyone.

Let's not forget Congress all branches, term limits, same health programs they have for their people, and all branches are held to a standard of integrity that their constitutes have to follow. Laws are laws, rules are rules, the Constitution is the Constitution for EVERYONE.

,

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Laura Who's avatar

I absolutely agree!! Dems need to include the average Joe and what’s important to middle America in their conversations. They also need to rise up and call out MAGA’s lies with actual facts and graphs. Ya know, for the simple minded folks who keep voting against their own interests. SMDH

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Lynnae's avatar

The US has gone off the rails. And sad to say there is no coming back in the near future, unless Trump mismanages another pandemic and the economy like he did the first time around. But the switch will only be temporary. Since Reagan, this country leans right, unless there is a state of emergency and needs fixing, then they hire a Democratic work horse to clean up the mess made by the republican administration. In addition the US has gone tribal. Anytime 55 percent of white women vote against their own bodily autonomy, and for an adjudicated rapist, there is something going on. So the right has their tribal instincts and the left is a compilation of special interests groups, some of which, if their needs aren’t met, will take their ball and go home. This is what we’re up against. Not a pretty picture going forward.

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Jay's avatar

It’s 53 percent this time, to be fair, was 55 in 2020 but nonetheless agreed for now.

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Ed Walker's avatar

Democrats have been punching left since the Second World War. Immediately after it ended, the party purged all the Communists and helped the Rs pass the Taft-Hartley Act , neutralizing the left-leaning unions. Then it got rid of the Socialists. When opposition to the Viet Nam War rose up, it nominated the cancer-ridden Hubert Humphrey instead of a strong anti-war candidate. The process got even rougher after Reagan, when the leadership moved to the non-existent center, and then worse as Oliver shows.

It continues today. Nancy Pelosi, who is mentally mired in the 80s, supported the sickly old white man Gerry Connolly instead of the vibrant and aggressive AOC. She supported the centrist Adam Schiff against the brilliant and forceful Katie Porter, driving her out of politics altogether. She supported the deteriorating Diane Feinstein, who died in office instead of any number of plausible youngerpeople.

Hilary Clinton had no reason to run. She and the leadership killed the Dems big chance to move into the future. Instead we wound up with the ancient Joe Biden, pining for the days of Tip and Ronnie and unwilling to let go of power.

We need massive change. We won't get it from the current leadership of the geriatric party.

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

Biden got the most progressive legislation thru the Cong w/no margin for error but yeah tell me bout that.

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Bubbens20's avatar

I don’t see light at the end of the tunnel as long as we’re shackled by the grossly-undemocratic Electoral College.

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Mommadillo's avatar

Ain’t happening. America has ALWAYS hated hippies more than Nazis, and it’s finally come back to bite us.

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Laura Who's avatar

I disagree. Maybe within a certain age group??

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Mommadillo's avatar

Go for it. Good luck. Thinking you’re gonna need it.

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Lot⁴⁹'s avatar

Bernie wasn't/isn't Goldwater-ish enough?

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Oliver Willis's avatar

his campaign was incompetent and thats putting it nicely

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

Lol 😂 nowhere in this article does he mention WHY GOLDWATERISM was successful. Even before we talk about the 10K TON 🐘 IN THE ROOM, RW 📻 (LIMBAUGH & HIS CLONES) THEN FOX NEWS Republicans successfully tapped into white peoples racism, not just in the South(the GOP incorporated the DIXIECRATS aft the late 60s) but in the ethnic white(Italians, Irish, other Catholics) north. When LBJ signed the CIVIL AND VOTING RIGHTS acts in the mid 60s ending American apartheid & giving blacks the right to vote he said, IVE LOST THE SOUTH FOREVER. he wasn't wrong either. From 1968-1992 Republicans held the WH for all but 4yrs of Jimmy carters yrs, a presidency cratered by inflation 🛢️ embargos & hostages in Iran. Backlash to the 60s ''hippie counterculture'' drove working class whites into the GOP as well. These people were democrats because of economics(unions social security Medicare) but once American apartheid was effectively ended they were giving Nixon, Reagan, bush landslide victories. GOP then released that TRICKLE DOWN economics(enrichment of the monied classes thru tax cuts & deregulation) wasn't that popular, u needed to feed the white majority endless cultural wars which tapped into fears & grievances real or imagined. Hence LIMBAUGH, HIS CLONES & FOX NEWS. fast fwd to the take over of social media by TECH BROS like MUSK & ZUCKERBERG who made their peace with fascists for personal gain, oh have I mentioned VLADIMIR PUTIN YET?

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Teddy Partridge's avatar

A.O.C.

That is all.

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

The same person who voted against the infrastructure stimulus bills.. gotcha

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Melissa KDC's avatar

Yes, yes, and Yes! I would add to the list of leaders holding us back are the high paid consultants who blame voters for their failures. Or the state party officials who have a pay to play mentality.

I’ve always been someone who has defended the Democratic Party, but no more. they have serious problems and I’m really at a loss if they can pull themselves out of this before it’s too late. This is not on the grassroots, It is on the leadership.

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A Declining Democracy's avatar

Neo-liberalism in the Democratic party is about courting the money for campaign donations. Unfortunately, those donations come with strings attached which is what is keeping us stuck in center-right thinking. I want to see AOC, Warren, Crockett, Raskin, and other progressives finally kick Pelosi and Schumer to the curb. I find it ironic that Biden’s parting message was about the danger of oligarchy, yet he did almost nothing to prevent this from happening, just like he sounded the warning bell about fascism and is passing the torch to Trump with nary a whimper. AOC’s proposed bill on banning office holders from owning/trading stock is a step in the right direction. So why aren’t the Democrats—other than Elizabeth Warren—rallying behind her in a big way? Too compromised themselves?

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Melissa KDC's avatar

Biden’s words did not match his actions. I’m furious.

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Dave Kearney's avatar

Oliver thinks the pushing Destructive Liberalism will save the Democratic Party. It was the fear of Destructive Liberalism that aided the Republican election win. Talk about doubling down on stupid🤣

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Nick Carlson's avatar

BTW Goldwater was VERY MUCH opposed the Christian right influence on the GOP. AND he favored gays in the military "you don't have to be straight. Just shoot straight".

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

Later on GOLDWATER absolutely did modify his RW views moving to the center. He did indeed dislike the Christian right, he had a genuine libertarian streak on social issues

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RM Gregg's avatar

Are you using " conservative values" as a euphemism for white supremacy? Your essay makes much more sense if as you read it, replace " conservative" with white supremacy.

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

My post on this thread said as much. GOLDWATERISM became successful AFTER BG himself was defeated in the 1964 election. Why? Simple the SHIFT Of SOUTHERN DEMS( DIXIECRATS) to the GOP, it took a while but by Reagan 1980 the shift was nearing completion.

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M. Apodaca's avatar

Keep in mind; the felon guy won by less than 2% and there was a world-wide refusal to re-elect incumbents.

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Kevin's avatar

Bernie Sanders?

Bernie Sanders did exactly this

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JOHN HERSHEL's avatar

Many JFK TRUMAN DEMOCRATS became REAGAN REPUBLICANS or voted for the GOP & kept doing so for cultural and racial reasons. The American right exploited THE GREATEST GENERATION, the mostly white people who fought in WW2 & KOREA or worked in the factories which built the tanks, ships & planes, fears grievances over the yrs. Boomers became more conservative/right leaning aft the Vietnam war was over, Nixon ending the draft subdued the anti war movement from highschool and college age white kids who didn't want to be drafted & sent to Vietnam..

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