"I don’t know, man, who is “the Democratic Party” if it’s not the voters? Democratic voters choose candidates, not party leaders. And party leaders need to listen to what voters are telling us - and right now they are demanding our party be bolder."
The idea that most Democrats want party leaders who will constantly seek the inoffensive center so as not to alienate any potential voter is both offensive and wildly untrue. Speaking for myself, I am desperate to vote for candidates who will boldly stand for Democratic (and democratic) ideas, and who forcefully condemn and call out the anti-democratic Right.
It looks to me now that John Ossoff may be that candidate I've been hoping for.
A Blue Wave is predicted for this November, in spite of the current Dem leadership, NOT in spite of the recent DSA wins. If the current Dem leadership would let go of their concern for norms, decorum, bipartisanship, and their fear of being branded a "socialist" or even a "communist," they may actually find their spines and become real servants of the People. If they can do that, November would see a Blue Tsunami.
Nothing wrong with norms, decorum, and bipartisanship, as long as both parties operate in good faith, but the repubs haven't done that in a long time. Yet, Dems weaken their case by insisting upon all three, no matter what the repubs do. As for being branded "socialist" or "communist," repubs are already doing that. Why don't Dems counter with "Republicans are fascists"? Because they are weak! And why do they continue to use repub framing for every single issue? Because they are weak, and possibly stupid as well.
Maybe they are neither stupid nor weak, but their words and actions make them appear to be so. They should fire their paid political consultants, who have given out bad advice to Dems for years. Go talk to We the People instead of the consultants and focus groups. Tim Walz was on to something when he labeled repubs "weird" in 2024, but the Harris Campaign put a stop to that, thanks to the paid political consultants. Sigh.
As soon as you wrote "They should fire their paid political consultants," the FIRST thing I thought of was how they put a stop to Walz calling Republicans "weird" before you continued on and wrote it yourself. That word worked and not only resonated with the public, it put Republicans in a tizzy—every time they tried to prove they weren't weird, they just further reinforced Walz's point.
I have been thinking for a while that Democratic voters in 2026 have finally reached the place Republican voters were in 2016-angry, fed up, and ready to pull the lever for someone who can clearly articulate their fury and promises to address their issues head on (say what you want about Trump, he *clearly* voiced GOP voter concerns, racist and misogynistic as they were). That Democratic primary voters are, finally, rejecting the calcified corpse of the Clinton/Obama era (Joe Biden was it's last rattling gasp) and all it's adherents should not surprise anybody IMO. Nothing they have to offer has stopped this MAGA freight train (and in fact contributed to it's rise for decades) and voters are frankly desperate for something different. Rump swabs like Gottheimer need to get with the program or get out of the way and give the reins to people who are actually up to the job.
As someone more moderate than the DSA on most issues, I’d offer unsolicited advice to the moderates who fear a DSA takeover—fretting over a “hostile takeover” just makes you look weak, and the biggest reason you’re losing to these DSA candidates is not because Dem voters are moving more to the left, but rather because they are frustrated with the establishment that they believe has not delivered and is showing weakness in the face of Republicans. They see DSA types as outsiders willing to fight and deliver, and even if they aren’t as far left as these candidates, they want someone who can actually do something.
So when you post tributes to Trump enablers like Lindsay Graham, when you don’t withhold unanimous consent on every Trump appointee (and even vote for some of them!), when you don’t blow up media appearances at Trump’s MSM handmaidens—these things piss off even moderate Democrats who are ready to say screw it, bring in the outsiders.
If that sounds familiar it’s exactly what happened to the GOP in 2016.
"I don’t know, man, who is “the Democratic Party” if it’s not the voters? Democratic voters choose candidates, not party leaders. And party leaders need to listen to what voters are telling us - and right now they are demanding our party be bolder."
https://bsky.app/profile/chrismurphyct.bsky.social/post/3mp23v347g22v
The idea that most Democrats want party leaders who will constantly seek the inoffensive center so as not to alienate any potential voter is both offensive and wildly untrue. Speaking for myself, I am desperate to vote for candidates who will boldly stand for Democratic (and democratic) ideas, and who forcefully condemn and call out the anti-democratic Right.
It looks to me now that John Ossoff may be that candidate I've been hoping for.
I like Ossoff but I like AOC more.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 “𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹” 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟴.
A Blue Wave is predicted for this November, in spite of the current Dem leadership, NOT in spite of the recent DSA wins. If the current Dem leadership would let go of their concern for norms, decorum, bipartisanship, and their fear of being branded a "socialist" or even a "communist," they may actually find their spines and become real servants of the People. If they can do that, November would see a Blue Tsunami.
Nothing wrong with norms, decorum, and bipartisanship, as long as both parties operate in good faith, but the repubs haven't done that in a long time. Yet, Dems weaken their case by insisting upon all three, no matter what the repubs do. As for being branded "socialist" or "communist," repubs are already doing that. Why don't Dems counter with "Republicans are fascists"? Because they are weak! And why do they continue to use repub framing for every single issue? Because they are weak, and possibly stupid as well.
Maybe they are neither stupid nor weak, but their words and actions make them appear to be so. They should fire their paid political consultants, who have given out bad advice to Dems for years. Go talk to We the People instead of the consultants and focus groups. Tim Walz was on to something when he labeled repubs "weird" in 2024, but the Harris Campaign put a stop to that, thanks to the paid political consultants. Sigh.
As soon as you wrote "They should fire their paid political consultants," the FIRST thing I thought of was how they put a stop to Walz calling Republicans "weird" before you continued on and wrote it yourself. That word worked and not only resonated with the public, it put Republicans in a tizzy—every time they tried to prove they weren't weird, they just further reinforced Walz's point.
America needs a new FDR.
I have been thinking for a while that Democratic voters in 2026 have finally reached the place Republican voters were in 2016-angry, fed up, and ready to pull the lever for someone who can clearly articulate their fury and promises to address their issues head on (say what you want about Trump, he *clearly* voiced GOP voter concerns, racist and misogynistic as they were). That Democratic primary voters are, finally, rejecting the calcified corpse of the Clinton/Obama era (Joe Biden was it's last rattling gasp) and all it's adherents should not surprise anybody IMO. Nothing they have to offer has stopped this MAGA freight train (and in fact contributed to it's rise for decades) and voters are frankly desperate for something different. Rump swabs like Gottheimer need to get with the program or get out of the way and give the reins to people who are actually up to the job.
As someone more moderate than the DSA on most issues, I’d offer unsolicited advice to the moderates who fear a DSA takeover—fretting over a “hostile takeover” just makes you look weak, and the biggest reason you’re losing to these DSA candidates is not because Dem voters are moving more to the left, but rather because they are frustrated with the establishment that they believe has not delivered and is showing weakness in the face of Republicans. They see DSA types as outsiders willing to fight and deliver, and even if they aren’t as far left as these candidates, they want someone who can actually do something.
So when you post tributes to Trump enablers like Lindsay Graham, when you don’t withhold unanimous consent on every Trump appointee (and even vote for some of them!), when you don’t blow up media appearances at Trump’s MSM handmaidens—these things piss off even moderate Democrats who are ready to say screw it, bring in the outsiders.
If that sounds familiar it’s exactly what happened to the GOP in 2016.