Before the Trump presidency is even over, we start hearing talk of how the “Far Left” nearly cost Biden the election. Medicare for All is portrayed as a ridiculous proposition, as is police reform.
Will the Democrats give in to this sort of pressure and abandon meaningful police or Healthcare reform?
If so, will this really win them the approval and cooperation of Republicans?
Frankly, I think the first is all too likely, and the latter won’t happen in a million years. I fear we will see 4 more years of deadlock followed by the Republicans taking control of the presidency again.
The Far Left nearly did cost Biden the election. It also costs the Democrats some House seats, and likely the Senate. My parents voted for Trump because they weren’t interested in abolishing the police, or in voting for anyone who entertained that possibility (I’m summarizing, but that’s pretty much how the past 6 months played out).
Yes, I know that Biden didn’t actually want to abolish the police. But he didn’t energetically refute that proposal either.
I don’t know why you think that means nothing can ever be accomplished, though. Why is the Far Left the only option? It’s either the Far Left or nothing?
So far the “far left” aka center left politicians are the only ones calling for meaningful police reform rather than crying about how “defund” means “abolish”, so yes, apparently it’s either “far left” or nothing.
Oh, I support the real democratic party, 100%. I just find it odd how quick they are to abandon the people who actually voted for them in favor of appealing to people who’d rather vote for a fascist. Doesn’t seem like a winning strategy long term.
Sure, in other places I can grant that the message got twisted by republicans and conservative media for that to be just about end of the world proposals if they voted for Biden. So they convinced a few to vote for the arsonist in chief, but 4 million more than Trump (and counting) voted for Biden in the end.
First, the people who voted for them are mostly moderates. Progressives are a small, if very loud, wing. Second, Mitch McConnell is likely to control the Senate, so absolutely no progressive policies can get through no matter who is president. Third, nothing has actually happened yet. Not a single proposal, policy, bill, or cabinet member. Your entire premise is based on a cloud of nothing. Maybe come back in a year and make your case then.
I think you’re totally misreading this election. There were a LOT of protest votes against Donald Trump as a person and as President, but don’t mistake those for a wholesale endorsement of the Democratic party, or even Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.
Even at that, it was a damned near run thing, with virtually half of the electorate voting for Trump and the Republicans.
I maintain my position that “Defund the Police” was and is a uniquely moronic and counterproductive slogan for an election year like this. I mean, Karl Rove, Steve Bannon and Roger Stone couldn’t have got high on something and thought up a more damaging to the Democrats slogan for that movement.
I’ll make a minor prediction and say that the 2022 midterms are going to be interesting. Without Trump in office to stink up the joint for the GOP, they’re going to look a lot more appealing to people who primarily voted against Trump and the GOP last week. Especially if they go back to business as usual and quietly repudiate the more obnoxious elements of Trumpism.
I think considering the outcome and how close it was at all Federal levels, it would be repellent to a lot of people who voted against Trump (but not necessarily FOR the Democratic party) to go too far left now.
I’ve been seeing a dozen commentators come up one after the other to blame the far left (as if any US politicians qualify) for Biden’s loss. In fact, it has happened in this very thread.
I voted Biden because I loathe Trump as a liar, a fraud, a vulgarian. But voting Dem when so many think Defund the police is good rhetorical positioning? No way.
The difference between Biden and down ticket Democrats performance (latter worse including in New York State) says yeah, the Far Left hurt the Democrats in their tone deaf rhetoric.
Of course people can play, as one can easily predict by history definition games.
Defund police, abolish ICE, tear down statues other than Confederates, all stupid shit.
Yes, absolutely.
I consider myself a centrist Republican although the Republican party has been taken over by loony goons, Confederates of the modern era, and grifters. Maybe I can vote centre Dem, I legitimately like Biden. Even Harris.
But handing power to the Squad? Nope. Can’t go there.
BTW I have seen reports that the reason why many Black people voted in places like Pennsylvania and Georgia was by following a lot of what BLM and others were saying. They are the reason why Biden won, it was not for following the usually false scary rhetoric from the right against people like AOC.
And then if we do want to see progress on many other issues that even the moderates want, we will have now to help those “far left” voters in Georgia to help with the remaining senate races.
This entire post is to repudiate the argument of Bable although I will quote others in support more than the OP.
This.
And none of the right of me, but still somewhat moderate Republicans voted for Trump because of Biden and the middle – they were afraid of (and convinced of) Bernie Sanders and Ilhan Omar having influence – EXTREME INFLUENCE. The far left is a drag on both Biden’s agenda and reputation. i am not saying there are not a few good ideas over there – but it should be far from the focus now.
Yes, the worst framing possible. People who are old and afraid seeing (what looks like – because if it bleeds it leads) riots on TV then hearing “take money and resources from the very people who are supposed to protect us from - - - THAT” sounds like insanity. Even if they do think Trump is insane and immoral, the far left managed to make Trump’s brand of insanity look more acceptable.
I am a huge supporter of Police going back to law enforcement, Firefighters staying with fire safety and suppression along with medical rescue, and there being a social services aspect to both (here on the East side of Maricopa County we have such services that me and mine have benefited from on occasion).
If you want POLICE REFORM, say Police Reform! Don’t say anything that sounds like disbanding or defunding them. That is an unforced error, and dumb at a basic level. Instead say, along with the very fine work most officers do in a very dangerous job, day in and day out – we can all stand to learn additional ways to solve problems. It does not take away any tools they now have, just gives them additional tools. Then give them tools that work and try to weed out the blatant, outright racists.
Only after the authorities are following the rules can you begin to say to young men of color, give the cops a chance to be fair and comply with reasonable requests. Please keep yourself from looking like a target to them – look like a citizen. (But this is for after Police forces country wide have improved and proven they CAN be trusted.)
This is just reality. Let’s attempt the easy, moderate lifts first before going for a world record. As a devout moderate myself I am almost as distrustful of the far left as I am of the far right (almost!). But I resent the far left for motivating the entire right from moderate to right of Hitler. There is a place for progressive politics – this is not the time for extreme politics.
You quoted 538??? Why don’t you just dig up a forecast from Nostradamus? Right now I cannot think of a less reliable source than Nate Silver and his band crused hopes wing men (and women).
The far left is liability right now. Moderation is the order of the day. I hope Bernie Sanders and ‘The Squad’ get stuck in an elevator with Karl Rove, Steve Bannon, and Roger Stone (thank you for the list bump), and they have to rely on Nate Silver to fix the problem so they are stuck in there for over a month (with a 68.2 chance of being rescued within the next ten minutes for the entire time).
Start in the middle with reality and continue to draw the circle larger and larger as long as you are successful. Eventually, you can shift the circle somewhat [SOMEWHAT!] to the left so your stuff is addressed before the right’s stuff. But the sooner you ignore the right and force your far left agenda the sooner you fail and hand power back to the other side.
Please, please try to not build a pendulum that swings wildly from side to opposite side. Instead build a pendulum that can only travel in a circle. As it grows to accomplish your goals – it also addresses the rights views. Try to see the goal as seeing how big the circle can be. Not how to develop a pendulum that only swings in one direction.
RyanAdam, you are my people!
How can some Democratic voters not grasp this can be a coalition of a huge (as opposed to the now defunct YUUUGE) portion of the electorate? Contrary to a personal former hero’s assertion: “Extremism in pursuit of virtue is a vice because there is little virtue in any extremism.”
Went on too long as I do so often, but want to say that there is virtue in moderation. There is virtue in trying to gain agreement rather than in sowing discord. Allow your desire for the far left agenda be a long term goal as you use this time to accomplish something more reasonable and centrist, and build toward more in the future, OP.
The far left was a detriment to the election of the Democratic ticket.
If the far left insists upon immediately adopting their agenda, they will deter the presidency also. Period.
This is talking to a brick wall, but I’ll try two points.
Biden has not done anything as President yet. To accuse him of not pushing for you favorite policies is premature, to be polite.
I think there is no question that many voters were terrified by what happened after the protests. Every person who visited the right-wing news bubble heard nothing but horror stories and those infiltrated the rest of the country. The results speak for themselves. The far left is a bubble itself; it does not listen to others. Most especially it does not seek to make alliances and reach out to those who aren’t already supporters. They are ideologues where we need politicians. Over time, I hope they can nudge the country to the left, but they need to create a bridge not a moat.
I didn’t say he had. In fact, my OP had a question:
I offered my opinion – that he likely will abandon police reform and Medicare for all. It sounds like you agree, just think that this is a good idea, so I’m not sure why you’re getting so angry.
That’s the straw man caricature left presented by right wing media. For example, the actual left isn’t going to raise your taxes unless you make 400k or more a year; doesn’t stop Trumpets who’ll never even make a fraction of that from ranting and raving about socialism.
The impression I get from members of this board is that much like the far right is unwilling to work with the center in any way, the center refuses equally to work with the progressives, just constantly dismissing them as “far-left”, “Bernie Bros”, etc.
That’s actual Biden. Obviously the far left will need to raise taxes hugely on everyone to fund all the programs they want. I’m not objecting to that, because I think the end result will be worth it, just like in all those “socialist” countries. But you can’t accuse Biden of not following the far left agenda and then call his proposals the actual left.
The center is the party. The far-left are the newbies trying to push in. They’re the ones who either have to make accommodations or else win a numerical majority, neither of which they appear interested in. Do we know what percent of Bernie Bros voted for Biden? If it was less than 100%, fuck 'em.