Culture Gap Could Keep Democrats From Gaining Seats in 2006

[TheresNoMoney]

When exactly? I don't recall (say) Boxer being told to shut up recently... and I don't see any strong criticisms of far left lobby groups...

What is your problem with Boxer? How is she loony?

The only DLC democrat I would consider supporting in 2008 is Mark Warner. The DLC has few true principles, they usually just try to chase the ever right-moving center. They are the corporate wing of the Democratic party, and that doesn't cut it.

We need to become a more populist party, not a corporate party that is Republican-lite.

[TheresNoMoney]

Americans are center-left on economic issues. I like Warner more than other DLC Democrats because he does a better job addressing the economic concerns of the typical voter.

We can be in the center on social issues, but we need to be more populist on economic issues. That is a winning combination.

Other DLC democrats are much too anti-worker in my opinion.

[TheresNoMoney]

JFern is just fine how he is.

Tim Ryan is a great congressman. He is pro-gun and  pro-life and I would support him in a heartbeat. Why? Because he supports the average American worker and votes for policies that will help our economic future. He also doesn't sell out to corporate interests. That is a true Democrat.

Many on this board come from upper middle class or rich families, and have never had to experience economic worries. Many ignore economic issues and think social wedge issues are what matters. The media has helped brainwash many young people to devalue economic concerns.

The Republican party has pushed their divisive social agenda on our country to distract voters while they reach into their pockets and steal away their economic future. Republicans are not right, they are destroying this country. Eventually we will look back at this period and see how much damage they have done. Right now many Americans (and many on this board) are still in a daze.

[TheresNoMoney]

[I couldn't have put it better myself.  The DLC is pragmatic, and we're trying to help.

The DLC needs more action, and less talk. Right now they're doing nothing besides blowing hot air and criticizing other Democrats.

[TheresNoMoney]

How the hell are we ever going to make progress if our two major political factions both cater to uneducated, rural voters.  

Recent polls show that Democrats are making good headway with rural voters who are becoming  more concerned with the war and economic issues.

Running pro-gun candidates also helps a lot in rural areas. Paul Hackett kicked ass in the rural counties of Ohio's District 2. I would really like to see the Democratic party reach out to rural voters. We can win them over.

[TheresNoMoney]

Al, I am disappointed in how brainwashed you are in some areas.

You still can't tell me how Barbara Boxer is "loony". Seems like you want a Democratic party that will sell themselves out to the corporations and religious right.

[TheresNoMoney]

Well, I'm glad Al isn't running the Democratic Party.  They might actually win that way.

And continue to sell out the interests of working class/middle class Americans.

What good is that?

[TheresNoMoney]

You are accusing Al of wanting to sell out the "working class?"  That is hilarious.

If Al wants us to become more like Republicans, that's what we'd have to do. That's what many DLC Democrats have also done in the past (during the Clinton era as well).

[TheresNoMoney]

Imagine how much money we'd have if the Republicans stopped billions of dollars in corporate welfare each year.

That would be the first thing I'd cut.

[TheresNoMoney]

The prescription drug plan was loaded with billions in corporate welfare:

http://www.pww.org/article/articleview/4449/1/141/

This article also shows one of the reasons Barbara Boxer is a great Senator.

[TheresNoMoney]

Because she is an extremist?

Another indepth analysis there. You still can't give me specific examples of how she's "loony" or "extremist". You're just repeating right-wing spin.

Think about some of the stuff she's said from the point of view of ordinary working class voters.

Barbara Boxer has been one of the top supporters of working class Americans. She has big support from labor organizations and consistently votes in the best economic interests of working Americans. Your quote shows me your complete lack of credibility in criticizing Boxer.

True. But that's not the issue here. Most Americans do not see the religious right as in any way representing the national GOP...

Ridiculous. For anyone who didn't know before, the Terri Schiavo debacle opened their eyes, as well as "Justice Sunday" and James Dobson consistently advocating for the Republican party on TV.

Shouldn't be hard to work out; move into the mainstream, critise the loony left, sever ties with extremist groups, win elections

How SPECIFICALLY do we need to move into the mainstream. Let's hear your ideas. And who are these "extremist" groups?

[TheresNoMoney]

If Boxer is so wonderful why aren't Democrats clamoring for her to run for President?

Because she wouldn't win. But she'd be a great president.

[TheresNoMoney]

Just because she's pro gun-control doesn't come close to making her an extremist.

Boxer is a champion of working Americans. And like Paul Wellstone said "Fighting for working Americans is always the right fight". Who cares about divisive social issues? They're only used by Republicans to distract people from their destructive economic agenda.

JFern is correct in all of his arguments.

[TheresNoMoney]

She wouldn't win because she is extreme.

She wouldn't win because Republicans have already demonized her and weak-knee'd Democrats like you buy into it and repeat the spin.

And again, you have no specific information to back up your claim of her being extreme. You just repeat right-wing spin over and over again.

[TheresNoMoney]

lol, Scoonie is such a riot. Jfern just posted like five links giving her 100% ratings from liberal groups, and he insists there's no evidence she's extreme.

Oh yeah, 100% ratings from pro-labor, pro-education, pro-environment, pro-property rights, pro-Social Security, and pro-health care groups make her an extremist!! That actually makes her an exemplary Senator.

What kind of sick bast*rd do you have to be to oppose those issues?

[TheresNoMoney]

I'm slightly more liberal economically than I am socially, so I appreciate her standing up for the working class.  But socially she's very liberal.  That's all I was saying.

You should've just said that at the beginning and we could've avoided most of this thread.  Your whole argument is that she's too socially liberal. Noted.

I think 20 years from now we'll look back at this time and wonder why the hell we were so obsessed with divisive social issues.  We'll probably laugh. I don't agree with Barbara on gun control but I hardly see that as a very important issue. Hunters will still be able to hunt and people will still be able to buy guns for protection (with a permit).

[TheresNoMoney]

Apparently, some Democrats have decided to junk jfern's approach and adopt Al's:

Democrats Woo Values Voters

People are beginning to realize that destroying the middle class/working class and pissing on their economic futures is hardly a family value.

[TheresNoMoney]

With the right candidate, the Democrats can do very well in rural areas. Paul Hackett crushed Jean Schmidt in the small rural counties in the Ohio-2 special election.

Being pro-gun is very important in these areas.

[TheresNoMoney]

The Democratic Party needs to big-up economic issues and moderate its social liberalism - 

I generally agree with you. I just wish those Democrats who criticize other Democrats would offer specific suggestions as opposed to the same, tired "loony left" insults.

It makes things a lot more constructive if specific examples are given.

[TheresNoMoney]

We shouldn't ignore the South at all, we just shouldn't pander to them if it means going against our core values. I would love to win a few southern states.

But if you want us to become a bunch of Zell Millers, it's not going to happen.

[TheresNoMoney]

I would like to see more economic populism from the Democrats.

We should do more to appeal to the South, but the midwest and southwest are where the more immediate opportunies are.

[TheresNoMoney]

Byrd is a populist.  Kent Conrad, Byron Dorgan, and Tim Johnson are other populists in the Senate.  Even Zell Miller was a populist.  Most rural Southerners were Democratic populists.

Zell Miller is no economic populist. He voted in lockstep with the Republican corporate agenda when he was in the Senate.

I like the other Senators you mentioned. Basically, Democrats need to appeal more to the working class (we should dominate in this demographic) and be more pro-gun.

[TheresNoMoney]

I wouldn't mind seeing a Labor party step up whose primary aim is to support the working class/middle class.

[TheresNoMoney]

Either we run a right-winger, or Fox criticizes us.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

The best thing to do is grow our media base to compete with the right-wing media.

Of course, Bill Clinton is also to blame for his media deregulation bill in the 90's which led to much media consolidation of power.

[TheresNoMoney]

No one every said Boxer is a moderate. She's a liberal that consistently votes in the best interests of working Americans, which makes her one of my favorite Senators.

She also is one of our only Senators with backbone.