Progressive Look at Democrat Loss

For John, BLUF:  The Democrats have a problem, in that they are split between the Clinton centrist approach and the true Progressives.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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From Nation of Change we have this item, by Political Activist Kevin Zeese, "Message To Democratic Party: It’s Time To Face Reality".

After getting clobbered on Nov. 4, the Democratic Party needs to ask itself some tough questions and come up with honest answers.  If it doesn’t, it’s going to continue to lose elections because it lacks credibility with its own voter base.

The 2014 election was a disaster for Democrats.  Any Democratic partisan who tries to explain it away is doing a disservice to their party.  When the Maryland’s Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown loses to an unknown Republican in a state where the Democrats have a 2-to-1 registration advantage, the Democratic Party better look in the mirror and ask:  Why didn’t people vote for us? And why didn’t the base of people who have voted for us come out to vote?

Democratic Party chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz announced that the party will initiate a process to understand why they lost so badly in the recent election.  An honest reflection on these questions and an informed shift in strategy would result in a transformation toward a truly populist platform with non-corporatist candidates.  That shift would make the Democratic Party the dominant party for decades to come.  Failure to face these issues will ensure the Democrats will never play the role of leadership that the country needs at this critical time.

Here are the answers to the questions the Democratic Party needs to be asking itself:  People didn’t vote because the Democratic Party has not served the interests of their constituents.  The Democrats are trying to serve two masters: big money — primarily from Wall Street and transnational corporations — and the people.  The people want policies that big business opposes.

Here is a sort of Bottom Line by Mr Zeese:

The views of Americans were most clearly seen in direct democracy on Election Day where people voted, even in red states, for increases in the minimum wage, to block fracking in their communities and for paid sick leave.  Looking at polls of the American people conducted today and over the past decade or more, they are much more progressive than the way either party governs — meaning that, essentially, the people are not represented in U.S. government.

Note to Senator Warren:  I think Mr Zeese is wrong, but he does represent a point of view.  That is, the Democrat Party did poorly on 4 November because it isn't the real Democrat Party, but a group of politicians beholding to powerful interests, including on Wall Street.♠  On the other hand, the Clintonistas will tell you that being in the center wins elections.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  I do sort of agree with "a group of politicians beholding to powerful interests, including on Wall Street".  Not Jack Mitchell, for example, but maybe a lot of the others.