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I've spent almost 20 years trying to push the Democratic Party to the left. Every wave has to learn the same lessons:
1) there is no secret progressive mass of indies and non-voters;
2) the establishment can and does fight back;
3) you win more voters with honey than vinegar.
1) there is no secret progressive mass of indies and non-voters;
2) the establishment can and does fight back;
3) you win more voters with honey than vinegar.
4) Yes, center-left establishment media is challenging to break through. That's why relationships with key figures matter. They want to see certain hallmarks of seriousness.
5) Base Dems have a sort of Stockholm Syndrome. They are usually more progressive than how they vote. /2
5) Base Dems have a sort of Stockholm Syndrome. They are usually more progressive than how they vote. /2
6) Base Dems are *extremely* loyal to the party and its loyalty. Anti-partisanship itself is a huge turnoff to them.
7) Base Dems need to not feel insulted, & be convinced that you can win elections against the conservative forces with an unapologetically progressive stance. /3
7) Base Dems need to not feel insulted, & be convinced that you can win elections against the conservative forces with an unapologetically progressive stance. /3
8) Marxists who frame everything as class war generally have to explain these inconveniences as corruption or false consciousness. It's not.
9) The generation gap is huge. Boomers are cagey based on past defeats (72/84/94,10) & don't get how broken life is for younger folks. /4
9) The generation gap is huge. Boomers are cagey based on past defeats (72/84/94,10) & don't get how broken life is for younger folks. /4
10) Most of the time it doesn't need to be a knock-down drag-out internal fight. The mods will come along for the ride if they see you as a responsible actor.
11) The big internal fights are where lib/soc policy divides really are stark: housing, criminal justice, etc. BUT... /5
11) The big internal fights are where lib/soc policy divides really are stark: housing, criminal justice, etc. BUT... /5
12) The arena for sorting out the big policy divides in an ugly way between liberals and socdems/demsocs is not the presidential stage. Where the rubber meets the road on criminal justice and housing is local.
If you want to impact that, get involved in a DA or Assembly race./6
If you want to impact that, get involved in a DA or Assembly race./6
13) And guess how you can best impact that DA or Assembly race? Join your local Democratic Party and influence who gets the endorsement!
Because again: base Dems trust the Dem leadership. You won't change that, and you can't bypass it. /end
Because again: base Dems trust the Dem leadership. You won't change that, and you can't bypass it. /end
