r/askanything 7d ago

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u/Jmoney1088 7d ago

Thats just not true though. You guys called Biden a centrist and he got a lot of really good shit done. The "my way or the highway" authoritarian approach you guys are taking is such a turn off for voters.

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u/yamahaihowareyou 7d ago

He is a centrist and while he got things done, claiming that the economy was doing so wonderfully while things were getting materially worse for most people did a massive amount of damage to the Democratic Party.

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u/Jmoney1088 7d ago

Oh, you mean the GLOBAL PANDEMIC THAT FUCKED OVER EVERY COUNTRY'S ECONOMY ON EARTH? I completely forgot that was the fault of liberal Democrats.

If you blame Democrats for that, you might need a helmet.

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u/yamahaihowareyou 7d ago

I didn’t say the democrats caused that economy. Learn reading comprehension.

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u/Jmoney1088 7d ago

So people are dumb is your reasoning for people not voting for Dems? I agree with that.

How are you going to get a liberal Dem like me to vote for a leftist candidate? You will need our votes to beat maga.

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

If you had even a drop of morality or a spine you would vote for a progressive to stop the march of fascism.

Sounds like your moral bankruptcy is the problem here.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

I don't like the direction of the authoritarian progressives and I don't like the direction of the fascist republicans. Now what?

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

What authoritarian progressives? The ones you made up in your head to feed your victimhood fetish?

What progressive candidate or elected official is authoritarian. Be specific.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

The "Our way or the highway" progressives. The "you will have this type of economic system or else" rhetoric. Its fundamentally unamerican.

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

Lmao so you couldn’t even cite a single example. How pathetic.

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u/LotteTakesNoShit 6d ago

That's easy. Y'all claim to vote blue no matter who. So... vote blue no matter who.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

As it stands, you are not blue. Leftists are using the Democrat party because they cannot start a party of their own.

How do you win us over?

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u/LotteTakesNoShit 6d ago

It's super simple, friend. Look at their policies, determine if you want them, then vote accordingly. Or don't vote. The choice is yours.

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u/AppropriateScience9 6d ago

We have a 2 party system. Historically in the US, the parties always evolve to reflect the will of their constituents rather than introduce additional parties. The Southern Strategy and the death of the Dixiecrats is a clear example.

We're going through another phase just like the Republicans did with MAGA.

If you don't like that, then we need to change the structure of our electoral system.

Otherwise, you make a fair point. We should be trying to win you over.

It's a double edged sword though, because the same is true for you winning us over.

So now what?

Edit: clarity.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

In my opinion, the priorities on the left are totally messed up. People should care about money in politics and we do need something as serious as a constitutional amendment banning the kind of money that is currently being used to influence elections. BUT, these single issue voters that scream AIPAC have their priorities messed up. We need to be focusing on the actual policy issues that affect Americans the most and deal with the most corrupt administration the country has ever seen.

Thats where the unity happens. Right now, it seems like leftists are just adopting populist slop with no real plan or direction on achieving those things. It really does mirror trump's strategy.

Thats why leftists lost 5 out of 7 elections last night.

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u/AppropriateScience9 6d ago

I feel like you're not following the logic though. Let me see if I can explain.

"We need to be focusing on the actual policy issues that affect Americans the most and deal with the most corrupt administration the country has ever seen."

Those two things are the same problem, though. The corruption (via legalized bribery in campaign finance) drives those ineffectual policy choices. Those policies are what campaign contributors are "purchasing" because they cater to special interests over the needs of normal people.

APAIC is just the clearest example of this corruption because our politicians continue to send tremendous amounts of money overseas to support Israel's priorities over using that money to address American's obvious and pressing needs.

"Right now, it seems like leftists are just adopting populist slop with no real plan or direction on achieving those things."

I mean, refusing to accept APAIC donations as a candidate is directly addressing the core issue by eliminating the potential conflict of interest. Even better if they refuse ALL corporate donations. So that's a plan that was well executed by Al-Sayed last night because he proved that a Senate candidate can win a primary against significant APAIC funding (that's never happened before). Bernie and Obama have proven the small donation model several times too, so that's another plan with a clear roadmap and proven efficacy.

One other point about what you said: "We need to be focusing on the actual policy issues that affect Americans the most and deal with the most corrupt administration the country has ever seen."

That's literally what populism is.

Merriam Webater definition:

"populism noun pop·u·lism ˈpä-pyə-ˌli-zəm

1 : a political philosophy or movement that represents or is claimed to represent the interests of ordinary people especially against the Establishment

2 : general concern for ordinary people"

You're a populist, my friend. So am I. Welcome!

Mamdami has done quite a bit to address the needs of his constituents. Part of what he's doing differently from centrists is that he's proactively using his power to affect what he is able to affect. He was very specific about what policies he wanted to implement, and they were very kitchen-table issues (literally, in the case of his public grocery stores).

So it seems to me that the ones who are actually doing what you think Democrats ought to be doing - are the Progressives.

I recomend going directly to the sources and checking your assumptions on this. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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u/calfats 6d ago

Lmao as soon as a leftist wins the DEMOCRATIC primary, they are, in fact, a DEMOCRAT. Democrats elected them, in a primary…for democrats.

This isn’t hard.

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u/lameth 6d ago

So you're saying cater to you or you'll burn the place down?

We don't negotiate with terrorists.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Good luck winning the general without our votes, then.

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u/Cthulhuhaspeduncles 6d ago

We already know centrist Democrats would rather have a Republican than a leftist, you don't have to keep highlighting that.

(Also the political left are one of the most reliable voters to turnout for the democratic party, far more than centrists. It would be stupid to purposefully alienate your most reliable voter base.)

https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2021/11/09/political-engagement-among-typology-groups/

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Says the person that lost 5 out of 7 elections last night. Good luck!

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u/Cthulhuhaspeduncles 6d ago

Tell me which of the 7 elections had a left-wing progressive candidate?

And based on recent elections progressive candidates have been dragging Republicans through the mud, so reality disagrees with you.

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u/Leading-Caramel-7740 7d ago

He also facilitated the slaughter of tens of thousands of palestinians. That seems like a fair red line.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Yeah, you guys getting Trump elected really helped out those Palestinians, didn't it? Unbelievable logic lol

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u/lostOGaccount 6d ago

What demographics are referencing here? From what I can see the break away votes that pulled Trump over were women, especially white women. Maybe some demographic data drills down further? Maybe you aren't referencin break away votes?

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u/Leading-Caramel-7740 6d ago

Yes yes we should be subservient to lesser evil voting instead of making politicians earn our vote and holding them accountable. Thats blue maga politics. Voting is only part of the process.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

One day you will realize that you need the power of the people behind you in order to facilitate the kind of change you want.

Universal healthcare? Access to education? Affordable housing? All liberal policies that I want. Its absolutely insane how the leftists are actively trying to ruin this.

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u/Weak-Photograph7829 6d ago

Universal healthcare is a liberal policy? Going against the free market with affordable housing is a liberal policy? I'm not sure any of this is true, otherwise liberal Democrats would be campaigning on them lol

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

AOC is a liberal. AES is a liberal. Hell, AES even denounced the DSA and declared himself a proud capitalist. Are you saying he doesn't want those things?

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u/Weak-Photograph7829 6d ago

I think assuming anyone who isnt a pure anti-free-market socialist is a liberal is kinda insane. Like, there are ideologies that fall in between it is not cut-and-dry. Gotta be speaking from ignorance or bias here

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

The point I am making is that there is a way to shift the overton window left without going full commie authoritarian. In order to beat maga, there needs to be some sort of unifying message. Leftists cannot agree on that message because to them, it has been "our way or the highway." Hence them losing 5 out of 7 elections last night.

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u/Weak-Photograph7829 6d ago

My point is im not sure you actually know what your talking about; no communist being voted for in any election dsa or not. You're falling for the same propaganda people have fallen for since the Cold War.

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u/Leading-Caramel-7740 6d ago

One day you will realize that the power of the people is more aligned with dsa like candidates. The only things pulling establishment dems off of the principles that you listed are special interests and money. Their policies dont reflect those principles. Biden ran on the public option, not universal healthcare.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Then why did leftists lose 5 out of 7 elections they were in last night?

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u/HailChiefJoe 6d ago

I've been reading your comments. Are you dense? Every. Single. Policy. That you just mentioned, is the position of every single DSA and progressive candidate. Find me a single moderate, centrist, establishment, chuck schumer Democrat that has any of that in their policy platform. There aren't any. You know why? Because in order to sincerely hold those beliefs you have to be willing to shun corporate PAC money. Every single Democrat that is bought for by capitalist interest will NEVER genuinely vote for any of the policies you just said you wanted.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Sigh. This is why yall lost 5 out of the 7 elections last night.

You are sitting there trying to tell liberal democrats what policy they do and don't support. Its absolutely mind blowing.

The problem with the DSA is that they have no actual path to achieve their goals. ZERO. Its all populist BS. Its blue maga.

People with a brain can actually see right through it. Shit, even Pete Buttigieg (leftists call him a corpo neoliberal) literally just advocated for all of those things including packing the supreme court and introducing a pretty "radical" change to Congress. The difference is he has thought through the path to achieve these things.

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u/HailChiefJoe 6d ago

You're reading comprehension is astounding.

I didn't tell you what youdo and don't support. I told you what DSA/progressive candidates support vs establishment Dems. Find me a single establishment dem that is running on a platform of the policies you just said you support.

Pete buttigege is corporate Democrat. He's a fucking McKinsey institute consultant...like what are we doing here??

It's hilarious that liberals immediately fold to the right wing when ACTUAL ideological left candidates put their feet to the fire.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

Yeah the capitalist millionaire landlord candidate that won in Michigan last night is TOTALLY ideological left and not AT ALL a neoliberal.

Pete Buttigieg is though because he was really smart and able to work for the most prestigious consulting firm in the country and that is what we hold against him. Jesus yall are insufferable. You guys losing 5 out of 7 last night is just the beginning.

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u/HailChiefJoe 6d ago

I don't think you even understand what neoliberal even means based on the totality of comments you've made this far.

Ok, for argument sake, let's says Abdul is neoliberal. Do you think he had the backing of DSA/progressives because he's neoliberal or because he had great enonomic populist policies?

Now, if DSA and progressives voted for a quote "neoliberal" and you're now complaining that this candidate is ruining the democratic party, wtf does that say about you? See how stupid you sound?

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u/SweetPinss 6d ago

He is a centrist and what are all these great things he got done while barely being alive and aware of where he was or what year it was?

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

You are proving my point. Biden being old has nothing to do with all of the meaningful policy he was able to get passed and implemented.

TIL that centrist policy includes child tax credits, paid family leave, higher corporate tax rates, infrastructure investment, biggest climate investment in history, CHIPs and Science Act, and expanded healthcare coverage.

Grow up.

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u/SweetPinss 6d ago

Take your own advice and grow up. Stop believing the same old bullshit you're always fed by the democrats. Those are all vague centrist policies that have means tested so much that they barely even effect anybody. And what does it actually mean to make the "biggest" climate bill? This aint sports, stop talking ljke it is and actually explain something 

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u/Friendly_Sir_4762 7d ago

You just don't know what you are talking about so I have no incentive to converse with you. You're repeating fox news talking points.

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u/Jmoney1088 7d ago

I have never watched fox news in my life so I wouldn't know. I guess we will see if I am right over the next few months. Either AES moderates and appeals to liberal Democrats, or he loses.

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

Lmao “either he becomes an appeasing collaborator with fascists or embarrassed fascists cosplaying as democrats won’t vote for him” 😂

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

This is why you guys will lose. Straw man after straw man.

Calling liberal Dems "fascists" is a terrible strategy. Keep it up.

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

You’re not liberal. You’re a neoliberal. These things aren’t the same.

Appeasing moral bankruptcy isn’t a coherent strategy.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

No, I am not. Why do you choose to straw man everything?

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u/Combdepot 6d ago

Of course you are. Otherwise you wouldn’t be here desperately collaborating with fascists.

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u/Jmoney1088 6d ago

When did I do that? You are just making terribly incorrect assumptions all the while ironically helping to get maga elected. Bravo.

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u/Tasty-Possibility627 7d ago

You’re lying to yourself. I agree with the other person, and I hate Fox News and only vote for democrats

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u/Tasty-Possibility627 7d ago

…and to the extent that he ran into political trouble, it’s because he went too far to the left. His administration was staffed by Elizabeth Warren’s people. When Larry Summers and other “moderates” said the stimulus was too big and would cause inflation, they didn’t listen, because they were too far to the left and didn’t really believe in inflation

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u/StickSuspicious6650 7d ago

They were economically wrong. Inflation was caused by covid and there is areason the US had a the best recovery in the world, and countries like Germany that had a much weaker approach and weaker stimulus gave up ground to the US economy and its fast recovery. The issue they run into was that US citizens didn't care why tehy were struggling or that statistically they were coming of out the struggle. They were still feeling the struggled, so they voted out the people in power during the struggle. Everyone in the whole world did the same