1952

So say we all-, er, most of us, I guess.

Yeah, although to be fair I think that’s by necessity; the two party system in the US demands a lot of compromise when it comes to party ideals or else the party winds up losing a whole lot more often than the Dems do.

1953

On the flip side

(It is Ross Douthat though. I much prefer David Brooks in the role of token conservative punching bag.)

1954

Yeah, I mean, everybody has to draw a line somewhere (and a fair number of GOPers drew their line at Trump), but if the very concept of compromise is anathema to a person, they’re not going to do well in American politics. Nor, probably, do they have the foggiest understanding of our history, which is shot through with compromise after compromise. Plus a big ol’ war when compromise failed.

1955

For the Democrats to truly win enough voters to sustain a coalition, they’re going to have to become a socialist party- at least somewhat. There’s a reason Bernie Sanders is the most popular figure in the Democratic party- he’s one of the few offering something.

What the Democrats preached under Obama was mega-unpopular and that was only masked by Obama’s popularity- and that didn’t help downballot.

1956

No that’s not it, or at least the only reason or even the majority of a reason.

Bernie Sanders:

  1. Isn’t in the Democratic party, and
  2. Is the backup quarterback for a team that just lost a game after its starting QB threw four interceptions.
1957

The flipside of what, exactly?

I’m not sure which is a bigger waste of time-- Ross Douthat – or someone posting and amplifying his shitty drivel as some sort of counterpoint on politics.

Jesus.

Yes, tell me more.

Doug Jones making a play for disaffected Trump voters is the same strategy Jon Ossoff used in the Georgia special election. That didn’t go so hot.

I’m not sure Doug Jones running as a progressive in Alabama will work either, but I’m not sure either strategy beats Roy Moore, so might as well stay true to yourself.

1958

Ossoff didn’t win, but he came close in an area that is gerrymandered so Dems shouldn’t get close. Losing by 3 when you’re a 3 score underdog doesn’t mean the idea was bad.

The only way Dems win Alabama is if Roy Moore disqualifies himself by the standards of Alabama voters.

All this Bernie/Hillary sniping (and I’m doing it too)- the Dems are going to have to come up with a candidate that satisfies both myself and the Nesries of the world. As of right now, most of the names floated would satisfy me- the only one that definitely wouldn’t is Cory Booker.

1959

Of the apparent need to expand the base. That’s really all I found interesting. Of course his “but for abortion there go I” handwringing plays into his persona, of the agony aunt worrying liberals that they just don’t get conservative voters. But… tbh, I don’t have a read on that election. Would that one issue be all that matters? Surely not.

1960

I feel like Bernie’s path is how you expand the base. Consumer rights and pocketbook issues appeal to WWC voters who went Obama then Trump. It does not mean you jettison the social aspect parts of the Dems, but you do jettison the folks who are squeamish about things like universal healthcare (if they want the Chris Murphy plan instead of the Bernie plan, that’s fine)

Seriously, if you want to expand the Dem base, going further to the left socially isn’t going to do it at all, and going right is just wrong- the Dems are in the right place these days. I don’t want to move to the right socially, I just want to emphasize pocketbook issues.

The only area you can move things is economically- and going to the right economically is going to alienate your base more than any voters you’d gain. Moving to the left is the only option- Bernie’s economic policies were popular in the swing states- Bernie did well or won in most of those- the only one he lost bad was NC, and even there he did a lot better than he did in other states with similar demographics.

1961

In Douthat’s defense, he seems pretty chastened these days on Left Right and Center, well aware of how colossally wrong he’s been in the past.

I prefer him to Rich Lowry, who is really just starting to anger me now. The way he uses his ‘reasonable’ voice to pooh pooh any glimmer of gun control, any vague concept of environmental regulation, etc… just grates on me. He’s been anti-Trump since the beginning, too, and still finds ways to make excuses for the guy.

1962

Among the anti-trump Republican crowd, I’ve grown fond of Nicole Wallace and Steve Schmidt (Nicole Wallace can actually be pretty hilarious.) DVR her MSNBC show sometime (4:00 EST.) Charlies Sykes (former WI radio host), Rick Wilson (on Twitter), Stuart Stevens (also on Twitter) also get an honorable mention. Even Bill Kristol sometimes gets it (which you know means at least one seal of the Apocalypse had popped.)

It would be great if there were a conservative party that wasn’t so fucking terrifying.

Edit: Elise Jordan and Richard Painter should go on the list too.

1963

Nicolle Wallace is dreamy. Just sayin’. Mr. Wallace is one lucky sumbitch. (And part of my crush on her is that she’s smarter than me, even if we do disagree about a lot of political stuff.)

1964

On some level, the only way to woo racists, is to be racist.

They need to be swept back into the gutter where they belong, not won over by offering them racist trinkets.

1965

Yeah I’m all for Democrats not being racists, sexists or bigots in order to woo the Republicans. We don’t need those people in the party and shame on the GOP for catering to them.

1966

I think that’s something we all agree on.

1967

I have to disagree with this. While it appears that the ends are currently outweighing the middle on the see-saw of American politics, I think that is a misperception strengthened by the media because is sells well. Look at the GOP, they are on the brink of a total party schism. I think swinging further to the left to combat the opposition swinging further to the right is a terrible idea. We will end up exactly like the GOP, a party at war with itself.

The average American is not a vocal Trump supporter. The average American is not a vocal white nationalist, misogynist or religious zealot. The average American is not a vocal Bernie supporter. The average American is not a vocal socialist, anti-vaxxer or PETA follower. The average American wants someone who gives them hope.

  • Hope that their concerns are heard.

  • Hope that the economy comes first, that the primary concern of whomever is in charge will be to keep people employed, keep food on the table and keep their lives from changing dramatically overnight.

  • Hope that healthcare can be sorted out in a way that means they don’t have to stay awake a night worrying if a cancer diagnosis could mean losing their home and needing to declare bankruptcy.

  • Hope that they and their kids can walk the streets without fear : be that fear of the police, fear of ICE, fear of drug related violence and crime, fear of gun violence or just fear that they’ll be singled out because they’re different in some way.

  • Hope that they can build a decent life, have a little success and happiness, and hope that their kids in turn can lead even more successful and happier lives as they grow up.

These are the basic core wants/needs of pretty much every American, regardless of race, religion or ideology. This gels best with a centrist government, one focused on making things better for everyone, not just the people at one end of the spectrum. Various studies over the years have shown that the average American has indeed become fiscally conservative and socially liberal. The vast majority of people in this country are unconcerned about or support gay marriage, they trust in the vaccines given to their kids by medical professionals, they support the right of citizens to own firearms and also support logical restrictions and regulations on such, they want a single-payer system for healthcare that doesn’t bankrupt the government, they want reasonable higher education costs, and they want a responsible, well-managed and efficient government that serves the needs of it’s people, not the needs of whomever can pay the most via lobbyists and campaign donations.

America would come out in droves to vote for someone who could successfully straddle the line between Conservative responsibility and Liberal reforms while promising to effect positive change and represent the people instead of the corporations and lobbyists. The problem lies in finding someone who can do that who is also “sexy” enough to appeal to most voters. Politics has become so divisive now that you have to have someone whose charisma can help them be heard above the noise generated by the media at either end of the ideological spectrum. As we roll closer to 2020 I think America will be fatigued by all the divisiveness and be looking for someone who can offer a respite from it. That person is NOT going to come from the far end of either party. That is not the path to victory.

1968

I agree with what you say, then again my idea of socialism is largely along those lines, it’s not the hardcore socialism of the radical Bernie fringe.

I believe a stronger safety net reduces fear more than anything else for most people- though some will have greater concerns. I also believe today’s centrism has failed economically for most Americans.

1969

Conservative responsibility

I get what you mean, but inwardly I had to suppress a soul-rending guffaw

1970

I know man, I know. Used to be those two words next to each other were not a retch-inducing oxymoron. I think the past decade has so radically changed the very root meaning of the word “Conservative” that it will never go back to being associated with it’s Regan-era ideals of fiscal responsibility and smaller, more efficient government. It’s forever tainted by the crazy now.

1971

I’m concerned about those folks trying to take over the Dems. While I do think the responsible conservatives are needed in the national discourse, whichever party they end up dominating tends to be a bit slifling.