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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNo! Democrats not moving too far left. Here's why they're doing the right thing (VIDEO)
I am tired of the Establishment Democrats, Corporatist Democrats, and the Corporate Media attempts to inflict fear into the American psyche about the Democratic Party. They are trying to gen up a false concern that Democrats are moving too far left. Do not buy it an here is why.
The values that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stands for are not New York or Left Coast values. They are values that expressed appropriately in middle-America, rural-America, and Appalachia will resonate. It is the message for the forgotten ones. Cortez is clear.
https://egbertowillies.com/2018/07/22/corporate-democrats-left-progressives/
RandySF
(59,153 posts)Charlotte, North Ca. (April 20, 2018) Five Brand New Congress candidates will run in primary elections across the country next month.
A goal of Brand New Congress is to, reshape Congress and also challenge various setting incumbents. Although not all campaigns endorsed by BNC are incumbent challenges in the 2018 primaries, BNC has set their eyes on several notable incumbents this cycle. The May primaries are no exception.
The BNC slate is comprised of pastors, teachers, scientists and concerned community members leading grassroots U.S. Congressional campaigns. In the 2018 election, 28 candidates across 17 states are challenging both Democrat and Republican incumbents in primaries.
Democrat Paula Jean Swearengin and Republican Robb Ryerse are both challenging incumbents in upcoming primaries and garnering tremendous ground support.
Senatorial candidate Paula Jean Swearengin has squared off with West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin before as a town hall participant and concerned constituent. Since May of last year, Swearengin has stepped to the other side of the podium, campaigning against Manchin at the ballot box. The third-generation coal miners daughter has traveled across the state visiting local diners, bingo halls, and fish fries and meeting constituents where they live, to hear their stories first hand.
West Virginians have been keeping the lights on for America for a 100 years, Swearengin said, noting that many dont understand the depth of poverty in her home state. Yet, many of us live in conditions comparable to a third world country. No mother should have to beg for a clean glass of water for her child.
Swearengin notes that many of the problems in her district have been compounded by representatives who vote for legislation that favor big corporate donors over the constituents. A year ago, when Swearengin launched her campaign, she refused corporate PAC donors (as do all BNC candidates). At a recent Blue Wave dinner Swearengin challenged her contenders to do the same.
Most of our incumbents have been corporate serving and self-serving, she said during an event in West Virginia in March. Theyre willing to sell out our health, our land, our water, our air and our heritage for PAC dollars, Swearengin said.
Swearengins tour, Redneck Revolution, will end on May 6, when she and her supporters march up Blair Mountain with red bandanas in homage and remembrance of the coal miner labor movement that rocked the Appalachian mountains in the mid 19th century and continues to this day. The primary date is scheduled for May 8th.
Swearengin is not the only BNC May primary candidate challenging an incumbent.
Pastor Robb Ryerse is challenging Republican Steve Womack in Arkansass third district. Arkansas primary ballots are fairly thin, due in part to the highest ballot access fee in the country, at $15,000. Ryerse refused corporate PAC dollars, and through donations which average less than $20 each, Ryerse is official on the May 22nd ballot.
https://brandnewcongress.org/brand-new-congress-candidates-challenge-establishment-incumbents-in-may-primaries/
progressoid
(49,996 posts)A quick perusal of the candidates, I saw one. Ryerse: https://brandnewcongress.org/candidates/
kcr
(15,318 posts)If the movement is about distinguishing itself from "establishment corporate Dems," why are there any Republicans at all? Shows what a scam it is.
progressoid
(49,996 posts)Since in that district, Republicans won by 77%, they thought it would be easier to get a liberal Republican elected than any Democrat.
kentuck
(111,110 posts)There is room for the "far left".
Cary
(11,746 posts)Last edited Sun Jul 22, 2018, 06:40 PM - Edit history (1)
There would be room for whatever it is you want to call them, if they wanted to be a part of the Democratic Party.
It seems to that they don't want any part. They want total control which is why I prefer the word "radical" to the word "far."
JCanete
(5,272 posts)clearly they do want to be a part of it, but of course they would like their vision for effective governance to be realized, and just saying "you go be a part of our party...over there, and occasionally we'll come over to the kids table and pat you on the head for your bold ideas..." is not the ultimate goal I would personally be aiming for as a left-wing progressive myself. So of course left-wing progressives want to have an impact on the direction of the party. How is that any different than those who are in power attempting to maintain a vision of the direction we are currently taking by supporting candidates with similar ideologies?
Cary
(11,746 posts)I accept them at their word.
vi5
(13,305 posts)...almost as sad as the fact that basic Democratic liberal ideals are now considered "far left".
Especially when every piece of evidence from the past 25-30 years shows that Republican policies fail time and time and time and time again. So why Democrats should feel they have to start every discussion from a point of Republican framing on those issues is beyond me. Why most of them actually DO start every discussion from a point of Republican framing on those issues is even further beyond me.
Cary
(11,746 posts)You choose to say that. Own it. Blaming others is lame.
Cary
(11,746 posts)Speaking of tired....
Bernardo de La Paz
(49,032 posts)murielm99
(30,755 posts)establishment Democrats and corporate Democrats, I know the post is not worth reading all the way through.
RandomAccess
(5,210 posts)Bernardo de La Paz
(49,032 posts)murielm99
(30,755 posts)what Cary said: tired.
These are terms used to divide our party. I am tired of it.
These are terms for which every critic has their own definition. I am tired of that, too.
I am tired of splitting hairs with the purity police.
Work to help us GOTV and stop the tiresome divisiveness.
Cary
(11,746 posts)DFW
(54,434 posts)This time, I did read it through, and listened to the clip.
But you were right after all.
"Establishment," "corporatist." Not interested, especially when coupled with "Democrats."
My enemies go by the handles "Republican" and "Русская Федерация," not "Democrat."
ucrdem
(15,512 posts)It's about loyalty to an independent good at coming up with self-flattering memes for his followers to pin to their sleeves but whose politics aren't "left" so much as libertarian, like his position on guns. And though he talks a good line his policies boil down to prejudices: he didn't like the TPP, and neither did Trump, and now we're in the middle of a trade war. He also doesn't like the ACA, and claims he has a better idea, though he really doesn't. Medicare for all is in my view half-baked (personally I'd prefer employer-paid insurance) and his proposal is basically a long slogan. He'll do for healthcare what he did for trade: torpedo policies carefully put into place by Democrats, and into that vacuum will step the GOP and their idiot president. No thanks.
Snake Plissken
(4,103 posts)Republicans will remain in control of all branches of government and we'll end up with the most right wing supreme court on the planet.
... but we did the right thing.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)If somebody in NY-14 is talking about a Maximum Wage and nationalizing banks, that opens up a lot of room towards the center for the kind of proposals we can actually pass. That's a good thing.
The trick is not to eat our own dog food, and wind up with a left-wing version of the Freedom Caucus which ends up voting against actual conservative ideas more than anything else.