Has the democratic party ever put up a candidate as far to the left

[XemaSab]

as Santorum is to the right?

I'm trying to picture what such a candidate would look like and it's tough.

What would such a platform even consist of?

The candidate would have to be an outspoken atheist (which is a kiss of death in American politics), in favor of abortion on demand no matter what the stage of gestation (which even most pro-choice people would be uncomfortable with), probably in favor of compulsory daycare and public schooling... what else?

I'm having a genuinely hard time thinking of political positions that are so far to the left that even most democrats would balk.

[zipplewrath]

1. McGovern

That's about as close as you're gonna get.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. not even close. The 'radicalism' of McGovern was: carry LBJ's Great Society forward.

And get the fuck out of vietnam now.

[MarianJack]

5. McGovern is a liberal and an intellectual.

little ricky santorum is a loon and a little shit and a moron.

McGovern's stances are downright moderately left compared to little ricky's rightist bat shit crazy bile.

PEACE!

[mike_c]

2. I've always considered upfront socialist candidates to be the leftward equivalent...

...of the right wing, but of course they're not issue for issue mirror images, and they certainly aren't democratic party candidates. But on the whole, I think what you're looking for is a trotskyite with a strong social conscience.

[Gman]

3. That person would have to be a dyed in the wool Maoist

Marxists pale in comparison.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. McCarthy was a lefty and against the VN war. He was popular with the youth.

Last edited Wed Feb 22, 2012, 06:12 PM - Edit history (1)

[Warren Stupidity]

7. Against the war: yes. Lefty? no more so than LBJ.

[XemaSab]

8. Being against the war was a mainstream position, no?

I'm talking about what platform a candidate would have to take to be representative of the furthest 1% on the left.

99% of people in the US believe in contraception; Santorum doesn't.

That's the kind of extreme position I am looking for.

[grantcart]

13. McCarthy was irratic but not left

He endorsed Ronald Reagan for President and was against finance reform laws.

He also pushed for Nader in 2000.

[quaker bill]

9. Not far enough

To counter his stand equally a candidate would have to endorse compulsory gay marriage before cohabitation, outlaw mixed gender intercourse, and require hard proof of the willingness and capacity to support a child to avoid a mandatory abortion. This goes well beyond anything the left would ever contemplate. The left just isn't that much into messing around in other people's lives.

[palin2013]

10. Speak kindly of Santorum

For he is the golden goose, or something

[DFW]

11. i.e. did we ever nominate Gus Hall or Angela Davis?

No, we haven't. Nowhere near it, no matter what you may hear on Fox Noise or National Hate Radio.

[LisaL]

12. I hope one day being an outspoken atheist won't be a kiss of death.