New Democrats Sound Alarm Over Sanders Clinton Leftward-March

[Rosa Luxemburg]

Leading architects of the “New Democrat” movement are sounding the alarm over a lurch to the left in the party, after candidates at the latest presidential primary debate confirmed a resurgence of more populist economic policies.

Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley spoke passionately about the need to reduce wage inequality and corporate power during a forum in South Carolina on Friday in which all three distanced themselves from the establishment orthodoxy that has long prevailed in Washington.

It followed a similar performance from Clinton at the first official debate, in Las Vegas, last month that restored her lead over Sanders – who describes himself as a democratic socialist – but has nonetheless left the party with one of its most radical policy platforms in decades.

But many moderates believe she will come around once the primary contest is over, particularly over trade when her opposition to Obama’s Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal is the biggest thorn in the side of pro-business Democrats.

This is what we are worried about - if elected and running against a Republican in the General she will spring back to the right again.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/08/new-democrats-sound-alarm-over-sanders-clinton-leftward-march

[beam me up scottie]

1. "if elected and running against a Republican in the General she will spring back to the right again"

Of course she will, that's what those of us who remember her 2008 campaign have been saying all along.

Her new found progressivism is just an example of her pandering to the left this time around.

[SusanCalvin]

2. Yep. nt

[RobertEarl]

3. It is such a shame

She could easily win the presidency if she was farther left than Bernie. Bernie wouldn't have even run if she was. Now he has to keep bringing up how much she panders for votes from the Left.

We could be having a good time these days if only Hillary was truthful and a real FDR type Democrat.

Instead we have to sit here and read the crap from people telling us that voting for the invasion of Iraq wasn't that bad.

[merrily]

6. Even if she were truthful now, there's still her history.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12777603

[hootinholler]

14. I ain't afraid of that

I'm counting on it, which is why I don't want her anywhere near the white house.

[beam me up scottie]

15. Exactly.

She won't even wait until she's in office to swing back to the right.

[Fumesucker]

4. They are trying to give Clinton's leftward head fake credibility

Good luck with that.

[merrily]

7. I was drafting Reply 5 while you were posting Reply 4.

Not exactly the same page, but very similar.

[Fumesucker]

8. GMTA!

[glinda]

20. Exactly.

[merrily]

5. Kabuki. New Democrats have been giving her cover to tack right.

Please. Imagine you are a New Democrat politician. Very likely, you know Hillary and/or someone in her campaign personally--and you want her to win this primary and the general. Supposedly, you see something you think is wrong with her campaign strategy. Do you pick up the phone and call Hillary or Bill or someone close to them or close to her campaign? Or do you call the media and "warn" or "scold" about how she's going too far left.

We started getting these stories when her poll numbers for the primary started looking unbeatable. They are giving her cover to start tacking right for the general. And, they are most likely doing all this warning and scolding at the request of one of the Clintons or her campaign.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

19. The backbone of the Democratic Party

When you look at the backbone of the party - members 'feel safe' when they back Clinton knowing that she will revert back to what they want. This is a big thing in this campaign. O'Malley I think is playing safe but is actually progressive. He has actually had things done in Maryland but Hillary as the 2008 election showed she was definitely comfortable in the right wing of the party. Bernie is solid.

[ibegurpard]

21. yup

[99th_Monkey]

9. Boo-Hoo! I have one thing to say to these 3rd Way whiners

"New Democrats" my ass. You are not real Democrats, you are DINOs. Own it.

[AgingAmerican]

10. But when you ask them to name one right wing policy that has been good for the country

You get crickets.

[merrily]

11. And she claims Republicans are the enemy of which she is most proud.

Yet, the goal of the DLC and its progeny was/is to make Democrats more similar to Republicans.

[jfern]

12. Don't worry, Hillary hasn't actually changed on the positions

She's just pretending to not be a total neoliberal for the primary.

[merrily]

13. "Neoliberals," is another lying term. Precious little about neoliberals is liberal.

Ideologically, neoliberals are much closer to neocons than to liberals--unless perhaps one is referring to the European concept of liberals.

And then, you have the DLC mentality, which uses terms like "progressive" in a way that deliberately obfuscates the meaning of political terms.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/127710158

I think we are better off using terms like left, right, center right, etc.

[jfern]

17. I never said noeliberals are remotely liberal

At least by the American definition of liberal

[merrily]

18. ? I didn't say you said that. I simply posted my own thought on the deliberately

confusing nature of political terms today.

[McCamy Taylor]

16. The primary is like an opera in which every member of the cast has his or her

lines. "OMG! The Candidates are being driven too far to the left in an attempt to capture the votes of the base!" is one of the standard lines. So is "Your candidate might as well be a Republican!"