Why center-left parties are collapsing

[Bragi]

Democrats sacrificed the working class to woo bankers and professionals -- and now they're paying a steep price

(last paragraph)

In general the parallels between the U.S. and Europe are striking. In the U.S., as in Europe, the right is divided between a pro-business right promoting policies of austerity and a populist, nativist right energized by opposition to immigration and multiculturalism, particularly where Muslims are involved. In the U.S., as in Europe, the upper-middle-class activists and intellectuals of the center-left devote far less energy to traditional social democratic issues like social insurance and the minimum wage than to non-economic causes like renewable energy, mass transit, the new urbanism, gay marriage, identity politics and promotion of amnesty for illegal immigrants. On both continents, conservatism is becoming more downscale while progressives are increasingly upmarket.


http://www.salon.com/news/politics/war_room/2010/11/02/center_left_parties_lind/index.html

[bemildred]

1. They are collapsing because bullshit will only take you so far. nt

[Enrique]

2. what is our govt. going to address after the election?

with 9.6% unemployment, the dems are naturally going to fight for stimulus and unemployment benefits, right?

Nope. What I'm hearing is education reform, immigration reform, and tax cuts.

[donco6]

3. And benefits cuts to SS. Coming from Dems.

Super!

[OHdem10]

4. "progressives are increasingly up market".

[RaleighNCDUer]

5. Wasn't Lind himself one of the progenitors and cheerleaders for the

New Dems? It seems he is criticizing the very movement which he so recently promoted.

Or am I confused?

And, I must take issue with the idea that mass transit and renewable energy are NOT basic economic issues; they need consideration right up there with strong labor protections and finance regulation for a healthy, democratic society.

[txlibdem]

6. Dems went to the center, and got hammered

Seems logical we should go to the left. The farther left the better.

[MedicalAdmin]

7. Ain't gonna happen.

They will triangulate their asses off.

The only hope for this country is fair elections that are publically financed.