General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: We are in a war for our lives. The war is between the 1% elite and the 99%. You are hopelessly [View all]bigtree
(86,009 posts)Last edited Tue Jul 2, 2013, 07:39 AM - Edit history (2)
Our challenge as members of the majority working class has always been to achieve recognition and a voice above the 'elites.' The fact that there is a minority of rich people able to influence our politics and block the will of the majority has been the mantra of our party since the Dixicrats became republicans.
It always amazes me how folks can speak of these candidates as if there isn't going to be a mass of voters supporting a Clinton candidacy in the end (if she runs) based on the exact same pragmatics that has propelled each and every one of our nominees toward victory. The shame of it is, that the candidate who would carry an unabashed, unvarnished progressive agenda into the primary (or even the general, outside of the Democratic party) has had virtually zero success in getting anywhere near the presidency and people just as concerned about the issues you raised have made that judgment, time and time again, and refused to cast a vote in the end for a candidate who is clearly going to lose to the republican nominee.
That's been the reality, and the presidential candidate who advances will be based more on that reality than some nefarious scheming by the elites to force people to vote for Hillary Clinton. You claim that 'the 1% will make sure that the Democratic candidate is Ms. Clinton,' without any acknowledgement of the millions of average, 99%ers who will work their tails off to make that happen, for the reason I stated above and more.
And, don't ignore the fact that these 'conservative' Democratic candidates most often come out of conservative states and districts. Yeah, it sucks to have to compete with them, but it's going to still be a political reality, so I'm not sure what your point is. It's not as if I can just reach over from my generally liberal state and make a progressive candidate win in these regions.
What you describe has been the challenge our party has faced since I first began to pay attention in politics. We get the government that folks out there elect. It's still going to be our job to try and find a way to get these politicians (and voters) to support and advance our progressive concerns and initiatives. Pointing out the obvious, generational class-struggle to a community of Democrats is pablum. Get out there and work the political system, from within and without, to effect the changes you want to see. It isn't as if time and progress has just stood still over these inequitable decades.