General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Hypothetical Question: Would Obama and the Clintons be as successful if they were actually Liberal? [View all]Armstead
(47,803 posts)The 70's were a mess on a lot of levels, and the Dems definitely needed to rehab from their participation. (The GOP had a lot to do with it too, but they were smarter politically in tarring liberals for the problems.)
But unfortunately instead of coming up with a modernized Liberal Agenda, they hopped into bed with the same Corporate overlords as the GOP....and thus began the so-called "centrist" drift.
However, I think a lot of the "concensus" that resulted was simply very smart "messaging" by conservatives and the conservative republican establishment.
The Democrats gave up on the chanced to actively articulate a liberal populist agenda. They were like the hitchhiker on the Corporate/Conservative bus, even though the bus was going in the oppiosite direction of the real interests (asnd wants) of the rank and file.
I keep hoping the Democratic Party will finally jump off that bus. And I thiunk enough of the population want to see progressive populist change that they could be successful politically by doing so.
But so far....