To those who believe the Dems lost because they weren't liberal enough...

[lifelong_Dem]

...I strongly suggest you take a look at this article:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2003_10_05_digbysblog_archive.html#106562175902840305

(begin quote)

I have complained vociferously about the establishment's unwillingness to fight the Republicans and I am certainly supportive of the idea that consensus politics will no longer work. I agree that a change of tactics is necessary to defeat a very ruthless and dishonest GOP political machine.

But, everybody had better wake up to reality and wake up quick if they think that centrist/moderate Democrats should be drummed out of the party because that is the surest ticket to minority status for a generation.

Here's a little list of Democrats for you:

Tom Allen, U.S. Representative, ME Joe Baca, U.S. Representative, CA Brian Baird, U.S. Representative, WA Chris Bell, U.S. Representative, TX Shelley Berkley, U.S. Representative, NV Marion Berry, U.S. Representative, AR Earl Blumenauer, U.S. Representative, OR Lois Capps, U.S. Representative, CA Dennis Cardoza, U.S. Representative, CA Brad Carson, U.S. Representative, OK Ed Case, U.S. Representative, HI Jim Cooper, U.S. Representative, TN Bud Cramer, U.S. Representative, AL Joseph Crowley, U.S. Representative, NY Jim Davis, U.S. Representative, FL Susan Davis, U.S. Representative, CA Artur Davis, U.S. Representative, AL Peter Deutsch, U.S. Representative, FL Cal Dooley, U.S. Representative, CA Rahm Emanuel, U.S. Representative, IL Anna Eshoo, U.S. Representative, CA Bob Etheridge, U.S. Representative, NC Harold Ford, Jr. , U.S. Representative, TN Charles Gonzalez, U.S. Representative, TX Jane Harman, U.S. Representative, CA Baron Hill, U.S. Representative, IN Ruben Hinojosa, U.S. Representative, TX Joseph Hoeffel, U.S. Representative, PA Rush Holt, U.S. Representative, NJ Mike Honda, U.S. Representative, CA Darlene Hooley, U.S. Representative, OR Jay Inslee, U.S. Representative, WA Steve Israel, U.S. Representative, NY Chris John, U.S. Representative, LA Ron Kind, U.S. Representative, WI Nick Lampson, U.S. Representative, TX Jim Langevin, U.S. Representative, RI Rick Larsen, U.S. Representative, WA John Larson, U.S. Representative, CT Zoe Lofgren, U. S. Representative, CA Ken Lucas, U.S. Representative, KY Denise Majette, U.S. Representative, GA Carolyn Maloney, U.S. Representative, NY Jim Matheson, U.S. Representative, UT Bob Matsui, U.S. Representative, CA Carolyn McCarthy, U.S. Representative, NY Karen McCarthy, U.S. Representative, MO Mike McIntyre, U.S. Representative, NC Gregory Meeks, U.S. Representative, NY Michael Michaud, U.S. Representative, ME Juanita Millender-McDonald, U.S. Representative, CA Brad Miller, U.S. Representative, NC Dennis Moore, U.S. Representative, KS Jim Moran, U.S. Representative, VA Grace Napolitano, U.S. Representative, CA David Price, U.S. Representative, NC Silvestre Reyes, U.S. Representative, TX Mike Ross, U.S. Representative, AR Steve Rothman, U.S. Representative, NJ Loretta Sanchez, U.S. Representative, CA Max Sandlin, U.S. Representative, TX Adam B. Schiff, U.S. Representative, CA David Scott, U.S. Representative, GA Brad Sherman, U.S. Representative, CA Adam Smith, U.S. Representative, WA Vic Snyder, U.S. Representative, AR John Spratt, U.S. Representative, SC Charles Stenholm, U.S. Representative, TX Bart Stupak, U.S. Representative, MI John Tanner, U.S. Representative, TN Ellen Tauscher, U.S. Representative, CA Mike Thompson, U.S. Representative, CA Jim Turner, U.S. Representative, TX Tom Udall, U.S. Representative, NM Robert Wexler, U.S. Representative, FL David Wu, U.S. Representative, OR Evan Bayh, U.S. Senator, IN John Breaux, U.S. Senator, LA Maria Cantwell, U.S. Senator, WA Tom Carper, U.S. Senator, DE Kent Conrad, U.S. Senator, ND John Edwards, U.S. Senator, NC Dianne Feinstein, U.S. Senator, CA Bob Graham, U.S. Senator, FL Tim Johnson, U.S. Senator, SD John Kerry, U.S. Senator, MA Zell Miller, U.S. Senator, GA Herb Kohl, U.S. Senator, WI Mary Landrieu, U.S. Senator, LA Joe Lieberman, U.S. Senator, CT Blanche Lincoln, U.S. Senator, AR.

The above are the national representatives who belong to the DLC. Notice the states they represent and then tell me that the key to victory is to purge these people (and their constituents) in favor of more liberal candidates.

19 of our 49 Senators are members. 74 of our 204 Representatives are members. They represent 37% of the Democratic coalition in congress.

(end quote)

I advise everyone to check out the rest of the article, too.

[wryter2000]

1. Good point

I don't want to drum centrists out. I want them to start acting like centrists, not lap dogs for the right-wing. What they've done is let the republicans shift things to the right three steps, and then two more steps, and then one more step. That has to stop.

[lifelong_Dem]

2. We need EVERYONE in the party in order to beat the Rethugs

Another quote from the comments on that article that I think is very wise:

"The reason we are losing is not because the DLC won't allow the liberals to dominate the party (which isn't true, either.) The reason we are losing is because we are allowing the Republicans to dominate the discourse and frame politics entirely to their advantage. Democrats of all stripes are beginning to realize this, even the DLC. (Check their web site for some newfound cojones.)"

[KittyWampus]

3. Was It Centrism That Lost Or BBV?

That seems to be the inconsistency here on DU.

Many people want to blame Centrism for Democratic loses and then in the next breath they blame the Electronic Voting Machines.

Democrats most certainly DO need to stand up and stop letting the Right dictate the debate.

They also have to learn to project a Moderate Image while pursuing a Progressive Goal.

[Old and In the Way]

5. Seems step one is to insure that results are verified.

Nothing worse for our system of government than if people believe their vote is not counted. Nothing more corrosive to the democratic system of government, IMHO.

Assuming we have confidence in the results, we need to understand that coalition politics is the only hope to unseat the Republicans. We can't rely on media or Congress to investigate their criminal acts, so we have to be disciplined to accept that we will only further the Democratic agenda by getting Democrats elected...period.

[mike_c]

4. I personally am not interested in a centrist party....

The Democratic party will do whatever it believes will win elections. My personal take on the last couple of election cycles has been that centrism hasn't been a very effective strategy, but what it ultimately comes down to for me is that I personally am a liberal progressive, and will look for a candidate who best represents my views and interests, whether that candidate is a dem or not.