Reply #165: I would say yes

[redqueen]

"How much accomodating of the rightward-drifting middle is possible before a political position ceases to be progressive?"

At this point? Not much at all. I try to judge objectively, looking back through history, and at other countries as well. We're now so far to the right already that any more drifting and we'll be obsolete.

"What role do progressives have in the Democratic Party?"

IMO? We're used as strawmen. People point to McGovern and say 'See? Shut up already!' As if that's somehow a valid argument against standing up for progressive values. This enables the 'party leaders' to continue onward with their march towards the right.

Nothing is ever changed if you never point out a problem. We've stopped pointing out the problem, for the most part, it seems. Or forgotten entirely what the problem is! (I say this due to free-trade discussions which have ended up with members posting things like: if we had a living wage, then businesses would fail / prices would skyrocket / jobs would flood overseas. NEVER is it observed by those posting that kind of sentiment that it's really the excessive compensation at the top that is the major problem!)