Reply #43: That isn't even the question, though.

[Unvanguard]

johnaries didn't make any of those decisions; the ones which actually count as a meaningful portrayal of policy were made by other people, i.e. the Democratic leadership.

The tactical issue you present is a real one; I'm not sure the answer is as simple as you think it is. Regardless, however, the question is not "Should progressives push politics to the left by loudly expressing and standing up for our beliefs?", but rather "Should progressives be willing to support improvements in the right direction, and the people who bring them about, even if they are still quite far away from where we'd like them to be?"

These are independent issues. People on the left can, and should, try our best to expand the contours of political debate, but in no way does this involve, or is this even served by, refusing to support Democrats.