Progressive warns of ‘nuclear war’ if Democrats back safety net cuts (via Raw Story )
Progressive activists fired a shot across the bow of congressional Democrats on Wednesday, warning them to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid or face a primary challenge. Adam Green, the co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, said Democrats would face a “nuclear war…
7 comments:
"There will absolutely be Democratic primaries in the next round of congressional elections. We would probably start right away recruiting challengers.
Same thing on the right as youve pointed out Tom...
Right, the establishment in both parties is under pressure if not outright attack from populists.
Watch Adam Green. He is highly skilled and super motivated. He was a force behind getting Elizabeth Warren elected to the Senate.
We already have a fractured and demoralized Democratic party. What's new ?
The threat to primary establishment candidates is hollow. The establishment candidates have the money and the media on their side. Unlike the tea party, there will be no deep pockets funding a progressive rebellion.
If "progressives" do manage to beat the odds and win elections, they'll still have zero power in a Congress where the real power is held by committee chairs and party leadership positions THAT HAVE TO BE PURCHASED. Only corporatists can afford to purchase the leadership positions.
They cite Elizabeth Warren as a success story, but Elizabeth is a former Republican who is still very conservative, about the same as Nixon on most issues, and she was elected in the most liberal state in the nation. I don't see that as a big success story or as a road map for the rest of the country.
More likely, Democrats will continue to suck at economics and continue to divide the 99% with culture wars.
The far right, well funded as it is, and smart enough to use "value" issues to win the votes of the 99%, will continue to gain power. I expect Republican gains in 2014 and a Republican sweep in 2016.
Even if Democrats do hang on, they've shifted so far to the right that they might as well be Republicans.
@Dan - that's why I voted row D in November (green party).
Dan,
Didnt know that about E Warren... interesting..
I dont know if the GOP has anything left though... may take some sort of charasmatic person to put it back together... hard to see anything but suicidal tendencies there right now... perhaps there is some reason left there down deep but it is not apparent (to me anyway) on the surface...
rsp,
The way the US political system is structured, there are only two parties. They have to vie for the independent vote, part of which is populist. There is no populist party in the US, although some of the members of each party are more aligned with populism. The grassroots Tea Party as distinguished from the astroturf one is populist and explicitly not aligned with the GOP. Same with Occupy and the 99% on the left. They agitate for change from outside the institutionally "established" political system.
All republics are designed to maintain elites in power. Democratic republics are generally plutocracies. It's not possible to have a populists party when as soon as a representative arrives on the Hill, they are informed that the daily schedule is four hours a day on the phone soliciting contributions for the next election, and an hour a day meeting with donors.
Matt I dont know if the GOP has anything left though... may take some sort of charasmatic person to put it back together...
This is what I am concerned ab out — the emergence of the man on the white horse. It's how republics end.
In a way, Obama is the man on the white pony.
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