Good op-ed from David Brooks, "Dems, Please Don’t Drive Me Away"

[UglyCasanova]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

I could never in a million years vote for Donald Trump. So my question to Democrats is: Will there be a candidate I can vote for?​

​

According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of Americans call themselves conservative, 35 percent call themselves moderate and 26 percent call themselves liberal. The candidates at the debates this week fall mostly within the 26 percent. The party seems to think it can win without any of the 35 percent of us in the moderate camp, the ones who actually delivered the 2018 midterm win.​

​

The progressive narrative is dominating in part because progressives these days have a direct and forceful story to tell and no interest in compromising it. It’s dominating because no moderate wants to bear the brunt of progressive fury by opposing it.​

​

He does a good job of summarizing where we're at. The push by the candidates to be the furthest to the left leaves the center disillusioned and not wanting to vote for them. The two party system is for the birds, we need more options.

 

[zinfamous]

The center or the left aren't the problem. it's the unapologetic radicalism of the GOP.

face it, any "centrist" that claims the majority of these democratic candidates are far too progressive, is no centrist. Only right-wing nutbars would think that. I like David Brooks, but this is bizarre coming from him...well, not really bizarre. He spends a lot of time publicly rejecting Donald Trump, but like any toady GOP congressperson, he still aligns with him 98% of the time.

 

[hal2kilo]

The center or the left aren't the problem. it's the unapologetic radicalism of the GOP.

face it, any "centrist" that claims the majority of these democratic candidates are far too progressive, is no centrist. Only right-wing nutbars would think that. I like David Brooks, but this is bizarre coming from him...well, not really bizarre. He spends a lot of time publicly rejecting Donald Trump, but like any toady GOP congressperson, he still aligns with him 98% of the time.

Seriously. Please call the wambulance, my parties getting too extreme. Don't really change anything. That's the way we like it.
EDIT: Ironic post from mister burn it down.

 

[Indus]

David Brooks the paid for by establishment praising tax cuts for billionaires growth has an opinion that we're supposed to listen to and agree on or we're doomed?

How many times have we heard that same old song?

 

[K1052]

Maybe not the best idea to pay too much attention to frowning Never Trumpers during the D primary.

Also the 35% moderate shit is what convinced that Starbucks idiot he could run for president. Lots of people will describe themselves as "moderates" but who are in reality still quite partisan.

 

[hal2kilo]

Maybe not the best idea to pay too much attention to frowning Never Trumpers during the D primary.

Also the 35% moderate shit is what convinced that Starbucks idiot he could run for president. Lots of people will describe themselves as "moderates" but who are in reality still quite partisan.

Did not realize he was a never Trumper. I have some advise ,never take advise about politics from a never Trumper.

 

[nakedfrog]

I could never in a million years vote for Donald Trump. So my question to Democrats is: Will there be a candidate I can vote for?

Well, guess he's going to have to pick between voting for continuing to fuck most of the people in the world over, or the other person.

 

[vi edit]

Anything "left" of Fox News is now liberal. If you vote on single issues you are a lost cause and part of the problem.

 

[hal2kilo]

Anything "left" of Fox News is now liberal. If you vote on single issues you are a lost cause and part of the problem.

I watch Morning Joe fairly regularly. Oh, he attacks Trump ruthlessly on a daily basis, but he's got Bucky Boy disease. He still, gets his digs in about Clinton whenever, and does alot of bothsides in which Mika (useless) nods her head. So just because they can't stand Trump, does not mean their politics are anything but center right.

 

[brycejones]

I would still like to know what the OP “leans” left on and why he thinks it is the “lefts” position.

 

[dank69]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

I could never in a million years vote for Donald Trump. So my question to Democrats is: Will there be a candidate I can vote for?​

​

According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of Americans call themselves conservative, 35 percent call themselves moderate and 26 percent call themselves liberal. The candidates at the debates this week fall mostly within the 26 percent. The party seems to think it can win without any of the 35 percent of us in the moderate camp, the ones who actually delivered the 2018 midterm win.​

​

The progressive narrative is dominating in part because progressives these days have a direct and forceful story to tell and no interest in compromising it. It’s dominating because no moderate wants to bear the brunt of progressive fury by opposing it.​

​

He does a good job of summarizing where we're at. The push by the candidates to be the furthest to the left leaves the center disillusioned and not wanting to vote for them. The two party system is for the birds, we need more options.

In case the other responders haven't put a fine enough point on it for you: go fuck yourself. Anyone "in the middle" between D and R today are in the middle between right of center and bible-thumping-retard.

Brooks understands that the candidates right now are fighting for support from the 26% who vote in the Democratic primaries and is using that knowledge to gaslight ignorant shits like you who do not understand that.

 

[thraashman]

Hillary was a moderate candidate. She was slightly right of center. Unfortunately she didn't excite the left wing, who decided they didn't want to vote rather than give her theirs. David Brooks is clearly a solidly conservative individual, so I hope he's not trying to claim he falls into the moderate territory. But him claiming he could never vote for Trump is good, it means that even as the Republican party has embraced the extremist alt-right, that not all conservatives are falling for that bullshit. Perhaps those like him can start the drive of the Republican party away from the fascist land they now inhabit.

 

[sandorski]

lol

 

[m8d]

You can't fix ignorance and America has a lot of ignorant people.

 

[hal2kilo]

Hillary was a moderate candidate. She was slightly right of center. Unfortunately she didn't excite the left wing, who decided they didn't want to vote rather than give her theirs. David Brooks is clearly a solidly conservative individual, so I hope he's not trying to claim he falls into the moderate territory. But him claiming he could never vote for Trump is good, it means that even as the Republican party has embraced the extremist alt-right, that not all conservatives are falling for that bullshit. Perhaps those like him can start the drive of the Republican party away from the fascist land they now inhabit.

He wants the old Republican party back. He hasn't gotten the message yet. Trump has destroyed that Republican party.

 

[DrunkenSano]

Sounds like the "conservative" democrats are those who are rich and want to continue to enjoy the benefits that the Republicans are giving them while also enjoying being able to sleep peacefully at night because they are not the evil Republicans.

Pick a side. Your money or your morals.

 

[dainthomas]

Hasn't hurt the party going warp 9 toward the right for the last thirty years. Mostly thanks to gerrymandering and voter suppression, but still.

 

[dank69]

Sounds like the "conservative" democrats are those who are rich and want to continue to enjoy the benefits that the Republicans are giving them while also enjoying being able to sleep peacefully at night because they are not the evil Republicans.

Pick a side. Your money or your morals.

That or they come from primarily conservative areas and are trying to appeal to both sides to keep their jobs. Nothing is going to change unless Americans wake up from the fantasy that any single Republican policy is not explicitly designed to fuck them. Every. Single. Republican. Policy.

 

[Bitek]

Oh, STFU David Brooks with your whiney bullshit.

"Oh, I'd never vote for Trump in a million years, but if Ds want to push for universal healthcare I may just have to sit at home and let DJT get reelected.

Then I'll tut-tut from my keyboard about the state of the dying democracy all the way up to when DJT starts jailing journalists for treason like he's repeatedly threatened..."

Seriously. FU.

 

[cytg111]

I guess the dems ARE the conservative now ... The alt-right GOPified cult is nothing but a crime syndicate advocating and working towards a unified mafia state made in Russias image.
The conservative republican is NO MORE. That train has left and aint never coming back again.
And if you dont stand up to this populist bullshit, that is brewing EVERYWHERE, we will loose our freedom, our rights, our democracies ... to super wealthy mobster oligarks.
It may just be me, but FUCK THAT is my opinion on that shit.

 

[sactoking]

Anyone that looks at the unindicted co-conspirator and says "Wow, he's not at all someone for whom I would vote" and then looks at ANY OTHER candidate and says "Well, you lost me on this one tiny thing" and decides to stay at home is a moron.

 

[DrunkenSano]

I guess the dems ARE the conservative now ... The alt-right GOPified cult is nothing but a crime syndicate advocating and working towards a unified mafia state made in Russias image.
The conservative republican is NO MORE. That train has left and aint never coming back again.
And if you dont stand up to this populist bullshit, that is brewing EVERYWHERE, we will loose our freedom, our rights, our democracies ... to super wealthy mobster oligarks.
It may just be me, but FUCK THAT is my opinion on that shit.

The problem is that the "sane" Republicans should be fighting to take back their party. They also need to rise up, educate themselves and vote, otherwise they will always be leaning far right and never come back.

 

[fskimospy]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/27/...l?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

I could never in a million years vote for Donald Trump. So my question to Democrats is: Will there be a candidate I can vote for?​

​

According to a recent Gallup poll, 35 percent of Americans call themselves conservative, 35 percent call themselves moderate and 26 percent call themselves liberal. The candidates at the debates this week fall mostly within the 26 percent. The party seems to think it can win without any of the 35 percent of us in the moderate camp, the ones who actually delivered the 2018 midterm win.​

​

The progressive narrative is dominating in part because progressives these days have a direct and forceful story to tell and no interest in compromising it. It’s dominating because no moderate wants to bear the brunt of progressive fury by opposing it.​

​

He does a good job of summarizing where we're at. The push by the candidates to be the furthest to the left leaves the center disillusioned and not wanting to vote for them. The two party system is for the birds, we need more options.

Odd how I never see these articles about the Republicans despite the GOP being light years more radical than any Democratic politician running for president.

Why do you think that is?

 

[dank69]

Anyone that looks at the unindicted co-conspirator and says "Wow, he's not at all someone for whom I would vote" and then looks at ANY OTHER candidate and says "Well, you lost me on this one tiny thing" and decides to stay at home is a moron.

The idea that one cent of my tax money might be spent on someone who isn't as deserving as me is the core belief necessary to be a conservative today. With that perspective in mind, the idea of universal healthcare isn't exactly a tiny thing. Depending on how rich he is we are talking about thousands of dollars of "his" money being spent on "lazy minorities." Might as well burn down the government at that point, amirite? The fact that those missing thousands of dollars would not impact his life or lifestyle even a tiny bit never enters the equation.

 

[Jhhnn]

He wants the old Republican party back. He hasn't gotten the message yet. Trump has destroyed that Republican party.

Shee-it, Sherlock. Trump is merely a symptom of their disease.