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Yet Ocasio-Cortez is only the most visible symbol of a grassroots insurgency that has sprung up across the country, including in spots far from deep-blue Democratic strongholds. Most embracing the progressive label share a disdain for corporate money in politics and favor more government-run healthcare, subsidies for college tuition and wage hikes for laborers.
Progressives have a mixed record in early nominating contests, more often than not losing to more mainstream Democrats.
But they have moved the party sharply to the left, particularly on expanding the government role in healthcare, a Reuters review of Democratic positions in the most competitive congressional races found.
Across 41 battleground House of Representatives districts, two-thirds of Democratic nominees want to expand the government’s role in healthcare, the review shows. About a dozen support “Medicare for All,” for many a reference to a single-payer system that would largely replace private insurance. In Congress, most House Democrats support a Medicare for All bill, with six members of the Blue Dog caucus of fiscally conservative Democrats signing on as co-sponsors.
Much of the progressive movement has its roots in the nationwide volunteer network built by Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential run. Several groups that sprang from the failed Sanders campaign are now pushing for progressive candidates in the midterms – including Brand New Congress, formed two years ago on the dream of running hundreds of progressive political newcomers to oust establishment incumbents, Democrats and Republicans alike.
In some ways, the splintering in the Democratic Party is simply a new round in the 2016 fight between Clinton and Sanders supporters. Progressive insurgents believe Clinton’s defeat, on top of losing control of Congress and most state governments, proved them right. They aspire to overthrow conventional wisdom that Democrats must stay safely in the middle to compete.
“Democrats have been fixated for 20 years on this elusive, independent, mythical middle of the road voter that did not exist,” said Crystal Rhoades, head of the Democratic Party in Nebraska’s Douglas County, where a progressive candidate, Kara Eastman, is trying to wrest a competitive congressional district from a Republican.
“We’re going to try bold ideas.”
https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-election-progressives/
I sincerely think this is going to be a major problem - more than people realize. While there is havoc in the Republican party for sure, I'm detecting a butt-crack split down the middle that could very well make a ripping tide in the Democrat party as well.
I said this in a previous thread, I plan to vote Democrat for the next few years for a reason. But I sincerely think that the party needs to address these issues quickly if they really want to capitalize on the opportunity. Below are my main points to what the article is raising:
#1 - It is ultimately the likes of antifa and children out of college with art degrees that have no real grasp or understanding of the way the world works. There is no doubt we need to address cost issues such as healthcare, college costs, etc... but you don't flick a light switch and magically do away with everything. Ultimately, I don't know how to address this problem. It's hard to push back when your opponents just keep shouting:
"FREE College!" (Translation: Voters - I'll pay your expensive college debt that you hate so much and just graduated with!) and
"FREE Healthcare!" (Translation: Enjoy the 50% income tax rates when you actually start making money in the world instead of taking it from your parents).
#2 - Any acceptance or addressing of this - throws their base under the bus. That isn't good. They very much have the mentality of "You're with us or against us!!1one!1" This is everyone that lives in suburbs and work 9-5 with kids that don't have the time for pussy hats and complaining. That is your core voter base, and you need to not forget about them.
#3 - Democrats should have learned this lesson from last election, these people (as I said earlier) are CHILDISH. Remember the Bernie bros? Remember when their candidate didn't win? Remember threatening to vote for Trump as their way of revolting? That's called being a sore loser.
Just my initial thoughts, curious on everyone else's on how best to crush the right when they are weak and overall make a more dominate position.
