Discussion about this post

User's avatar
marshwren's avatar

Since 1976, following the DNC's purge of "McGovernite" progressives, the DP wins presidential elections simply as a reaction against Republicans who've worn out their welcome (Nixon/Ford; GHW Bush; GW Bush; Trump). Sometimes they drag a Democratic Congress into the majority, but that's usually squandered in the following mid-term election.

The pattern repeated: Democrats won back the House in '18, but failed to take back the Senate. In '20, when more people voted against Trump (but not Republicans) than for Biden (but not Democrats), the DNC won the presidency, but lost over a dozen House seats (mostly Wall Street liberals who won in '18), and "won" the Senate, but only on paper (thank you Manchin and Sinema!); and still came within four states and 77K votes of losing the electoral college.

Even without Republicans gerrymandering and Jim Crowing the shit out of their states, Democrats were still on track to lose the House by 15-20+ seats next year, and, if they're lucky, maintain their "on paper only" majority in the Senate (the only pick-up might be PA, but Manchin and Sinema will still be there). This, I submit, is purely a function of running (and tilting the primaries towards) center-right, corporate-funded candidates against progressive challengers; and prioritizing Republican voters in the better educated, more affluent, white suburbs, at the expense of their natural constituencies, the working class, the working poor, the poor, younger (Millennial, Gen-Z), and older progressives.

Expand full comment
brandodell's avatar

Yep--I think it's hard to go from the old way of doing things where a Democrat and Republican could be good friends (like Ron Swanson and Leslie Knope on Parks and Rec, or Alex Keaton and his whole family on Family Ties) because hey, decent people could differ on tax policy or social spending and still have dinner together. That's just over now.

Expand full comment
183 more comments...

No posts