Feels that way, at times, doesn't it? I don't disagree that current democratic leadership does inspire a sense of hopelessness. I just refuse to accept it. Liberal/Progressive/Democratic leaders think they are engaged in a debate match with their opponents, but their opponents believe they are in a death match with "the Left". And until WE understand that, we will continue to see the "trick" of Democrats enjoying MAJORITY support on almost every major issue....and turning that majority support (on the issues) into one 50%/50% or 49%/51% or election, after another. The truth is that voters are not very sophisticated (as a whole). And when given the choice, there is a large faction of the electorate that will always choose "strong and wrong" over "weak and right". That's how Reagan beat Carter. That's how Nixon beat Humphrey and McGovern. That's how W managed to stay close enough to win (with a little help) against Gore. And that's why Bush Sr lost to Clinton.
Liberals/Progressive/Democrats need to understand that this is a political death-match with their opponents...and begin to embrace it, and respond in kind...or resign themselves to the same pattern of election and societal results (one step forward, two steps back) we've seen over the last few decades. There are very, very dark forces at work in our nation today.
We disagree, here. But I certainly empathize with your sentiment. But, IMO, the election is not to be won by the so-called "white working class". They are gone. They are Trumpsters. We know, from study after study, that the single greatest indicator of support for Trump was NOT "economy", or "taxes", "trade", or "jobs", etc. It was racial resentment/cultural fear. So those voters (at least the vast majority of them) aren't going anywhere in 2020. They are Trump voters, because they are getting exactly what they wanted from this president, so far.
The 2020 election is going to be won (or lost) based on turn out from the so-called "Left", not from so-called "moderates" and "Centrists"-but from the people who stayed home in Milwaukee and Detroit and Tampa last election, because they didn't like Hillary and couldn't stand Trump. Trump won key states by razor thin margins that could be traced back to voters in the cities and the suburbs who did not vote. If African-American voters (esp. A-A women), LatinX voters, educated white voters (esp. white suburban women), Asian-Americans, young voters (i.e. millennials and older post-millennials) etc. turn out in 2012 or 2008 levels, that's a coalition that approaches 60% of the eligible voting population. Democrats will win by motivating their base, not by trying to appeal to the so-called "moderate independents" who are not really up for grabs this election.
Agreed. With you 100%, here.
