They’re not stupid. The know it’s not worth chasing the left. The left is relatively small and HUGE into purity culture. Not the religious kind, but the kind where they’ll reject you for not being perfect enough. Just look at all the people whining that Biden is only reclassifying weed and not legalizing. The left as it is today will never be content with half measures, and will happily protest and not vote, so they arent worth the effort of chasing.
So Dems have to chase the other end.
If we want change, it’ll have to be leftists joining the Democratic party and changing from within. Because strategically, the left doesn’t help Dems win.
When have they ever chased the left? Just because Democrats don’t understand the left, or are opposed to leftist policy, doesn’t mean the left is “into purity culture”. Maybe what you call purity culture is just different ethical standards than you have. Maybe just maybe try standing for something worthwhile and you’ll bring not only some leftists in, but also a big chunk of people that just can’t be bothered to vote at all. Otherwise, what’s even the point of winning if you’re just constantly chasing the Republicans right? Is that what you really want as a Democrat?
The reality is that the Democrats want to win, and chasing the left isn’t how you win. There just aren’t enough people on the left in the US to make it worth it. And many leftists who exist have the same attitude as you mention. I.e. the Dems aren’t doing enough so fuck them.
If all you wanted to do was win, what would your strategy be? How many leftists do you think are in the US to even be rallied? I think if there were that many, we’d see third parties winning at the state or local level.
Win for what? What do they want to do with the levers of power? Neoliberalism and conservatism? It’s not just the small group of leftists that they stand to gain with better policies-- there’s a huge pool of potential voters out there who just ignore politics completely. It seems like a chicken/egg problem right? Dems don’t chase left/non voters because they don’t vote Dem, or is it those people don’t vote Dem (or at all) because Dems don’t chase them? I argue it’s the latter, because political parties need leadership more than they need polling nonsenses weathervanes.
They’re not stupid. The know it’s not worth chasing the left. The left is relatively small and HUGE into purity culture. Not the religious kind, but the kind where they’ll reject you for not being perfect enough. Just look at all the people whining that Biden is only reclassifying weed and not legalizing. The left as it is today will never be content with half measures, and will happily protest and not vote, so they arent worth the effort of chasing.
So Dems have to chase the other end.
If we want change, it’ll have to be leftists joining the Democratic party and changing from within. Because strategically, the left doesn’t help Dems win.
When have they ever chased the left? Just because Democrats don’t understand the left, or are opposed to leftist policy, doesn’t mean the left is “into purity culture”. Maybe what you call purity culture is just different ethical standards than you have. Maybe just maybe try standing for something worthwhile and you’ll bring not only some leftists in, but also a big chunk of people that just can’t be bothered to vote at all. Otherwise, what’s even the point of winning if you’re just constantly chasing the Republicans right? Is that what you really want as a Democrat?
I’m not a Democrat. Fuck capitalism .
The reality is that the Democrats want to win, and chasing the left isn’t how you win. There just aren’t enough people on the left in the US to make it worth it. And many leftists who exist have the same attitude as you mention. I.e. the Dems aren’t doing enough so fuck them.
If all you wanted to do was win, what would your strategy be? How many leftists do you think are in the US to even be rallied? I think if there were that many, we’d see third parties winning at the state or local level.
Win for what? What do they want to do with the levers of power? Neoliberalism and conservatism? It’s not just the small group of leftists that they stand to gain with better policies-- there’s a huge pool of potential voters out there who just ignore politics completely. It seems like a chicken/egg problem right? Dems don’t chase left/non voters because they don’t vote Dem, or is it those people don’t vote Dem (or at all) because Dems don’t chase them? I argue it’s the latter, because political parties need leadership more than they need polling nonsenses weathervanes.