Strategist who aided resurgence after Reagan says party should focus on ‘fundamentals’ – but cautions against leftward drift

From remains an unabashed centrist who believes that economic growth, not the economic populism of Sanders or Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is the answer. “It’s important the critical mass in the Democratic party show that it’s the party of opportunity, responsibility and community but not the party of the left,” he insists.

He also argues that the party should not be afraid to talk about law enforcement and developing a system of community policing rather than urging “defund the police”. Likewise it should embrace the idea of legal immigration and a border that is under control. From applauds governors who have made jobs available to people without college degrees.

  • ToastedPlanetOPEnglish
    3·
    5 days ago

    The party platform shifted to the right in 2024 despite getting progressive votes in 2020. By your hypothesis this shouldn’t have happened. Progressives voted for the DNC in 2020 and yet were abandoned by them in 2024.

    This ignores the incremental shift to the left by Biden after the 2020 election which supports my arguments and refutes your argument.

    The Democrats won in 2020 when more people voted for them and shifted left.

    The Democrats lost in 2024 when fewer people voted for them and shifted right.

    That aside your assumptions here are game theoretically false. You cannot get someone to act in your best interest if you promise to support them no matter what they do. It simply doesn’t make sense, as we have seen from how the DNC treated progressives this election.

    The 2024 election is the evidence that refutes your argument’s position. People didn’t vote for Democrats and the Democrats are now looking for moderate and conservatives who voted. It was the people on the left claiming they wouldn’t vote so it’s reasonable that leftists are making up part of the difference in the popular vote count.

    People always act in their self-interest. The goal is to get people to understand that voting for the viable mainstream political party that is the furthest to the left is the most useful strategy to forward their self interest.

    The evidence from this election in fact demonstrates my argument to be correct. My argument is that if progressives don’t vote they won’t be catered to by Democrats. Progressives didn’t vote and now they aren’t being catered to by Democrats.

    The DNC doesn’t follow leftist (or really working class) votes because they’re behold to their corporate donors (and because they’re led by fossils who should’ve retired or died decades ago), not because it’s successful electoral strategy.

    While both parities are beholden to the owner class, the corporate donors can only provide money to seek out votes. Democrats still need a voting base to cater to. The votes are still the essential resource to win elections as that is what is counted in an election. We still need to co-opt the Democrats to get a socialist and progressive agenda to get rid of the owner class.

    The DNC doesn’t seek out leftists because leftists don’t vote. The DNC seeks out people who vote.