Moderates vs. Progressives: 3. What do they want?

Just to review...

If you are calling out other Dems because you think it gives you an advantage with donors and in the press, then fuck you. 

(And don't even get me started on moderates calling themselves "centrists." Center of what? What is the halfway point between freedom to speak and no freedom to speak? Freedom of some people to speak some things? That is the opposite of freedom.)

Your power over progressives, and certainly over the media, comes from the same strategy that Republicans use to demonize all Democrats: You require the entire group to answer for the most extreme positions of the most extreme members. Then you use the word pollution you've created to scare voters. I wish I could wave a magic wand and 

 

Where is Agent Smith when you really need him? 

Once more, to all the good-faith electeds or candidates out there who think of and sell yourselves as moderates and honestly are scared and feeling trapped: You may believe you have to respond to questions about what some other Dem has said in order to distance yourselves from people and positions your voters disagree with. You are wrong.

 You don't have to answer the stupid question. You really, really don't. Ever.  

And again, you can use the smarmy Republican "I haven't heard that," or you can be a grown-up: "I'm concerned with my constituents and my race." Pivot to what you'll deliver if you win. Tell them what you stand for. You don't have to answer for anybody's words but your own.

By the way, what do you stand for? We know what you don't want, but. as a moderate professional Democratic elected and/or candidate, what do you want?  

I think I understand what progressives want. I'm a progressive, and I want good things for human beings. Do "moderate" Democrats also want good things for human beings? 

I'm a progressive. I want a fair economy with rules that apply to everyone (progressive taxes and the right to organize, for a start).

I want a justice system that works to provide justice regardless of identity and in spite of wealth and power.

What is the "moderate" position on unrigging the economy? On "justice for all"?

I want a Bill of Rights and civil rights and voting rights that belong to everyone.

What is the "moderate" position on individual rights? Some rights? For some people? Some of the time? But not right now?

I want police who protect and serve. What do "moderates" want?

I want action on climate change.

I want consumer protections enforced by the government.

I want DC and Puerto Rico to become states if they want.

I want to get rid of the filibuster to keep fascists and racists from standing in the way.

I want to curb the military budget and spend some of that money on human beings instead of missiles.

I want meaningful campaign finance laws so bought politicians can't sell themselves to the highest bidder.

I want to expand and reform the Supreme Court to counter the corruption and partisanship and stop six bought politicians from demolishing every good thing.

I want politicians who will work for their constituents instead of themselves, who understand what gas prices mean, and who don't go to war to show off.

I don't want politicians lying about my neighbors and calling them names and putting personal armies in my home town to kidnap them. I want all the kidnappers in jail.

And I don't want politicians stealing stuff that belongs to the country. That goes for money, buildings, parks, planes, all of it.

Is that really too much to ask for? Does it make me a socialist? A radical? These aspirations describe the country I want to live in, which used to be more like this one, and now it's not. At all.

There are plenty of people who don't want good things for human beings, and some of them say so out loud. "Drill, baby, drill!" "shall not be infringed!" These people are Republicans no matter what they call themselves.

Even more people say they want justice and rights and fairness, but their actions prove they don't. They are too lazy or afraid or in love with their status or beholden to special interests and their Money. This is the only permitted use of "both sides" you will find in these pages. 

Fuck the fake Dems who sabotage the Party for cash. What do genuine moderate Democratic electeds and candidates and the people who love them really want? 

 

Do you want good things, but moderately? For only some people? Someday but not so fast? Do you want them as long as you don't have to fight too hard or risk too much to get them?

I'm all for electeds and candidates talking to constituents and reflecting their priorities. You should be as moderate as you need to be while educating and explaining to your voters your more progressive positions (see above). But which of my "wants" is beyond the pale for moderate Democrats?

I challenge moderate Democratic electeds and candidates to choose one thing from my wish list and explain why it is not squarely in the mainstream of good things for human beings.

 

Even with issues moderates might see as risky, like the military budget, for example, or the filibuster or ICE, whatever, what are you afraid of? Losing the job you're already too afraid to do? Do you just feel safer punching left? Is it just habit?

 
Ask a hundred of your constituents what they want. You are out of touch. The country needs a New New Deal.

  

And don't you dare tell me you are afraid of the evil shit Republicans will do to you in response. Payback? Let me introduce you to Jeff's Law:

There is absolutely nothing that Democrats can NOT do, that will 

 prevent Republicans from doing any single thing they want to do.

Nothing.™

Nothing. If you actually believe that there is evil shit Republicans are not doing because you are being nice to them, you are deluding yourselves and surrendering the country. If right now you are preserving norms or honoring tradition or demonstrating civility instead of fighting like hell to beat these bastards, you are a traitor.

Corollary:
Republicans always do evil shit. They will never stop. 

They have to be stopped.

 

So why don't moderate centrist establishment Democrats see this? Understand this? Why won't they join the fight and fight like hell to stop the bastards? 

I'll admit that when I started thinking about this, I didn't get it. I thought maybe moderate centrists want to be seen as savvy realists but are really just scared little kids wandering around the playground doing whatever they have to do to blend in with the cool kids and avoid a beatdown.

Then it dawned on me.  

 

A lot of moderate Dems are not telling the truth about themselves. They want to say they want good things, but they are afraid to risk anything to make them happen. They are afraid to shake things up in a way that benefits their constituents but puts their privileged status and cash flow in jeopardy. They want to be called "moderate," and have the word "moderate" in their bios so they can go on getting puff pieces in the press while putting up blockades dressed as guardrails and raking in the cash.

Once again, the answer to all my questions is: money.