" The only elbow room we can progress will be dragging supporters of the correct kicking and screaming into a future they are too illiterate to understand will be good for them . "
Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders are on a “Fighting Oligarchy"tourin an effort to win back voters. This prompted a discussion in ther/politicssubreddit afteru/soalone34postedabout Democrats potentially taking a step away from the centrist approach with voters in the future.
People began sharing what they think Democrats should do and what issues they should focus on to regain support. Here are a few of their suggestions:
1.“Trump won because Harris didn’t say enough about improving people’s lives. She was right that Trump is a huge danger, but most people don’t pay attention to that. They are mad inflation jumped up a shitload.”
2.“I’m tired of centrist policies and appeasement of the right. I want to see some political punches to the balls. Constitutional amendments and laws to enumerate, define, enshrine, and protect rights and institutions in this country that were previously protected by wink-and-nod politics, and people being well-behaved.”
— u / lemon_tea
3.“I WANT A REAL LEFT PARTY! No big money in politics! Make decisions based on what THE PEOPLE want! Protect the people from crooked corporations, not the other way around, like it’s been my whole life.”
4.“If ‘did not vote’ was a candidate, they’d win by a landslide. Democrats have got to give up the fantasy of converting Republicans and focus instead on what will bring these non-voters to the polls.”
— uracil / treecatks
5.“There are two types of ‘left’ people talk about: social left and economically left. The vast majority of people do not really care about the social aspect. Things like what you prefer to be called and what you identify as don’t affect most people and don’t get them to vote. Democrats campaign on issues like fixing the gender gap and dealing with DEI. Things that are important but completely minor in the grand scheme of things.”
6.“No, we want a new, progressive party that does things for the people instead of sitting on the fence pretending it has a spine. I’m a progressive, a liberal, and I’ll never vote for a Democrat again after the shit Schumer pulled. The lame ‘protest’ at Trump’s speech, and just how fucking spineless they’ve all been.”
" Any party that tucks its tail between its legs and lets despotism take wait because it ca n’t find a blinking platform or see out how to serve its voters deserve to conk . "
— u / chunk555my666
7.“What we want is for any remaining honest Congressmen or women to get off their asses and defend the Constitution.”
8.“Anyone over the age of 65 should not be allowed to serve in the government. There are senators serving right now who are older than the invention of chocolate chip cookies.”
9.“Centrism is impossible with the fascists. It’s LONG past time to go on the offensive to pass popular and beneficial policies: universal healthcare, upgraded public transit infrastructure, break up monopolies, raise federal minimum wage, affordable college tuition, and an exhaustive list of checks and balances to prevent another Trump admin from happening EVER AGAIN.”
— u / Izenthyr
10.“Democrats have long been too comfortable with just conceding red states as unwinnable and relying on a narrow sliver of swing states and districts. Make the Republicans defend every seat! No more easy wins! Are you likely to immediately turn Utah, Idaho, or Montana blue in a presidential race? No. But maybe you can steal a few House seats.”
11.“Relative to everywhere else, the American left is a complete joke. Democrats are globally right-of-center. It’s embarrassing and I think most of us are sick of it. They need to start acting like an opposition party. Bring airhorns to Congress like they did in Hungary.”
12.“Trying to meet in the middle will simply be the death of America. The only way we can progress as a nation will be dragging the supporters of the right kicking and screaming into a future that they are too ignorant to understand will be better for them.”
— u / QuadraKev _
13.“It’s insane that establishment Democrats think they went too far left and want to embrace centrist policies. Nobody is going to vote for the ‘diet Republicans’ if the real ones are right there.”
" If it ’s one matter this presidential election made clear , it ’s that whatever Dems are doing now isn’t functioning or popular . citizenry want progressive reform , they just do n’t know it , and current Democrats are horrifying at outlining it . That ’s why AOC is the company ’s hereafter . "
— u / Impressive - Ad8501
14.“As a more moderate conservative who is against orange man Trump as it’s a cult and not a representation of conservative or traditional Republicans, the Dems will have to move away from the ‘classy’ and ‘turn the other cheek’ approach when the other party is fighting dirty in politics.”
15.“They need to ditch the Democratic Party, period. Start a new party. Every single criticism the right will throw at them will be slapped down with, ‘we’re not the Democrats, we’re better.'”
" It immediately kills 50 geezerhood of propaganda that ’s been programme into the right flank against the Democratic Party . contain possess the Democrats ' mistakes . Be good . Be different . Be new . "
— u / HCPwny
16.“It means Hillary, Biden, Harris. It means the Republican Party takes two steps to the right, and the Democratic Party takes one step to the right in response. If they keep trying to woo moderate Republicans from the extremism of Trump while abandoning their base, and just assuming that they’ll get their support no matter what, because of how horrible Trump is, they’ll keep losing.”
17.“We have to abandon the centrists if we want to move forward. People are tired of just maintaining the status quo.”
— u / Demonking3343
18.“I don’t care anymore about what approach the left uses against Trump, as long as it includes dumping the old leadership like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. They are net vote losers. Get rid of them.”
19.“Inspiring candidates, nothing less. Non-voters need a reason to start voting. They need inspiration.”
— u / ABC_Family
20.“My primary issues are democracy (including separation of powers) and climate change. In a sane world, two sides would come up with policies that address these from different perspectives and create some compromise.”
21.“Centrist is media-speak for corporate. Do what the voters want, not the donors.”
— u / ShowMeYourPapers
22.And finally, “A federal holiday for voting would be a good start.”
reception have been edit for length / clarity .
Responses have been edited for length/clarity.
