In light of the recent election, it’s clear that the Democratic Party needs a significant leftward shift to better address the needs and concerns of the American people. The party’s centrist approach is increasingly out of touch, limiting its ability to appeal to a broader base and especially to young voters, who are looking for bold and transformative policies. The fact that young men became a substantial part of the conservative voting bloc should be a wake-up call—it’s essential that the Democratic Party broadens its appeal by offering real solutions that resonate with this demographic.

Furthermore, one major missed opportunity was the decision to forgo primaries, which could have brought new energy and ideas to the ticket. Joe Biden’s choice to run for a second term, despite earlier implications of a one-term presidency, may have ultimately contributed to the loss by undermining trust in his promises. Had the party explored alternative candidates in a primary process, the outcome could have been vastly different. It is now imperative for the Working Families Party and the Progressive Caucus to push for a stronger, unapologetically progressive agenda within the Democratic Party. The time for centrist compromises has passed, as evidenced by setbacks dating back to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 loss, the persistently low approval ratings for Biden since 2022, and Kamala Harris’s recent campaign, which left many progressives feeling alienated. To regain momentum and genuinely connect with the electorate, a clear departure from moderate politics is essential.

  • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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    14 days ago

    This has been the rallying call from progressives for decades, they keep sliding right. At what point do we have to consider that entryism into the Dems just doesn’t work? The party structure is designed to entrench establishment figures that are great at fundraising from wealthy Capitalists.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    14 days ago

    No. Do a Bernie.

    An independent can’t win the presidency but independents absolutely can become state senators, state house reps or federal senators.

    If you’re a politician who manages to win your local democratic primary run as an independent with no one with the (D) label… if no one is wearing the label you’ll outperform wearing it yourself.

    You can affix yourself to a more niche party like Democratic Socialists of America or the Working Families Party but keep that (I).

  • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    I’ll only believe a leftist could win an election for president AFTER a leftist wins an election for governor.

        • theunknownmuncher@lemmy.world
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          14 days ago

          Just seems pretty arbitrary and an easy goalpost to move. If they had a governorship and not a Senator, you could just as easily say “I won’t believe it until they can win a Senate seat!” instead lol.

          Good thing it literally doesn’t matter what you believe they can do

          • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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            14 days ago

            Governors, like presidents, are part of the executive branch. So I think it is the more appropriate comparison.

            The leading contenders for the 2028 Democratic nomination aren’t a mystery. They are mostly governors, for example Newsom, Pritzker, Shapiro, Beshear. There isn’t some unknown leftist walking among us who is going to come out of nowhere to win the primary.

          • Kethal@lemmy.world
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            14 days ago

            All these Sanders supporters talking about the establishment as the reason he doesn’t win. Yet none of them voted in the primaries this year. None of them wrote him in for president. Sanders won’t win because instead of going to the polls and actually voting for him, his supporters will post on the Internet about wishing they could go to the polls to vote for him.

            • theunknownmuncher@lemmy.world
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              14 days ago

              none of them voted in the primaries this year

              … dude. The primary between Biden, the magic crystals lady, and some no name executive?? I did vote in it, and I also knew it was a total sham. What primary did Kamala Harris win? Oh right, not a single one… how can we possibly act surprised that a candidate did not win in a general election when they never even won a primary in their own party?

              The Democrat party has not held a valid and legitimate primary since 2008. Super-delegates that are literally pre-pledged to the elites’ chosen candidate is not valid democracy. Holding a primary in stages where specific states go first and sway and influence other states that go later is not valid democracy. You’re not going to win at democracy if you don’t even do democracy.

              🤡

              • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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                14 days ago

                Holding a primary in stages where specific states go first and sway and influence other states that go later is not valid democracy.

                The alternative is to hold all primaries at once, which costs candidates a lot more money. It would basically exclude any candidate who did not have significant establishment support from the moment they annouced and/or is not a billionaire.

                If you want a non-establishment candidate to have any chance, you must give them the opportunity to prove themselves in a small contest, like Iowa, and allow them time to build up momentum.

    • umbrella@lemmy.ml
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      14 days ago

      not even sanders who is pretty tame as far as leftism go is sabotaged and not allowed to even compete.

      the system itself is broken.

  • Kethal@lemmy.world
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    14 days ago

    The funnny thing about elections is that politicians do the things people vote for. Literally no one gives a shit about people who don’t vote. Everyone who sat out and couldn’t even be arsed to vote third party just helped move the country to the right. Everyone who sits at home during primaries let’s the rest of the country have its way.

    Democrats don’t implement the things that you want because you don’t vote and therefore you don’t matter. Republicans don’t implement the things you that want because you don’t vote and therefore you don’t matter.

    “Waah, waah, there’s only two parties.” More than half the country doesn’t vote. That’s enough to elect a third party candidate. Instead millions of idiots sat at home complaining that they can’t get everything they want today, and moving the needle is too much work.

  • timbuck2themoon@sh.itjust.works
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    14 days ago

    Sounds good… First thing to do is make sure everyone votes in every primary and election.

    No one GAF what you think unless you vote.

    But somehow people think sitting out a vote for the 30th time in a row means the Democrats will finally listen to them…

  • randon31415@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    It’s time the democrats have a primary where the winner isn’t preordained. Even with Obama, Hillary was “preordained” the winner in 2008, only to have everyone be surprised that an electable candidate got nominated. Same thing happened with Bill Clinton in '92, where the “preordained” candidate dropped out (ironically due to an affair) and Bill Clinton took his place. Come to think of it, that is how Obama got his senate seat. Someone cheated on 7 of 9 and suddenly Illinois has a black senator.

    Anyways, just let us vote.

  • arin@lemmy.world
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    13 days ago

    It’s time we vote for the independent or green party. We had 3 elections with the DNC making terrible decisions.

    • Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
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      12 days ago

      Get rid of Jill Stein and get someone who isn’t interested in being a foreign asset, then we can talk.

    • Cowbee [he/him]@lemmy.ml
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      13 days ago

      Voting third party will not bring about necessary change. The DNC can’t be moved left, but will absolutely use systemic advantage against leftist parties, like how they kicked PSL off the ballots of several states. We need to organize and pressure the system itself from outside the domains of electoralism.

  • ShareMySims@sh.itjust.works
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    14 days ago

    It is time to open your eyes to the reality and stop doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

    The democrats aren’t there to serve you. They are there to provide an illusion of choice and to help shift the Overton window to the right.

    You will never push them to the left because being on the left is antithetical to their purpose and existence.

    If this election hasn’t woken you up, what the fuck will?