A Party Divided: The Socialist Shift & The Fight For Minnesota's DFL - Darwish, Minneapolis Times

[question everything]

For decades, Marjorie Simon was a pillar of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) party. She believed in its “big tent” philosophy and its historic commitment to working-class Minnesotans. But today, Simon says the party she once called home has been “hijacked” by radical elements—and she is now prepared to take her grievance to court. In a candid and fiery interview on the Liz Collin Reports podcast, Simon, a self-described lifelong Democrat, delivered a scathing indictment of the DFL’s current trajectory. She warned of what she describes as “creeping communism” and a systemic takeover of the party by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

(snip)

The interview highlights a deepening schism within the DFL that has been simmering for years. While the party has historically balanced the needs of rural farmers, urban labor unions, and suburban moderates, the recent surge of DSA-backed candidates in Minneapolis and St. Paul has shifted the power dynamic. These new voices have pushed for radical reforms in public safety, rent control, and taxation—policies that Simon and other traditionalists believe are alienating the party’s moderate base.

Simon pointed to the increasing influence of the “Squad”-aligned wing of the party as evidence of a shift toward socialism. She expressed concern that the DFL’s traditional focus on pragmatic progressivism has been replaced by an “ideological purity” that leaves no room for dissent from long-term members. “I’m not a Republican, and I don’t want to be one,” Simon emphasized. “I’m a Democrat who wants my party back. I want to save the DFL from the people who are trying to burn it down from the inside.”

(snip)

“Marjorie Simon represents a generation of Democrats who feel abandoned by their own party,” said one local political consultant. “Whether or not her lawsuit has legal standing, the political optics are significant. If the DFL loses the support of its traditional moderate base, the path to a statewide majority becomes increasingly narrow.”

As for Simon, she views her potential legal challenge as a rescue mission for the party she spent her life supporting. “Someone has to stand up and say this isn’t right,” she concluded. “If we don’t fight for the soul of this party now, there won’t be a party left to save.”

https://minneapolistimes.com/a-party-divided-the-socialist-shift-the-fight-for-minnesotas-dfl/

[OldBaldy1701E]

1. "...pragmatic progressivism..."

Another term for 'not changing anything that actually matters, or will affect my sociopolitical position in any way'.

[slightlv]

6. Or doing it in such slow moving motions, that no one

notices along the way... we've lived that for what seems like forever. It IS time for a change, and now is perfect for a reordering of our important priorities... helping the middle class and the poor. Building support systems like every other 1st world country has done since WWII. That includes all-inclusive healthcare and education. Both items I suspect this person would claim as "socialism." If so, I'm afraid I'm not on her side.

Trump has so flipped the norms and stripped the teeth from the Law, that now is the perfect time to put force back into the Rule of Law, set civil decency as the norm once again, and drag the Magas either into the 21st century or back under their rocks. We've got major problems in this country to solve. We'll need ideas from everyone to solve them. No one party has the answer to everything. If we can remember that and build bridges among us all, we might come out okay on the other end. But first and foremost has to be helping those who've been hurt worst by trump and his minions. The prioritizing of that group is going to be the first hard hurdle to jump. gods, what a mess this country is in. And that says nothing to what he's done to our foreign policy. I'll be long dead before this ship of state rights itself completely once again... and that's only if we can keep the majority of Repugs out of office! We've done it before; it can be done again. And I dearly hope the younger generations have the will, the strength, and the creativity to see it through. I just apologize for what we're leaving them; and hope dearly they know not everyone had a role in handing it to them. Many of us have worked decades trying to building something better and truer for them. We just got quashed by sheer evil.

[OldBaldy1701E]

7. "No one party has the answer to everything."

Indeed.

The issue is that some really great ideas are being shut down or even hidden so that they will not affect the status quo.

That is the one thing that absolutely has to be changed.

But, we won't.

The programming worked. When there are better ideas and we refuse to even think about them... it worked and they won.

[slightlv]

8. I hope those kids that grew to be adults in this age of

chronic chaos have seen what has been done in the past and make the necessary adjustments to their thinking. Like you, with as much disinfo and propaganda that is out there, I fear the use of critical thinking is at an all time low. But I've seen so much to cheer in these younger generations to hope (and, true to form, much to despair) that they will take the reins and move forward with a more collective mindset. One can always hope, I guess.. eh?

[OldBaldy1701E]

9. Personally, hope destroyed me.

As someone who used to always have it, I had it let me down too many times. Like, almost every single time.

But, I do have a yearning for the next generation to be more aggressive when it comes to making changes that are for the better despite the calls from those who don't want things to change to never change anything. They do seem to be less inclined to fall for the usual propaganda. They also have not fallen for the old 'if you work hard, you will become successful' trope either. This will have an immeasurable effect on how our society views such things as 'work' and 'necessity'. By that reckoning, I do hope that things will improve one day.

As an old Trekkie, hope is something that used to be ingrained in me. As someone who never fit into the societal mold that we created, hope just became a major tigger for depression and anxiety. Because it became clear just how fantastical the concept of 'hope' was.

May the next generation learn not to fall for the hype and start pushing for some reality in our society.

[slightlv]

10. From another old Trekkie, I understand...

but even the several new Trek series, with their emphasis on Section 31 has been disillusioning to me.

Many of the kids today seek connection beyond those who look like themselves, which I find to be very hopeful. They're more responsive to women, same sex couples and other gender orientations. They're also more likely to either be less focused on religion, or more open to other religious ideas. Of course, this isn't everyone. There are so many incels online, but do take hope in the loss of so many of the young from the pedantic, dogmatic, evangelical and charismatic churches... which is where so much harm to these kids come from. If they can see thru that illusion - that what they are teaching is not the true faith (within their faith community) maybe there is hope. Like you, I've been sorely tested as I get older. Gone to bed many a night nearly in tears. Dealing with old age and the infirmities it brings is bad enough. Doing it in this day age is almost too much to bear.

[OldBaldy1701E]

11. " Doing it in this day age is almost too much to bear."

For some of us, it was already too much to bear.

Things are not going to get any better for me. Nowadays, my only hope is that this failed existence won't be going on for to much longer.

[Ocelot II]

2. The Minneapolis Times is an "alternative" publication whose main purpose

seems to be to discredit progressives and push centrist Democrats. They aren't MAGA, but the cited interview with Marjorie Simon is with Liz Collin of Alpha News, which is MAGA. So there's that.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

3. Lol Minneapolis Times come on

[Sweet Rosie Red]

4. Peanuts from the nosebleed section

Everyone has an opinion, whether based on fact or class bias. Marjorie Simon has never even run for political office, much less answered to a constituency or publicly discussed political/social/economic issues. Minneapolis Times describes her background as:

"Marjorie Simon, Minneapolis, holds degrees from the College of St. Benedict, and the University of Northern Colorado in Music Education. When vocal cord problems ended her band directing career, Simon switched to writing. She served as PR director for the St. Paul Winter Carnival, then an ad agency, before starting her own business. She’s won numerous awards at the state and international levels. Her work has appeared in publications ranging from Mechanical Engineering and ENR, to Better Homes & Gardens and many more.”
https://minneapolistimes.com/author/simonspraol-com/
Searching her name brings up no writing credits for any other publication. She did write an article for this publication last year, clutching pearls and whining about disorder at last year's DFL convention. Her article seems to derive substance from Roberts Rules of Order.
I see no reason why this person’s opinion deserves notice or discussion and question why it was deemed worthy of inclusion in this forum.

Anything that helps working families survive and spend time raising their children instead of working for a subsistence wage is deemed “socialism” by a certain type of person whose general attitude towards the great mass of humanity seems to be “I got mine, f88k you.” Certain other people delight in catapulting the propaganda into general awareness. Draw your own conclusions.

[dflprincess]

5. If she's whining to Liz Collin

she is no Democrat - "self described" or not.