The Way Forward -- from The Third Way

[somsai]

When people say they don't understand the term "neoliberal" The Third Way is a good place to point them towards. They say they are upset at being definitively out of power, and banksters like winning elections, and they are "our banksters".

The third way does understand that the key to winning elections is this large group of people they know nothing about called the working class, and they figure if we would just say nice things and stop being mean, the working class would once again support corporate Dems.

The part they missed out on is any sort of policy ideas. Zero mention about immigration which was the biggest issue in the two elections Trump has won.

All that said, and sarcasm aside, The Third Way is correct as far as it goes. The emphasis is on winning back the working class, and how we talk to and about the working class is an important part of any plan to re win elections.

I'll cull a list of main ideas but follow the link, there are three lists covering the economy, culture, and rebuilding trust. The lists are short and not wordy. Notice #8 "reactionary" a term I usually associate with conservatism that I think is apt, and a good indicator or just how actually right wing the left side of our party has become.

https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000195-5511-d4a2-afbf-dd7121940000

Takeaways on Why Democrats Have a Cultural Disconnect with the
Working Class

1. Overemphasis on Identity Politics

2. The “Faculty Lounge” Problem

3. Failure to Prioritize Economic Concerns

4. Weak Messaging & Communication

5. Fear of Dissent Within the Party

6. Attachment to Unpopular Institutions

7. Allowing the Far Left to Define the Party

8. Reactionary Rather Than Proactive

9. Over Reliance on Buzzwords & Political Correctness

10. Lack of a Positive National Identity Message

[FSogol]

1. Screw those conservatives.

[tulipsandroses]

2. Working class meaning whiny ass white men?

Because all the black folks that consistently vote for democrats are not working class. ???

[somsai]

3. Preliminary statistics indicate some shift towards Republicans amongst black people, especially males

and white males being the sole bright spot with the demographic moving more Democratic, unfortunately mostly amongst the college educated white males. I've never read any suggestions that white males majoring in intersectional studies wearing black turtlenecks to poetry readings are more whiney than oil field roughnecks but there might well be validity to the idea.

[choie]

4. Jesus Christ

Aren’t we done with this bullshit? It should have died after the Clinton’s presidency.

[LearnedHand]

5. The Democratic Party is so far from far-left they are almost right

This is some bullshit right here. It's yet another "seems need to move to the center" message with zero actual substance. I agree neoliberalism is killing this country but this list is so wrong it's not even wrong. There was an excellent post on the Hold Reps Accountable Substack today about this very thing:
https://quartzevelyn.substack.com/p/should-this-be-pete-buttigiegs-message

[Gum Logger]

6. Bill Clinton probably felt he had to follow the money.

It was amusing to follow the rationalizations why all the promises made for NAFTA fell short. Some Democrats such as Bil Moyers were dead set against the fire trade kabuki.

[Lulu KC]

7. Where is NAFTA in this?

Not seeing it here.

[somsai]

9. No actual policy positions that I could see, maybe I missed it.

We can't win on vibes, or by using the words that don't offend.
Plenty good stuff on how or what we should talk about, but nothing on where we should stand on issues important to the working class.

[bronxiteforever]

8. 9. Over Reliance on Buzzwords & Political Correctness

That is some primo horsecrap right there. “Political correctness” is a buzzword.
Still waiting for someone to define political correctness in an intelligent way.