2018 midterms show start of Democratic scramble for 2020

We need a third party!

democrats are no better than the republicans, two headed snake, different wing same vulture.

Correct, bones, correct.

Both parties appeal to centrist right voters. Because Americans have been indoctrinated into the idea that socialism is un-American and anything vaguely left-sounding is to be demonised, the two parties operate in a limited political space, with little or no room to address working class concerns. The gulf between rich and poor is a topic that is often ignored.

Which is why you have smaller organisations like Redneck Revolt and Democratic Socialists of America starting out on the road to wider recognition and aiming to change things at a grassroots level.

The scramble at the top alienates the marginalised and it's all too clear that it cannot continue this way forever.

Calling all progressives, liberals, anti-fascists, independents, and yes, even true conservatives (in the vein of Jennifer Rubin and Max Boot) to come together to defeat the Republican Party in November!

Don't take anything for granted. Work every day from now until then, to organize, to register people to vote, to educate, and to turn out the vote (including getting people to the polls).

Save the Republic: Blue Wave.

We need a third party!

If the libertarian party was more popular it would make things interesting.

A very different message to sell versus the other 2.

Calling all progressives, liberals, anti-fascists, independents, and yes, even true conservatives (in the vein of Jennifer Rubin and Max Boot) to come together to defeat the Republican Party in November!

Why on earth would true conservatives or even centrist liberals side with the far left progressives in the U.S and the antifa authoritarian thugs.

I can't imagine two groups with less in common.

Conservatives, true to their name, should vote Republican, Independent or Libertarian imo.

Why on earth would true conservatives or even centrist liberals side with the far left progressives in the U.S and the antifa authoritarian thugs.

To dispel such "thug" narratives? One can always hope for a miracle, I guess!

Seriously - there's no doubt that doxxing and violence can occur within antifa activist groups but they are not one homogenous organisation. Which accounts for the often confused attempts to label them.

Personally, I do not condone any violent actions that are carried out under the umbrella of anti-fascism but then again, it's been a while since I've been physically assaulted or intimidated because of my beliefs/leanings/religion/appearance etc.

In the meantime, the Republicans and Democrats have nothing to offer the working class and marginalised peoples of America. They don't care.

Democratic scramble to reclaim the White House from President Donald Trump.

Good luck! Maybe if the Dems stop rigging their primaries and put out the most popular candidate in the country (Bernie Sanders) they will win.

democrats are no better than the republicans, two headed snake, different wing same vulture.

While I agree there are problems in both parties, I don't think you can say they are equal. The Republican party has gone to the extreme right over the past, whereas the Democratic party has moved towards the center. The whole country has moved right. There are many problems with extreme leftists as well, but they are a separate entity from the Democratic party. These extremists may support the Democrats (though many of them vehemently reject the party), but it cannot be said that the Democratic party supports the extreme leftists.

Why on earth would true conservatives or even centrist liberals side with the far left progressives in the U.S and the antifa authoritarian thugs.

He's probably not talking about Antifa. They're the fringe at the extreme left. He probably means progressive socialists like Bernie Sanders, who aren't the same despite being thrown together. And they should join together to defeat the Republicans because the GOP has lost all credibility with their consistent standing by with Trump.

A third party would be great, but I think the Democrats are still salvageable if the true progressives take over.

Well 2.5 years at least until it even matters. I notice the article purposely avoided Hillary who said she will be with the Dem party “every step of the way”. Yes please!

Because Americans have been indoctrinated into the idea that socialism is un-American and anything vaguely left-sounding is to be demonised, the two parties operate in a limited political space, with little or no room to address working class concerns. 

You nailed it TH. Any ideological alternative is doomed to fail in the us (not only socialism).

I notice the article purposely avoided Hillary.

Do you notice all the other has-beens they didn't mention? There are tens of thousands, if not millions of them. Should every article mention every has-been ever?

she is the has been that has no self awareness that she is a has been. Did you see her “try hard” wearing of the Russian hat the other day? You lost, go away. Better yet, stay!

bonesToday  02:06 pm JST

We need a third party!

democrats are no better than the republicans, two headed snake, different wing same vulture.

When Nazis held a rally in Charlottesville and one of their allies murdered an innocent counter-protester in a terrorist attack, it wasn't the Democrats who claimed there were fine people "on both sides".

It wasn't the Democrats who helped a hostile foreign nation subvert our sovereign elections for pay.

It wasn't the Democrats who raised the average Americans' health care premiums $1000 this year by deliberately undermining the national health care system.

It wasn't the Democrats who ran a pedophile for senate in Alabama.

It wasn't the Democrats who stacked the cabinet with people hostile to the agencies they are intended to manage, people grossly incompetent or unprepared to do the jobs asked of them, or friends and family members.

It isn't the Democrats who take Russian money laundered through the NRA to ensure our students can be easily murdered in schools.

It isn't the Democrats who actively court bigots, misogynists, and fundamentalist religious fanatics to their voter base.

Let's not be completely absurd, shall we? The Democrats are a slightly inefficient, slightly corrupt political party faced off against a regressive kleptocratic regime that every day closer and closer resembles the Nazis. "Slightly bad" is not just as bad as "authoritarian fascist nightmare."

@Blacklab--what are odds that the largely Japan-based readership of this site would have seen Hillary's clothes during her Yale commencement address? Either you're overreaching a bit in your obsessive Hillary-mania, or parroting some random trivia from Fox News (which isn't even shown in Japan thankfully).

Did you see her “try hard” wearing of the Russian hat the other day? You lost, go away.

I don't even know what you are referring to. I don't bother keeping up on has-beens. Weird that you do. I agree she should go away, which is why unlike you, I never bring her up. I'm not sure why you like her so much you follow her and keep talking about her on the forums so much. It's also incongruous with your attempt to claim you want her to go away.

"a Democratic scramble to reclaim the White House from President Donald Trump."

Fat chance!

"CALIFORNIA The Big Blue Beacon of Hope"

More like the Big Blue Nutjob State. Trump's going to turn it red again in 2024.

"Fox News (which isn't even shown in Japan thankfully)."

There's this thing called the internet, which, btw, Hillary didn't count on, she thought everyone was still getting their news from Clinton News Network.

The revolt against California's sanctuary law

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1SCd9_hxVg

Calling all progressives, liberals, anti-fascists, independents, and yes, even true conservatives (in the vein of Jennifer Rubin and Max Boot) to come together to defeat the Republican Party in November!

Jennifer Rubin? Are you joking???? ROFL! These people make Bernie look like a.....Moderate....somewhat.

Don't take anything for granted. Work every day from now until then, to organize, to register people to vote, to educate, and to turn out the vote (including getting people to the polls).

That goes for both sides.

And the right will do the same.

Save the Republic: Blue Wave

https://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/november-elections-democrats-republicans

There is a thing called the Internet. You guys might want to use it to read news outside Japan.

You guys seem to know every anti-trump thing that happens. You all know who Stormy Daniels is and Michael Cohen and Michael Avenatti and Robert mueller. How would Japan based people know these names?

. But somehow you don’t seem to know Hillary Clinton or John Brennan anymore.

There is a thing called the Internet. You guys might want to use it to read news outside Japan.

Should we obsessively watch CNN like you?

Or which right-wing talking point sites do you recommend? Where do you get your talking points?

Hillary and Brennan are in the news everyday with anti trump comments which liberals enjoy. There is a thing called Google where you can find news, nobody watches CNN.

I don’t blame you for pretending you don’t know your liberal heroes. I would want to own that nonsense coming out their mouth either.

Hillary and Brennan are in the news everyday

Well yeah, because you right-wingers are obsessed with her and talk about her all the time.

I haven't seen a news article on her in months.

I don’t blame you for pretending you don’t know your liberal heroes.

Um, if someone is your hero, there is no reason to pretend otherwise. That's the exact opposite thing to do with heros. What a silly argument.

ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and CNBC all had Hillary on their front page yesterday “trolling” trump with the Russian hat. Liberal news hero who won’t go away. You own her.

As for Brennan, I literally have no idea who that is. I've never heard of him until you started bleating about him in this thread.

ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and CNBC all had Hillary on their front page yesterday “trolling” trump with the Russian hat.

Which, not reading any of those sites, I literally have no idea what you are referring to.

I have no talking points I have my own mind and thoughts. Unlike you guys who always don’t make sense for the first 24 hours and longer especially on weekends. There was no spying! Half of you say. Trump deserved to be spied on! Other half of you.

You never heard of John Brennan ex head of the CIA. The guy who leaked to CNN so much when he was in office that they hired him. Yeah suuuuuure.

2 minute Google search, he was your main point of argument in February. Weak.

Feb 18, 2018 · Strangerland ..... Both Clapper and Brennan are Republicans, as is Comey, so these three colluding with the sole Democrat in the group you ...

I have no talking points I have my own mind and thoughts.

No you don't. Watch your Hannity and quit complaining because CNN isn't Hannity. Gawd.

Unlike you guys who always don’t make sense for the first 24 hours and longer especially on weekends. There was no spying! Half of you say.

You did this write well for always. Makes scents. ;)

No you don't. Watch your Hannity and quit complaining because CNN isn't Hannity. Gawd.

Thank God! Ahhh...Jeff Zucker, he tries so very hard.

Many democrats lose track of where the money that the govt has comes from. I see that as a huge problem, actually, the primary problem with almost that entire political party. For example,

$15 minimum wage, tuition-free college and universal health insurance.

Who is going to pay for that, especially while we have a $20T national debt? Leaving any debt to our children is a sin, unacceptable.

Libertarians who run for major offices seem to all be wackos. I think I'm a libertarian too, but based on the wild disapproval and approval of my posts here, I'm unelectable. ;) For example, a 5% surplus for for all budgets until the national debt is paid off would be something I'd like. Also, would like to see the total budget for all the major govt departments published as a percentage of the total. The breakdown of the budget should be known by every citizen so we can make informed decisions for where the money is actually spent.

Republicans need not even run -- they will be dumped from office en masse! It will look like an Othello board!

Republicans need not even run -- they will be dumped from office en masse! It will look like an Othello board!

I used to think that as well until the recent polls are showing a very tight race with about a 3 margin lead to what was once a 15 margin lead. Again, that blue wave just might end up being nothing but a splash.

Because Americans have been indoctrinated into the idea that socialism is un-American and anything vaguely left-sounding is to be demonized.

Socialism is the definition of un-American. It is why the great ideological struggle of the Cold War was so important.

Any rudimentary understanding of the nations founding would inform you that America is based on the idea that each individual should be free of government control to the greatest extent possible. Sure there were serious problems with how they sought to implement that idea due to the sensibilities of the day but the idea remains the same. Socialism places the liberty of individuals secondary to the state. That is exactly backwards of the Founding Fathers vision. The fact that so many are uneducated about this in post war America is the reason for America’s current across the board decline.

The coming batch of Democrat presidential candidates are looking at how Sanders was cheated and Trumps subsequent election and are going hard Left. The problem for any true American that still believes in individual liberty is that Trump, and Republicans in general, are only offering a diluted version of the Democrats socialist platform.

Again, that blue wave just might end up being nothing but a splash.

If historical trends hold the Dems are all but assured of shellacking the Republicans this fall. If they don’t take at least one chamber of Congress it will be a historic failure.

Democrats have a lot more seats to defend so they will need to climb a pretty tall mountain to recapture both chambers.

Plus, I'm sure the Russians will help again with more ads and hacking. The RUS/GOP partnership will be hard to counter. Maybe Don Jr can share his Wikileaks contact info.

The problem for any true American that still believes in individual liberty is that Trump, and Republicans in general, are only offering a diluted version of the Democrats socialist platform.

The Democrat platform is not socialist.

WolfpackToday  01:35 am JST

Socialism is the definition of un-American. It is why the great ideological struggle of the Cold War was so important.

Leaving aside the fact that as Strangerland said, the Democrat platform is not socialist, don't you think this is a strange comment?

We fought a cold war against socialism, so socialism is unAmerican, you claim. We fought hot wars against Nazism and the racist ideology of the Confederacy, yet somehow the right does not consider either ideology to be unAmerican, in fact these days the right seems actively allied with both.

Democrats have a lot more seats to defend so they will need to climb a pretty tall mountain to recapture both chambers.

You are referring to the Senate - which is true. But the Dem Senators do have the advantage of incumbency and a highly motivated far Left wing of their party. They have the vast majority of the media in lockstep with their party.

But most of all the DNC has the advantage of Hillary’s Russian intelligence resources who are standing by to generate unsubstantiated opposition research. They are also blessed with high level operatives in the FBI and CIA who are ready to attack Republicans whenever they need an insurance policy. If Dems can’t at least flip the House this Fall with their finger on the electoral scales yet again they are in deep trouble in 2020.

There's nothing wrong with socialism. Soviet-style communism is bad, democratic socialism is good. American-style neoliberalism and neoconservatism is destroying the world.

Strangerland: The Democrat platform is not socialist.

Free health care, child care, college education, guaranteed income - all things endorsed by Dems. Sounds socialist to me.

We fought hot wars against Nazism and the racist ideology of the Confederacy, yet somehow the right does not consider either ideology to be unAmerican, in fact these days the right seems actively allied with both.

What tin foil hat did you pull this ridiculous comment out from under? The fight against Nazism was never opposed by Republican conservatives. In fact General Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander and Republican president, would strenuously dispute your characterization if he were alive today.

As for the Confederacy, the Republican party was founded on an anti-slavery platform in opposition to the Democrat party’s support of this reprehensible institution and the Dem/KKK’s support of segregation in the century following the Civil War. Lincoln did was not a Progressive. So-called “conservative” Democrats in the south were big supporters of FDR’s New Deal socialist programs. Republicans were opposed. Dems try to make simplistic historically revisionist statements to obscure their party’s racist past. Shameful.

Leaving aside the fact that as Strangerland said, the Democrat platform is not socialist, don't you think this is a strange comment?

Actually no. What tax and spend policies do Democrats ever oppose that are aimed at extracting wealth and resdributing it to those who did not earn it? Look at California and it’s high taxes on businesses and job creators and note the extreme income disparity this has produced. Look at the truly astounding levels of debt and deficits caused by socialist, high tax policies princibly in blue cities and states. It is truly astonishing how believers in socialism can consistently fail to see the repeated failures of their ideology always believing the next time it will work.

@katsu

lets not kid ourselves, the dems are just as complicit in the fleecing of America.

They have no interest in helping the average working person, they do a good job of pretending to though.

its all one big dog and pony show in my opinion. we always end up having to choose between the lesser of two evils.

@Alfie: American-style neoliberalism and neoconservatism is destroying the world.

American style capitalism has raised upwards of a billion people up from abject poverty. Socialism in its many forms including its most extreme form, communism, has directly contributed to the deaths of tens of millions of people.

democratic socialism is good.

Democratic socialism only works in small culturally homogeneous nations that are rich in natural resources. If nearly everyone agrees on their charity and there is a gusher of oil profits to pay for it then yes, democratic socialism can work even for an extended period of time. But this scheme will inevitably fail when the money runs out and if their is diversity in political belief.

Free health care, child care, college education, guaranteed income - all things endorsed by Dems. Sounds socialist to me.

Ahh so the problem is that you don’t even know what socialism is.

Democratic socialism only works in small culturally homogeneous nations that are rich in natural resources

Canada proves you wrong.

They have no interest in helping the average working person, they do a good job of pretending to though.

Sounds more like bait-and-switch Don than the Democratic party.

Anyways, Obamacare, and all the sh#t the party went through as a result of implementing it, shows that they are interested in helping the average working person.

@strangerland

sounds more like the carrot on a stick routine.

Obama has blood on his hands just like his good buddy G Dubya .

Democratic socialism only works in small culturally homogeneous nations that are rich in natural resources.

Like Strangerland said, Canada proves you wrong, and the argument itself is so completely baseless. How many large culturally heterogeneous nations that are average in natural resources are there, and how many have tried democratic socialism for you to know it won't work?

Ahh so the problem is that you don’t even know what socialism is.

Free health care, child care, college education, guaranteed income - all things endorsed by Dems. Sounds socialist to me.

Pretty much sums it up.

How many large culturally heterogeneous nations that are average in natural resources are there, and how many have tried democratic socialism for you to know it won't work?

They can keep it. With over 300 million in the US and over 40 million of them illegal, there is no way it would work without completely draining the system. I prefer capitalism and small government, as small a possible.

No, like we do in Japan we pay a monthly healthcare and pension contribution which is also backed up by our employer if we have one.

Wouldn’t work for 320 million people and remember, Japan doesn’t have to worry about their military defense.

America is a private health insurance system which at least 14 million can't afford and have no access to healthcare.

So fix it for those that can’t afford it, but don’t penalize the people that can afford it and overhaul the entire system. More big Government intrusion.

No free college education, although in my student days they were and still should be. Better educated people better educated society.

As long as the education system is fair and balanced and allows multiple opinions to exist and flourish.

Interesting, the two most important aspects for Cuban citizens are the free health and free education and never want to see that go away.

I don’t see hordes of liberals or Michael Moore wanting to move over there. Maybe it’s because they don’t have access to unfettered freedom. Doesn’t mean squat if you have all the education and can’t do anything with it in the free market place

In future when much less work is done by people and more by robots all people will need to receive a living wage to cover all their basic needs.

Thank God when that happens you and I won’t be around to have to deal with that kind lunacy.

Socialism places the liberty of individuals secondary to the state.

Nope, it makes all citizens equal and endeavours to give them basic rights like healthcare and education etc.

It puts an end to rampant inequality that is the hallmark of capitalism which lauds the rich and profiteers whilst leaving the poor where they always are.

That frightens the greedy, the profiteers and the corporations and therefore it frightens the politicians who are in their pocket, so the populace must be told repeatedly that socialism is evil and "un-American". This ensures the status quo.

Something's got to give.

Wouldn’t work for 320 million people

Why?

The more than are paying in, the more stable the system can be and the lower the cost per person.

Japan doesn’t have to worry about their military defense

The UK spends a good 2.5%+ of its GDP on defence, but it still manages to have a great healthcare system free at the point of delivery, and a longer average lifespan than the US.

So why wouldn't a proper healthcare and pension contribution scheme work in the US?

The goons over at CNN / MSNBC keep talking about this blue wave. These were the same clowns who thought even TX had a chance of going blue during 2016 Presidential Election. -they were way off.

“The UK spends a good 2.5%+ of its GDP on defence, but it still manages to have a great healthcare system free”

They just let that baby die recently. The parents got violated! Sum healthcare system ehh?

They just let that baby die recently.

Nobody 'let that baby die'. The child had only 20% of its brain. He could not have been saved no matter where in the world he had been hospitalised.

The care he got in the UK under the NHS was as good as he would get anywhere else in the world, and a lot better than in many places. In the US, with poor, uninsured parents, he would have just been sent home to die.

The parents got violated!

I'm not sure violated is the word you meant to use, but that young couple certainly were very badly treated by the religious activists who cruelly gave them false hope to further their own agenda.