I've asked this question before but never got a satisfactory answer.
A big part of the problem is that we no longer have a left-wing political movement of appreciable size in the United States. Progressives used to have the Communist party continually threatening to unseat representatives in the FDR days, so the Overton Window shifted left and we got socialist programs like Social Security out of the process. Not bad, right? Ever since then, we've been force-fed a torrent of anti-Communist, anti-Socialist, anti-labor, and pro-Capitalist propaganda, to the point that Progressives now have to couch labor organization in terms like, "Well, we don't mean unions exactly...", or, "We all know the downsides of unions, but...".
Add to that the very deliberate chilling effect engineered by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and COINTELPRO under J. Edgar Hoover, and the intellectuals and civil rights leaders at the core of the American left either had their reputation torn to shreds or were exterminated. The Overton Window has been shifting to the right all this time and it's hardly a surprise there's no equivalent of the Communist party pushing Democrats to the left anymore. Instead they've been pushed to the right by corporations and the religious fringe that has infested the Republican party ever since Roe v. Wade was ruled on.
It's the result of decades of propaganda and the deliberate extermination of leftist movements.
I never thought I'd agree with ironchew, but I'm agreeing with ironchew. Even the Democratic Party in the United States is only a few degrees away from the Republican Party, and third parties are doomed to fail because the system is so rigged (Citizens United, the electoral system, first-past-the-post voting, voter suppression, etc.). I personally consider the Democratic Party more dangerous than the Republican Party in some ways, since they are more insidious about appearing "progressive" while reinforcing the same essential status quo as the Republicans. At this point it's all but decided that Hillary Clinton, who has a history of supporting oppressie regimes, will be the next president; everyone will fawn over her because she's a *~strong empowered woman~* and then get more and more disappointed with her as they realize she's actually even farther to the right of Obama. I'd give it four or five more election cycles before people start demanding more change. I do believe, however, that well-organized activism on the part of leftists could counteract this trend, though American leftists are so full of petty infighting over "Trots" and "Tankies" and academic jargon that it's hard for them to pull their heads out of their asses for five minutes and actually organize something that ordinary, working-class people can feasibly get behind.
I'm thinking that Progressives who can agree on most stuff should get together in a mass, then those guys can start a movement.
The first big stage, again, is education. We can find ways to go out there to educate the public about the definitions of things in ways that will be fun, concise & to the point. We can reach out to Joe/Jane Q. American and befriend & create dialogue with Centrists & saner Conservatives who aren't Wingnuts. We need to find a way to teach people how to look out for the various tricks & manipulations used by The Machine to influence people "Like blaming a bad economy on an 'other'" and other things.
Whenever we like it or not, religion plays a huge part. We need to beef-up & boost sane, Moderate faiths, Churches, Synagogues, Temples, Mosques, etc. We need to take from the Wingnut's playbook and start our own Progressive faith culture/tent revivals/functions.
Finally, be relate-able to the Average Schmoe Person. The problem with the Left-wing movements last time was that, not only were we plagued by The Machine and it's CONTELPRO crap but we were self defeating. Joe/Jane Q. American would respond better to a nice, suit-clad clergyman named King or a nice seamstress named Parks than, say someone raging & "weird" like Charmichael or Davis. Yes, weirdoes have a place but getting them raging & over-the-top & at the forefront would be stupid (and many of them were CONTELPRO, too). No extremists!
And try not to be so naive this time as well. Idealism works best with realism. Radical change via Moderate means. Slow & steady wins the race.
I've asked this question before but never got a satisfactory answer.
A big part of the problem is that we no longer have a left-wing political movement of appreciable size in the United States. Progressives used to have the Communist party continually threatening to unseat representatives in the FDR days, so the Overton Window shifted left and we got socialist programs like Social Security out of the process. Not bad, right? Ever since then, we've been force-fed a torrent of anti-Communist, anti-Socialist, anti-labor, and pro-Capitalist propaganda, to the point that Progressives now have to couch labor organization in terms like, "Well, we don't mean unions exactly...", or, "We all know the downsides of unions, but...".
Add to that the very deliberate chilling effect engineered by the House Committee on Un-American Activities and COINTELPRO under J. Edgar Hoover, and the intellectuals and civil rights leaders at the core of the American left either had their reputation torn to shreds or were exterminated. The Overton Window has been shifting to the right all this time and it's hardly a surprise there's no equivalent of the Communist party pushing Democrats to the left anymore. Instead they've been pushed to the right by corporations and the religious fringe that has infested the Republican party ever since Roe v. Wade was ruled on.
It's the result of decades of propaganda and the deliberate extermination of leftist movements.
I never thought I'd agree with ironchew, but I'm agreeing with ironchew. Even the Democratic Party in the United States is only a few degrees away from the Republican Party, and third parties are doomed to fail because the system is so rigged (Citizens United, the electoral system, first-past-the-post voting, voter suppression, etc.). I personally consider the Democratic Party more dangerous than the Republican Party in some ways, since they are more insidious about appearing "progressive" while reinforcing the same essential status quo as the Republicans. At this point it's all but decided that Hillary Clinton, who has a history of supporting oppressie regimes, will be the next president; everyone will fawn over her because she's a *~strong empowered woman~* and then get more and more disappointed with her as they realize she's actually even farther to the right of Obama. I'd give it four or five more election cycles before people start demanding more change. I do believe, however, that well-organized activism on the part of leftists could counteract this trend, though American leftists are so full of petty infighting over "Trots" and "Tankies" and academic jargon that it's hard for them to pull their heads out of their asses for five minutes and actually organize something that ordinary, working-class people can feasibly get behind.
That is correct. Besides, simple donating goes to a cause so folks who can get off their butts can do something. Also, not everybody has the courage & testicular/ovarian fortitude to go to protests and get billy-clubbed/tasered/pepper-sprayed/tear gassed/dog bit/fire-hosed or worse.
We need to be savvy, shrewd, pragmatic, idealist-realists who can innovate, make much more with less, get around barriers & unite on what we DO agree on.
I heard Soros was thinking of running for Prez. If he runs against Hillary, then "The First Woman President" thing can wait.
Even in Hillary got in, it's the House & Senate that has the most influence. Checks & Balances after all. Perhaps that's why Warren refuses to run. She's feels she can do more as a Senator.
A Democratic President would be great but we need to focus big time on making more House & Senate seats blue as Smurfs!
I look at it this way....Unless someone gets up on a podium in Washington DC and announces, EXPLICITLY, that we are no longer a free, Democratic-Republic & that The Constitution is null and void....This nation is STILL a FREE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC & THAT THE ACTIONS OF THE FASCISTS, PLUTOCRATS, THEOCRATS, OLIGARCHS & CORRUPTED COPS ARE ILLEGAL!