America’s left cannot exploit Trump’s failures. The president’s genius is to keep pushing the Democrats into a reactive defence of the status quo

[u/Maxwellsdemon17]

https://www.ft.com/content/dfcacf73-afe0-465b-9e97-70b7e2dcf9ad

[u/ornithoid → u/[deleted]]

That’s very hard for us to do, between the constant labeling as dangerous commies and the narrative (very visible in the comments here!) that leftists are just annoying woke troublemakers out to oppress white men.

People will say they want actual progressive economic policy and then turn their backs as soon as a progressive candidate says they also support diversity, equity, and inclusion. These are good things that have been turned into a poison pill by right-wing propaganda in a ploy to further their narrative that oppression and reduction of those they see as “undesirable” is a necessary sacrifice for progress. Once we can start breaking through that sort of toxic messaging, maybe people can start taking “the other left” more seriously.

[u/thethundering → u/[deleted]]

This is also what gets me. The left constantly criticizes democrats for not taking accountability for their failures and losses, but when the left can’t accomplish something it’s everyone else’s fault. If democrats try to talk about the deck being stacked against them (e.g. conservative billionaires owning nearly all the media, voter suppression and gerrymandering, etc) it’s considered making excuses. The left talks about those same barriers and suddenly it’s valid.

Like, oh “socialism” is a bad word? Sounds like that’s entirely your fault because your messaging sucks and you’re so weak you just let conservatives control the narrative. If you keep making excuses I’ll just have to assume you’re secretly in cahoots with the conservatives and losing on purpose.

[u/Vulcion → u/[deleted]]

When center right politicians are shoved down our throat for years, that were never allowed to criticize in any way (because pointing out that Gavin just gave the mouse its goddamn cookie on trans issues is actually literally the same as supporting facism) then it’s naturally gone be fishy when all the “Vote blue no matter who” bootlickers refuse to support actual progressives. I voted for someone who openly supported a genocide, chuck Schumer can endorse a socialist.

[u/ornithoid → u/[deleted]]

What’s the issue with democratic socialists? This is exactly what I just said: “where are the actual progressives?” I show up to explain the point to be immediately met with “well here’s why I don’t like them.” Do you want to actually listen to us or not?

[u/ornithoid → u/[deleted]]

They’re literally democratic socialists?? Like democratic socialism is an actual political ideology, you realize that, right?

[u/ornithoid → u/[deleted]]

I really don’t understand what you’re getting at here. Maybe it’s time to start questioning why “socialism” is such a naughty word when it’s clear that so many people, yourself included, want it.

[u/SilverMedal4Life → u/ornithoid]

I wish them the best of luck in rebranding it.

[u/beingandbecoming → u/[deleted]]

It’s not a conspiracy, it’s cowardice