Summary

Following Kamala Harris’s unexpected defeat, Democratic leaders are scrutinizing their party’s failures, particularly with working-class voters.

Figures like Bernie Sanders, Chris Murphy, and Ro Khanna argue the party lacks a strong economic message, especially for those frustrated with stagnant mobility and neoliberal policies.

Sanders emphasized Democrats’ disconnect from working-class concerns, while Murphy criticized the party’s unwillingness to challenge wealthy interests.

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison announced he won’t seek re-election, leaving the party’s leadership in flux as Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries prepare to assume top roles amid a Republican resurgence.

  • stoy@lemmy.zip
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    12 days ago

    As a Swede, calling the Democrats a party on the left is insane, it is center/right and the Republicans are far right.

    • just_another_person@lemmy.world
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      12 days ago

      Well that’s why it’s all relative. Sweden is far left to the US, and your far right people are center.

      Opposite in Germany again. It’s all subjective to the locale.

      • treefrog@lemm.ee
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        12 days ago

        It’s not subjective. The U.S. left is why 40 hour work weeks and SSI exists.

        We’ve just never been represented by the duopoly elite/land owners (by design) and instead have had to strike and agitate through those means rather than the ballot box.

        In other words, the working class isn’t represented nationally and never has been outside a few radicals like Bernie and AOC.

        • jaaake@lemmy.world
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          12 days ago

          The U.S. left from EIGHTY YEARS AGO is why those things exist. There’s been a drift to the right over time. It has RAPIDLY accelerated in the last 50 years. The present day left has been dragged right by trying to be polite in the face of so many evils. I’m not promoting both side-isms, the democrats are still far preferable to the republicans, but the greed and corruption are not exclusive to the right. The system is broken and my only hope of the incoming disaster is that it may get so bad that we are forced to enact real and substantive change. I only think that will happen if the horrors that come are extreme enough to defeat the current apathy of the country. GOP voter numbers went up less than a percent, DNC voter numbers went down over 12%.

          • anomnom@sh.itjust.works
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            11 days ago

            Yeah, even a real fucking primary would probably have helped.

            I really hope it won’t have to come to physical conflict, because we won’t win that with a 12% deficit either.

        • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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          12 days ago

          I think they’re saying that some nations’ options are subjectively dubbed “left and right” based on relative comparison, not the ideologies themselves.

            • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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              12 days ago

              For those who don’t know the difference between practice and ideology it is. Your comments lead me to believe you have a pretty solid grasp of political philosophy.

              I don’t think the comment above was an attempt at justification, but an explanation of why we use the terms left and right subjectively.

              • treefrog@lemm.ee
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                12 days ago

                I get that. But the subjectivity is lack of political education and media bias.

                In other words, it’s not subjective, really. It’s a misnomer that’s been spread through propaganda by both parties. And repeated ad nauseam by the media.

                People need to understand that the democrats are centrists drifting right, in order to understand that there are other real options, like organizing, striking, and community action/mutual aid. Otherwise, everyone is going to sit on their hands for the next four years, praying that the democrats save them.

                • disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world
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                  12 days ago

                  It doesn’t matter how progressive US Democrats are this term. Republicans control the Presidency, Congress, and SCOTUS.

                  Democrats can only criticize while Republicans steer the nation for the next four years.

                  • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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                    12 days ago

                    Id argue democeats are only progressive when they can’t make laws. Once they get the mjaority, suddenly the amount of progresive intent withers. Bidens immigration policy used the same camps as Trumps, but I never saw a teary eyed AOC go back to the camps after Biden was voted in. The most progressive things we get from Dems is publicity stunts when they’re powerless.