Something to be wary of for those on the left. . . .

[pdsimdars]

On MSNBC and other networks you hear so many on the left talking about how people don't want "progressives" but more "centrists". I keep saying you have to ignore those labels, they are meaningless.
If you look at polls for issue after issue, most Americans are on the progressive side. . . choice, more gun control, tax the rich, medicare for all, new green deal, etc. Almost every issue the grand poobahs declare to be to be too far left and socialist, are actually things MOST Americans want.
What this means is that all those pundits on TV and print, guests and brainiacs who talk down to progressives as naive and that they should listen to the elders or do their homework. . . they are talking down to a MAJORITY of voters. That doesn't seem like a smart thing to do if you want to get votes. Maybe they should get out of their bubble and educate themselves on what people actually want.
The other day one wise man said AOC should do her homework. .. . I remember a few weeks ago when 2 US Nobel prize winning economists said her tax plan was right on the money and reflected the best current thinking. And HE was talking down to HER (and us too). Not smart.
I am disgusted with Trump and have been in love with Nancy since she took over as Speaker, so why are they throwing mud in my face? It makes no sense.

[zipplewrath]

1. Green room political consultants

I heard someone recently refer to these pundits as "green room consultants". i.e. they are these professional talking heads that wander the networks. The espouse some sort of centrist, moderate, bipartisan philosophy that never wins any elections and garners little if any polling support outside of the green room.

[pecosbob]

2. Stop listening to cable news bullsh*t

Stop believing that they are there to sell anything other than bullsh*t. Throw in all the print and internet spin doctors as well. Even MSNBC uses Rachel and Joy to get you inside the door and then sells you a whole lot of Joe Scarborough and every RW bullsh*t merchant they can find. They're not your friend...they're lying to you.

[Dennis Donovan]

3. *sigh*

"They're not your friend...they're lying to you."

I'm hearing this nonsense more and more. Now on DU.

[bdamomma]

4. you can't believe everything you hear.

it is up to us to either get our news from other sources i.e. Washington Post, Daily Beast, NY Times, BBC news. You got to sift out the bad and the good. For me I only watch Rachel and Lawrence and sometimes Ari Melber.

Let's not get into that "fake news" crap. I have had enough hearing that.

[murielm99]

5. America tends to be more liberal

in its beliefs. Not everyone here likes Michael Moore, but when he said that years ago, he was right.

This MAGA shit is an aberration. Everything came together to allow these slugs to crawl out from under their rocks at just the right time. We will put them back where they belong.

I came to live in my rural community forty years ago. I was worried about the local Democratic party. I was pleasantly surprised that they were as liberal as the suburban/urban area I had just left.

As long as you define progressive the way you did - choice, gun control, taxes on the rich, etc., I agree with you. But if you start using buzzwords and jargon like "identity politics" and "social justice," you will lose me and most Democrats. We care about the other issues you have enumerated, but not those divisive, airy concepts. We want decent jobs, health care, homes, and a future for our children. Democrats, not repiggies, offer that.

I agree with you on Nancy, too. She is a nuts and bolts politician who knows her job. I love her.

I have made no secret of the fact that I don't care for either Bernie or AOC. I find them divisive.

[JudyM]

6. I woke up to some discussion about tRump complaining about socialists, turned off the radio.

We’d better get out there with consistent, trenchant messaging soon. Will we, though?