Democrats are idealists.

[kentuck]

They believe they can change the country politically to the way they envision it philosophically. The world would never change if we did not have idealistic Democrats. We would backslide into our most basic instincts of violence, racism, hatred, and war.

The world would not last very long in the clutches of Republican and extremist ideology. They would not talk about such things as rights, gender, equality, climate, voter suppression, etc. That responsibility is left to the Democrats.

Whether or not it is realistic is open to debate. Everyone does not think the same way. We are surprised that so many people think in such backward and destructive ways. But, we shouldn't be. That is the way the world has always been.

Progressives and idealists will continue to push forward. Republicans and extremists will continue to fight for the status quo. That's the way I see it.

[Lovie777]

1. Qanon and evangelists are eyeing for "end days" . . .

they are violence, hateful, racists, insane who doesn't care about nobody. the republican cult hopefully will destroy themselves before destroying this country although they are doing their best in trying to destroy this country.

[PortTack]

2. History proves time and again, progress maybe slow...the RWNJ notoriously try and block it

but we do move forward. Not in a straight line, but forward

[kentuck]

3. Just like the arc of justice...

Sometimes very, very slow.

[MineralMan]

4. Well, a sizable number of Democrats are idealists, anyhow.

However, those are a minority of Democrats and an even smaller minority of voters in general. A majority of democrats are practical pragmatists who want many things to move in progressive directions. For Democrats to win elections, both types of Democrats must vote together to elect them. It's important to push progressive ideals, but it's equally important to make sure to bring along the pragmatists on election day. If there is not unity among Democrats, Republicans win elections.

That is the fundamental reality of US politics. Ignoring that is a sure way to lose.

[Elessar Zappa]

5. I can't speak for everyone but

I would consider myself both a pragmatist and idealist. I understand the need for compromise and unity but at the same time I have a clear vision in my head of a progressive, fair, and just nation.

[MineralMan]

6. Yes. We are alike in that.

Philosophically, I am a socialist. Practically, I am a Democrat. I have an image of an ideal society, but understand that there is no simple path that can lead to that. There actually may be no path that leads to that in a nation as large and diverse as ours.

DU trends further left than the Democratic Party. Even here, though, we dispute about all sorts of things, sometimes even vehemently.

We all have ideals. Implementing those ideals, however, is an enormous challenge. As a nation, we teeter back and forth between liberal and conservative government. That will not change in any of our lifetimes. So, we need to work toward ideals, but not expect a 100% achievement of them at any given time.

In this country, for example, anyone can strive to become President, a Senator, or a Member of the House of Representatives. Few, however, achieve those goals. Even fewer who do are idealists. There is a reason for that, and it must be recognized by everyone who wants to move this country toward the left.

[Act_of_Reparation]

7. I prefer to think I'm a realist.

The status quo untenable.

[ancianita]

8. Idealism and a bus token will get you across town.

[betsuni]

9. No, Democrats have common sense.

Idealists hope for a utopian savior, use words like status quo/neoliberal/establishment/corporatist and think anyone who doesn't mimic the same slogans and hate the same enemies are evil.

[uponit7771]

10. Unnnnn, America has been there before democrats just want it to go back to when we had two

... parties that fought for the ideals of the constitution.

[sanatanadharma]

11. Looking deeper, below the labels like idealist

We need be seeing the deeper universal-orders that impel people to actions or sought results.
True, any dichotomies like liberal-conservative, progressive-regressive. idealist-materialist, faithful-faithless, etc reveal certain transactional realities.

However, our human problem is rooted in the tension between Subjective and Objective. The transactional reality of self and world, self and other(s).

The more subjective one is, the more the one is trapped by limited personal, perhaps mistaken, desires, beliefs, experiences and inflated ego. This one wants objective reality to conform to subjective belief.

The more objective one is, the less bound s/he is; freer to adapt and change as reality shears desires and boxes beliefs.
Objective idealism will seek to reduce subjectivity and the desire to be 'right' (contrasted to correct). Acting without giving the ego credit means failures will be less painful.