The Third Way...

[sibelian]

... is a political process whereby elements of a political party, usually in a two party system (it isn't confined to the US) advocate a compromise between capitalism and socialism, aiming for a middle ground.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_Way#United_Kingdom

In the United States, "Third Way" adherents embrace fiscal conservatism to a greater extent than traditional social liberals, and advocate some replacement of welfare with workfare, and sometimes have a stronger preference for market solutions to traditional problems (as in pollution markets), while rejecting pure laissez-faire economics and other libertarian positions. The Third Way style of governing was firmly adopted and partly redefined during the administration of President Bill Clinton.[38] With respect to U.S. presidents, the term "Third Way" was introduced by political scientist Stephen Skowronek.[39][40][41] "Third Way" presidents 'undermine the opposition by borrowing policies from it in an effort to seize the middle and with it to achieve political dominance. Think of Nixon’s economic policies, which were a continuation of Johnson's "Great Society"; Clinton’s welfare reform and support of capital punishment; and Obama’s pragmatic centrism, reflected in his embrace, albeit very recent, of entitlements reform.'[42]

What this typically entails is "triangulation" - adopting policies more akin to the opposition's than one's own in an effort to gain votes from the middle or the opposition's core voters themselves.

Just in case anyone here doesn't understand the term. There seem to be one or two of you knocking around.

The potential problems with this strategy are rather obvious.

[Autumn]

1. There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos

Truer words were never spoken, or written.

[L0oniX]

2. +1

[merrily]

6. Third Way creates dead people, too.

Ending "welfare as we know it." Cutting fuel subsidies for the poor. Cutting SNAP over and over. Proposing chained CPI for the elderly and disabled who can barely get along on Social Security as it is.

Let's not kid ourselves or lose touch with reality. These are all potential killers.

[Autumn]

9. Do they care? How many vets are homeless? How many children go to bed hungry?

So many problems we have and the message our democrats get is that they need to reach out and work with fucking republicans

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025775993

[merrily]

12. I doubt that was the message they got, but it's the message they said they got.

They've been pretending to get the same message from every election, no matter how the election went.

Here's a message: FDR got elected until he dropped dead, then Truman got elected, too.

[adirondacker]

15. Creators of the "Narcissistic Society". Fuck if I join that crowd.

[sibelian]

7. No principles = no power.

One day they'll get it.

Could well be too late by then, of course. In fact, I strongly suspect we're dealing with people whose psychology actually has to HAVE it be too late before they get it.

Hoomins, huh? Stubborn little beasts.

These days I put Third Wayers in the same box as climate change deniers.

[Autumn]

11. No money to be made in saving the planet is there?

Lets reach out to those fucking republicans and accept their values and make them legitimate. Who cares if we are running out of time to save millions of people?

[sibelian]

14. They'll be just fine. They have jobs. GOOD jobs, really.

And they need to face their DEEEEMONS. Just one more election! Just one more podium! Just one more campaign ad! Then they'll look cool on TV and won't have to be scared of Republicans any more!

[merrily]

13. The plutocrats are always in power.

[L0oniX]

3. In other words ...when you got nothing worthwhile ...move center.

[sibelian]

8. Totes. Stand for nothing?

GET nothing.

[cantbeserious]

4. Walk The Middle Of Road - One Gets Hit - Coming And Going

eom

[mstinamotorcity2]

5. Now that they know the meaning

they must learn that there are those in the corporate and banking world who spout their principles as being to this effect. they have bought their way into both political parties and the results will ultimately be the same.

[sibelian]

10. On DU, the party loyalists will adopt ANY position to protect the party

no matter what it actually does. They don't really have a political vision other than being shit-scared of Republicans.

I seriously think these people need to go on some kind of confidence building course or something. Also they could handle a few ethics courses.