Al From, Architect of Democrats’ Comeback in the ‘90s, Welcomes the Populists

[DonViejo]

The battle is on within the Democratic Party over whether a newly emboldened and resurgent left threatens the carefully cultivated centrist brand Bill Clinton rode to the White House, and which helped elect Barack Obama. Al From, founder of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) credited with bringing the Democratic Party back into the mainstream, said in an interview that he’s not worried about the party damaging its brand and losing electoral strength as it embraces a more populist message focused on economic inequality.

“Back in ’92 I might have looked at it differently, but every Democrat ought to want to reduce inequality,” he said. “We can have an argument, or a debate, over the methods. A small increase in the minimum wage can’t alone eliminate poverty, but I don’t have any problem with arguments over the means.”

Clinton’s successful presidency restored the Democratic Party’s credibility as a steward of the economy, with an Internet boom and 20 million jobs created. “Now the focus is on income inequality, and that’s fine,” From said. It’s what he calls a Big Idea, and he likes it as long as the party doesn’t get too carried away with inequality at the expense of policies that promote economic growth.

“The Democratic brand is going to be determined by what happens over the next three years in the Obama administration: Whether the economy continues to grow, whether he gets health care right, and it works. I personally like the plan but the implementation has been awful. What kills the Democratic brand is when government doesn’t work.”

more
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/08/al-from-architect-of-democrats-comeback-in-the-90s-welcomes-the-populists.html

[Arkana]

1. Remarkably left-of-center for the man behind the DLC.

[djean111]

2. A bit bothersome -

“Now the focus is on income inequality, and that’s fine,” From said. It’s what he calls a Big Idea, and he likes it as long as the party doesn’t get too carried away with inequality at the expense of policies that promote economic growth.

Yes, because of course we cannot have both, right?

I am getting the feeling that the Third Way is preparing to have their candidate mouth all kinds of liberal stuff.

[truebluegreen]

3. "...credited with bringing the Democratic Party back into the mainstream...."

"Credit" and "mainstream" are not the words I would choose.