Kos: Forget Bernie & Elizabeth Warren, 3rd Way has figured out how to get you REALLY pumped!

[99th_Monkey]

Forget Bernie Sanders & Elizabeth Warren, 3rd Way has figured out how to get you REALLY pumped!
by Kos * Oct. 30, 2015 * Daily Kos

We checked in with the corporatist Third Way yesterday, and found out that yes, they are still dicks. But there was a reason they were in the news, and it was this report ( http://www.thirdway.org/report/ready-for-the-new-economy ) claiming to show what ails the Democratic Party, and how to fix those alleged ailments.
So it starts out with this, er, assertion:

We show that the narrative of fairness has demonstrably failed to excite voters, with three consecutive losing performances with the middle class

First of all, "fairness" isn't an argument wholly focused on the middle class, we're a much bigger party than that.
Furthermore, they're hinging the assertion that we've lost the middle class from exit polls showing Republicans winning the $50-100K income bracket. (For example, Romney won those 52-48.) However, an income of $100,000 puts you at the 96 percentile in income (or top four percent). The median income is $41,000, and among those earning less than $50,000, Obama and the Democrats win handily (60-38 percent in 2012).

So aside from tossing out lower-income people as irrelevant, Third Way's definition of "middle class" seems to look, well, like their friends. And sure, those guys may not be motivated by the Black Lives Matter or Occupy or broader fairness movement, but the American majority is. And when the voter pool is expanded, Democrats win. This is so objectively obvious and true that it requires a certain degree of bullshit to pretend otherwise.

But hey, the stuff that excites you and motivates you to vote? Nope, not exciting. Third Way decided. But you know what Third Way thinks will get you pumped?

Head below the fold, and prepare to get your mind bloooown!

First of all, let's recap what has gotten Third Way all hot and bothered.

Take, for example, a policy championed by Senator Bernie Sanders and others that is in danger of becoming a top progressive litmus test for Democrats—expanding Social Security benefits for all, regardless of income.

Fuck you. Too late. It's a good litmus test. And a popular one.

MUCH much more good stuff here: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/10/30/1442659/-Forget-Bernie-Sanders-and-Elizabeth-Warren-Third-Way-has-figured-out-how-to-get-you-REALLY-pumped

[NCTraveler]

1. It's not too late and that is a very foolish comment.

"Take, for example, a policy championed by Senator Bernie Sanders and others that is in danger of becoming a top progressive litmus test for Democrats—expanding Social Security benefits for all, regardless of income."

What you claim is too late I call welcome aboard and this is exactly why so many of us love Sanders promoting the brand. This is huge and very important. The longer Clinton, Sanders, and O'Malley keep talking about progressive issues and winning the day, the more support progressive causes get and the more they realize it is what the country wants. Great job Sanders. Keep it up.

It's too late for groups and society to become more progressive is something I have never heard a progressive say.

[bunnies]

7. I think he meant "too late" because its already popular.

[NCTraveler]

8. My point still stands and actually holds the same exact thoughts.

Why is it too late to bring even more groups/people to the left. It is beyond foolish and with what I said or you said my comment holds the exact same meaning.

Is it too late for groups and organizations to join the fight for equal rights because we are seeing it is "popular"? When I say it's a foolish statement I mean just that.

If the comment I highlighted above was truly stated, it is a direct reflection of what Clinton, O'Malley, Sanders, and democrats across the country are doing on the campaign trail and in town halls. It is exactly what every one of us claims to want. More people and groups moving to the left. Spinning groups and people moving to the left as a negative seems rather counterproductive.

[passiveporcupine]

24. The OP is not doing that

Spinning groups and people moving to the left as a negative seems rather counterproductive.

It's the third way that is trying to do that.

[Armstead]

26. Point is if she gets the nom and GE and revrts to form it will be too late

These Third Way people are an outgrowth of the political culture she has been enmeshed in for 30 years.

If she reverts to centrist form after the election, and disregards the "left base" as has been done many times....well it will be too late.

[daleanime]

11. Is talking enough?

[azmom]

2. K &R

[aidbo]

3. I like this image from the Kos blog

also, the puke smily must eat a lot of Cheetos.

[arcane1]

4. With friends like these... n/t

[aidbo]

17. I can't take credit for putting these links together, but you might find them illustrative

I found them put together by someone in the comment section in this Salon article:http://www.salon.com/2015/10/30/centrist_democrats_are_clutching_their_pearls_why_bernie_sanders_has_them_worried/

https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=georgette+bennett&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=lewis+cullman&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=william+m.+daley&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=robert+dyson&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=derek+kaufman&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=thurgood+marshall%2C+jr.&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=herbert+miller&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=michael+novogratz&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=kirk+radke&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=ted+trimpa&cycle=2016
https://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.php?name=joseph+zimlich&cycle=2016

All of those 3rd Way board members have contributed the maximum to Hillary Clinton's campaign.

11 people adds up to $29700.

DU for Bernie just crested $27000 total donations to Sanders' campaign, and it took over 750 individuals. https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/duforbernie

[merrily]

19. Thank heaven they can donate soft money to Hillary, too!

[AzDar]

14. Wowza.

[Segami]

5. Kick

[jeff47]

6. Fantastic article.

Launch a Skills Revolution
Change the Jobs Equation
Rewire Compensation to Boost Wealth and Wages

Can you feel the Third-mentum?!!!!

[restorefreedom]

9. hillary will want a means test

bernie and om will not.

[fbc]

10. Republicans like a means test because they can start calling Social Security an "entitlement"

[restorefreedom]

12. yup. never mind that we have supported it

throughout our working lives.

[LiberalArkie]

16. All they have to do is change the name of the deduction from Social Security and Medicare

to something like Employment tax. And magically those withholding taxes have nothing at all to do with Social Security and Medicare. And the money you receive when you retire become entitlements.

[restorefreedom]

34. bastards. wouldn't put it past em. nt

[merrily]

20. Some Democrats have been calling it an entitlement, too.

But, the issue is much bigger than nomenclature. Means testing makes it a program for the poor, like welfare. It's much easier for many Americans to tolerate cuts to welfare than it is for them to tolerate cuts to Social Security.

[GoneFishin]

21. Wow. It really did not sink in until your post that once social security is only for "poor"

people, the right wingers will be free to privatize it, profitize it, or chop-a-tize it.

[Duppers]

30. Start?

They've been doing it.

Confronted a couple of well-heeled ones recently doing it. Told em that SS and Medicare is lumped in their "entitlements" amt. and asked if they wanted to get rid of it?

Because the conversation was in front of their friendly bartender I suspect, they said of course not. So, I proceeded to explain that not having a cap would keep it solvent.

They changed the conversation.

[Doctor_J]

35. That makes it a welfare program, so then she can "end it as we know it"

They are diabolical

[restorefreedom]

36. truly. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

13. Are the offering fully unflavored pablum? Extra-weak Decaf Coffee?

Free copies of The Audacity of Bland?

[gordianot]

18. An appeal for the "grits" vote. N/T

[WillyT]

15. HUGE K & R !!! - THANK YOU !!!

[sabrina 1]

22. Amazing to see even kos now attacking the Third Way. Tells me there must be another Think Tank

or entity battling or control of the Dem Party. He's never been known to oppose Hillary's DLC/Third Way backers. Though he does deny despite the evidence, that the Third Way is backing her, FINANCIALLY.

[Warren DeMontague]

23. ......Insulting the people you're going to need next November?

That seems to be the finely honed political tactic some folks have adopted.

[bbgrunt]

25. K n R

[merrily]

27. Hedge fund and investment banker filled Third Way endorsed Hillary?

[jwirr]

28. So they are losing the middle class. We have been saying

that for long time. We lost them due to 3rd Way politics. Have they failed to see that the economy has been failing for a lot of people?

[Beowulf42]

29. The Real Scam

In this article it talks about median household income being 51,000 dollars, but what does that mean? No where no how do we negotiate for wages as a household. The real figure we should be using and referring to constantly is individual worker's median income. Search on the Internet and see if you can find a figure for the individual worker's median income. Virtually every site that has median income in it's title only talks about household median income. It was on there once and it was about $25,000. That means that 50% of the workers in America each earn $25,000 or less, yes, or less a year. Look at it this way. It would take 40,000 years for the average median earner 40,000 years to earn a billion dollars, or more. That is despicable, but that is what we are faced with. They don't tell us the median income of the workers in the market because they don't want us to know. Fifty percent make less than $25,000 a year.

[merrily]

31. Some of that is funny.

I thought he was more of a "moderate" himself, though.

[Live and Learn]

32. K&R nt

[turbinetree]

33. Two days ago in the local paper..............................

this is what was said in this asseration:

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2015/10/28/markell-centrist-democrats-warn-economic-populism/74764242/



Honk--------------------for a political revolution Bernie 2016

[sorechasm]

37. If we GOTV we win. Otherwise we lose.

If Hillary cannot motivate the low information voter. We lose because we know Trump will.

And when the voter pool is expanded, Democrats win. This is so objectively obvious and true that it requires a certain degree of bullshit to pretend otherwise.

How about we nominate a candidate that can motivate the other 50% that typically don't vote? What a concept!