Can we form a faction within the party to counter DLC influence?

[mrgorth]

I'm not calling the DLC or DLCers bad, Bush-lite or anything else. That said, they wield considerable influence within the party. I think orders to vote for the IWR came down from the DLC. Call me a theorist if you want. Anyway, if the corporatists and centrists can have their faction I see no reason why there cannot be a faction to represent "less centrist" views. I would like to start a discussion of what the policies, idealogy of such a faction would be and who would be interested in being involved. The first few names to come to mind are Dean, Gore, CMB, DK, McGreevey, Feingold...please continue the list. I would NOT like this to become a far left, socialist lite, ANSWER type organization, just something a little less corporatist, more aggressive against the pugs, and more progressive. How about Progressive Democrats?

[w4rma]

1. Already done!!

http://www.progressivemajority.org/

[mrgorth]

2. I'll check it out

not sure if it's exactly what I'm thinking of but it may be close enough. Thanks.

[w4rma]

3. Here is the list of the Progressive Majority's Advisory Committee

Members:

Senator Jon Corzine
Senator Patty Murray
Representative Tammy Baldwin
Representative Sherrod Brown
Representative John Conyers, Jr.
Representative Peter DeFazio
Representative Rosa DeLauro
Representative Lane Evans
Representative Bob Filner
Representative Barney Frank
Representative Raúl Grijalva
Representative Luis Gutierrez
Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr.
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee
Representative Barbara Lee
Representative Betty McCollum
Representative George Miller
Representative Jerrold Nadler
Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton
Representative John Olver
Representative Nancy Pelosi
Representative Martin Sabo
Representative Jan Schakowsky
Representative Hilda Solis
Representative Pete Stark
Representative Chris Van Hollen
Representative Maxine Waters
Representative Diane Watson
Representative Henry Waxman
Representative Lynne Woolsey
http://www.progressivemajority.org/leadership/index.asp

[creativelcro]

4. Pelosi ? I don't think so.... Sorry...

[w4rma]

12. You'll *always* find someone to disagree with in big orgs. (n/t)

[meegbear]

5. Question ...

Since May 19, when Dean said people should "Annoy the DLC", there have been MANY posts against them. If the DLC were endorsing Dean as the only candidate, would you still be against them?

[cosmicdot]

6. many of us who have questioned the DLC did so before May 19th

[meegbear]

8. But they were not brought to the forefront

of the debate until then.

[jonnyblitz]

10. People were bringing them up last winter on DU before the war

Because they were pro-war and trashing the anti-war protesters. My disdain for them has nothing to do with Dean. I have dispised them since before I ever posted on DU. I know that doesnt go along with your "only Deanies hate DLC" conspiracy theory.

[Tinoire]

14. They certainly were. DU was, with few exceptions, very anti-DLC

It was here that the research was done into the DLC's links to PNAC and the AEI and 90% of DUers were all working towards the same thing, getting the DLC out.

There was of course a small tut, tut crowd that's still tut, tutting and chalking everything up to conspiracy theories because it suited their interests. They're still tut-tutting.

[BurtWorm]

15. Progressives have been anti-DLC since the DLC began.

The DLC started as an affront to progressives. Progressives were appropriately affronted.

[mrgorth]

13. Well...no

and if Nazis weren't racist I wouldn't hate Nazis. Deanie distaste for the DLC goes like this. We backed someone we view as a moderate candidate. He called out the other dems running because MOST of them voted for the war and Bush's tax cuts. Next thing you know From and Reed (from the DLC) start attacking Dean every chance they get. So, to the DLC, they probably think Dean stated the war while we think they did. I now hate the DLC and I never even heard Dean make the statement you refer to.

[ShimokitaJer]

7. What about the Congressional Progressive Caucus?

http://bernie.house.gov/pc/

Of course, their influence over the direction of the party is miniscule in comparison with the centrists. In 2000, they had a large slate of progressive issues to introduce into the party platform for Gore's campaign, and ALL were rejected. In fact, fifteen votes were necessary to even allow them to be debated, and none managed to get even five.

It's not enough simply that these groups exist. We need to tear down the influence the DLC has claimed since the Clinton years in order for progressive issues to be heard at all. Frankly, that's even more important to me than insuring a Democrat in the white house.

[stuzzy]

9. I don't think the DLC wants to win this year

I think they want to gear up for a Hillary run in 2008. I don't think they really care about this years election, regardless of what they say. Clark was encouraged to run (by the Clintons) to sap votes from Dean and weaken his movement, which the DLC and Clintons feared (Love Clark, my number 2 guy, but I can't help but think he's been played like an ace of spades). Think about it, if a democrat gets elected this year, then Hillary would conceivably have to wait until 2012 to run for president. Call me crazy, but you think the Clintons aren't that devious? You think she wants to wait that long? The biggest travesty isn't George Bush. I believe the biggest travesty is that this primary is being played from within the Democratic party itself. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. *shrug*

Kerry will lose, IF he gets the nomination. Welcome to the reality. When he loses I'm going to be all over this board with I told you so's.


Still ABB though. But I'm from Georgia, so it doesn't matter really.

[MGKrebs]

11. Just go to the local meetings!

We can't cede the party to them. If you want to have a voice, you have to go to the county party meetings, pay your dues, try to become a post seat holder, and get your like minded friends to do the same.

It takes work, it's gonna take time, but we can do it. People all over the country are doing it.