Why can't we progressives take out some DINOs in primaries like the teabaggers just did with Castle?

[KamaAina]

and Murkowski, etc., etc.

Of course, it helps that the teabaggers get saturation coverage from the M$M, unlike the blackout that would face any progressive, but still...

[Drunken Irishman]

1. Probably because Democrats want to keep these conservative seats.

I don't know, just a hunch.

[KamaAina]

3. Didn't repukes also want a chance to pick off Delaware?

In fact, the DE repuke establishment refused to help the jerkoff. Yet she won.

[scheming daemons]

6. .... and that helped the GOP's OPPOSITION! (us!)

What you're proposing would help the Democratic Party's opposition... the GOP!

[Drunken Irishman]

8. And how does that help them?

The Republican Party might've done everything in its power to stop this tea-bag nut from winning, however, the tea-baggers are a very forceful front in their party.

Many on the left concede it's smarter to nominate people who can win than to flank ourselves dramatically to the left in conservative districts and watch the Republicans clean up.

I live in a district that went overwhelmingly McCain in 2008. It went overwhelmingly Bush in 2004 and 2000. But our congressman is a Democrat who will likely win because he's fairly moderate.

He was primaried from the left. The left, and I voted against him, lost. Big-time. I knew she was going to lose, though. Everyone knew because Matheson is the lone Democratic voice in a state dominated by Republicans in Washington.

He ain't no Kucinich, but he also ain't no Orrin Hatch!

[PeaceNikki]

12. Yeah. This ^

[KamaAina]

15. That's just it. I'd like to see progressives be a forceful front in our party.

A smarter tactical approach might be to target DINOs who aren't in conservative states or districts, like Feinstein in CA.

[Hamlette]

23. "like Feinstein in CA"? Have you seen Jerry and Barbara's poll numbers lately?

CA is not a slam dunk for Dems. In fact, after Brown, I'm not sure there are many left anymore.

[Hamlette]

22. The biggest fights in my family are over Jim, knock down, drag outs and we switch sides

And we're 100% democrat.

I'll be pissed over some vote of his and some family members will try to reason with me, next month it will be Lyn's turn to threaten to vote him out...

In the end, we all vote for him because he'll vote for Nancy over Boehner and if that is the only vote we agree with, it's better than any republican currently in office here (have I told you how miserable Herbert is making my life in the unemployment and welfare office? Don't get me started. Worst Governor ever and not a chance in hell of beating him.)

[KILL THE WISE ONE]

2. the establishment had to resort to dirty trickes to keep Arkansas

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

4. They just did in NH. nt

[girl gone mad]

27. + 1,000,000,000

Go NH!

[scheming daemons]

5. The teabaggers just HELPED the Democrats... conversely....

if progressives took down establishment Democrats and instead ran our version of the "nutjobs", they'd be helping the GOP.

[KamaAina]

16. Name one progressive -- any progfreessive -- who could be seriously compared to Christine O'Donnell

(R-Makes You Go Blind).

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

7. Personally, I think if the media took progressives

as seriously as they do the teabaggers, it would happen. I really don't think there are externalities other than the fact that the press legitimizes the baggers. By design, no doubt.

[Radical Activist]

9. Because we don't organize in the primary? We waste time on hopeless Green Party campaigns?

Because we think that running a losing campaign to "raise issues" is an accomplishment?

[dkf]

10. Hanabusa basically took out Case.

[KamaAina]

19. I would hardly characterize Hanabusa as a progressive

though Case is a DINO extraordinaire.

As state Senate leader, Hanabusa worked with Gov. Lingle (R-Fooled Everyone Into Thinking She Was A Moderate) far too closely for comfort.

[PeaceNikki]

11. Before you start advocating this I recommend we wait it out and see how it works out.

I don't suspect it will end well for them in November.

[ibegurpard]

13. Because they run as independents and then the party gives them committee chairmanships

[JI7]

14. Because most Democrats are smart enough to know teabagger types can't win ?

[Renew Deal]

17. The Democratic party isn't as self-destructive as the teabagging minority

:shrug:

[Juche]

18. I wish I knew

The tea party formed and within 18 months basically became powerful enough to primary many politicians. The left has no comparable activist base that can actually have that kind of effect. Liberals and unions are the left's base, but for some reason they/we really don't have the influence the tea party does.

We have had some successes. Sestak over Specter. Obama over Clinton (Obama was seen as the more progressive candidate in 2008). But not many more, and nothing like what the GOP is experiencing.

[rucky]

20. Because they have nothing to lose. n/t

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

21. Progressives aren't funded by the Koch brothers like the teabaggers are.

...and the DLC is.

[Lasher]

28. Best answer.

It's not that complicated.

[Uzybone]

24. Because teabaggers get off their butts and vote

Internet "lefties" threaten to NOT vote.

[mmonk]

25. Some voters still think the party is progressive. Some progressives

won over the estblishment candidate. And if anyone compares us to teabaggers anymore, I'm out of here for good.

[Bluenorthwest]

26. It would be good to take out some DINOs, but not like they are

doing, at all.
Their methods remind me of that cartoon in which Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny sing 'Tea for Two' and try to one up each other in a Vaudeville act. Eventually Daffy drinks gasoline and self immolates to upstage Bugs. His angel, ascending to heaven, says "It's a great trick, but you can only do it once." This is of course not just a cartoon, but a Looney Tune. It all seems so fitting.