The Tea Party is to Republicans as (blank ???) is to Dems

[RiverStone]

Do we even want to have that blank filled in?

The Tea Party may have energized far right wackos, but they have also created a split in the conservative vote - and we have already seen them force out some moderate repubs. Many talking heads sees this as a benefit for the Dems in November.

Granted, many of us could make up the left wing of the Dem party; but when it comes to voting in elections - do you think there needs to be an equally organized progressive equivalent on the left?

There is the CPC - wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Progressive_Caucus

I wonder if a counter insurgency of progressives that kick moderate Dems off the ballot would be good in the BIG picture or not?

IMO the Obama Admin has placated the right too much, but I'd still rather have a middle of the road Dem in office and win, than a wingnut rightie.
The challenging question is would we alienate middle America (with a group of fighting progressives pushing out moderate Dems) in the same way folks are being turned off by the extreme Tea Party on the far right?

[ingac70]

1. Dixiecrat. n/t

[craigmatic]

2. In political time it's hippies. The closest parallel to what's going on now with repubs now is

Chicago '68. The only difference is that their party is listening to their extremists. Dems largely ignored the hippies in the 1960's.

[RiverStone]

5. I remember...

I was in middle school during the 60's, but old enough to have vivid memories of the sights, sounds, and scents. In the last 40 years, the closest it has felt like it did back then was during the early anti-war marches after Shrub took us into Iraq. 10,000 strong in downtown Portland (Oregon). I participated.

Now our progressive rage seems diluted. By age, suburbia, or just not as focused?

I think your hippie analogy fits. They helped to shape and move progressive policy and change the world; we have no equivalent force like that in this century.

[MrModerate]

3. Having just watched Evan Bayh smarm his way through an interview . . .

suggesting we have to jettison fairness in these parlous times and extend wealthcare for plutocrats, I'm of a mind to start organizing dem purity purges.

But when my blood pressure goes back down, I consider the existential danger we face if today's crop of Teabaggers and 'Licans should prevail in November and I'm ready to kiss all the conservadems right on the lips (and wash my mouth out later).

The prospect of wingnut power in Washington scares me shitless. And if dems should weather the midterms (i.e., keep both houses), the lesson will be plain: spinelessness and DINOcracy don't work, so even the trimmers a fauxdems will be impelled to shift themselves a tad leftwards (which will bring them a little closer to the center, sad to say).

[Brother Buzz]

4. LaRouchies

Have mercy on us if those wackos ever gain traction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYlZiWK2Iy8

[BeatleBoot]

6. Cross-Multiplication...solving for X...

(apologies for the spacing issue)

The equation:

Tea Party X
------------ = ----------
Republicans Democrats


Cross Multiplying:

Republicans (X) = (Democrats x Tea Party)


Isolating X:

Republicans (X) = (Democrats x Tea Party)
-------------- -----------------------
Republicans Republicans


Results in:

X = (Democrats x Tea Party)
-----------------------
Republicans

X = LaRouche/Nader 2012

[RiverStone]

7. ah fuck, not Nader again!

That's scary math!