The Democratic party are its voters.

[mr715]

Endorsements don't matter, conventions don't matter, leaders are temporary.

When primaries happen, and the membership of a state (or city, whatever) determines who will be the standard bearer for the Democratic party, that person is a Democrat.

I seem to remember Zell Miller, a Democrat who voted with his party like... 0% of the time. Fringe case.

In this brave new world where the DSA is exerting real influence, let's remember they have chosen to be Democrats first, and not Greens or Socialists or Labor or Working Parties.

They are our Democratic brothers and sisters. Like our fellow Democrats, they will infuriate some of us some of the time. They will infuriate a few of us all the time. But that does not change the fact they are Democrats.

I have long been an institutionalist, but the institutions have been broken. We need to rebuild, not reform.

I think that, if trends persist, Leader Jeffries has something to worry about from the left flank of the party. I do not believe he will have unanimous support within his coalition.

[walkingman]

1. The Status Quo over the last 50 years has led us to where we are now - we need real change.

Vote Blue and embrace change as we work toward a "more perfect union".

[TheProle]

2. The left flank and the broader party need to find common ground

There’s a reasonable case to be made that this schism cost us the white house in both ‘16 and ‘24. The world moves too fast for winner-take-all infighting.

Democrats need to be the adults in the room and come together to move against this entrenched right wing nightmare.

[SocialDemocrat61]

3. Vote blue no matter who

goes both ways.

[mr715]

5. I don't know what that means.

I always vote Democratic.

But I am a Democrat. There are other people I know who are registered Democrats who do not share my fealty to the party structure. I have admit to a sort-of default institutionalism that I like.

Greens, who should vote blue too, do not vote blue no matter who.

It is the yellow in them.

[SocialDemocrat61]

7. It means that moderates

have a vote for DSA candidates when they win a primary just as DSA members have to vote for moderate candidates who win the primary.

[mr715]

8. Yeah

It is hard to imagine many moderates, though, on a board like this. Pragmatists maybe.

I used to be quite moderate but I've drifted left with age and wisdom.

[SocialDemocrat61]

9. My grandfather was a huge JFK supporter

and hated Johnson but supported him in 64. As he often said, 'The worst democrat is still better than the best Republican'.

[CoopersDad]

4. IMO most of us agree that the DSA platform is better than our own...

... but fear of losing if we go too far left prevents many or most registered Democrats from taking the chances of losing.

As it turns out, that fear can turn into losing elections.

I'm a Democrat and a Berniecrat.

[mr715]

6. I'm a Cooper dad too (my dog is named Cooper)

I'm a Democrat and a Sen. Clinton primary voter and a Sec. Clinton primary voter.

I appreciate your concern, but this sort of economic populism is in response to extreme forces from the right. Newton's 3rd law applied to politics.

Let's let the left have the moment in power - I suspect they will govern and deliver and retain power because their ideas are in line with what people want.

The "broken government" story only works when people are breaking government. When we get people that want to help serve government to serve people, the people will stick with their advocates.

So, since bipartisanship and compromise has led us nowhere, I say lets see what happens under a new era of Democratic leadership.