Upset victory last month of rising star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over the #4 Ranking Democrat in the U.S. House- The Buzz about Democratic Socialism and
- The spread of the Abolish ICE! movement to name just a few examples.
The only narrative that has been articulated in the Democratic Party over the past two years is the one from the left said former Delaware Gov. Jack Markell recently to NBC News.
I think we need a debate within the party. Frankly it would have been better to start the conversation earlier.
Pragmatism may be a tougher sell in the Donald Trump era but with the 2020 presidential race just around the corner moderate Democrats know they are running out of time. But that doesnt mean theyre not going to try.
Earlier this month a first-ever Opportunity 2020 Convention was organized and held in Columbus Ohio by a centrist Democrat-aligned group called Third Way a moderate Democratic think tank. It was attended by about 250 Democratic insiders from key swing states.
The invite-only conventions webpage read:
Unlike a traditional conference expect a stimulating mix of thought provoking presentations and interactive small-group sessions focused on the urgent need for the next generation of Democrats to offer a new social contract for the Digital Age." The gathering offered an alternative to the rising Sanders-style populist left in the upcoming presidential race. Where progressives see a rare opportunity to capitalize on an energized Democratic base moderates see a better chance to win over Republicans turned off by Trump.The fact that a billionaire real estate developer Winston Fisher co-hosted the event and addressed attendees twice underscored that this group is not interested in the class warfare vilifying the millionaires and billionaires found in Sanders stump speech.
Youre not going to make me hate somebody just because theyre rich. I want to be rich! said Democrat Cong. Tim Ryan of Ohio a potential presidential candidate drawing laughs from those who were listening.
Third Way represents the Wall Street-wing of the party to many of those on The Left and everything wrong with the donor-driven control thats driven much of the Sanders momentum. Thom Hartmann a liberal talk radio host and Sanders friend once called the groups warning about Sanders probably the most stupid thing Ive ever heard before ticking through all the investment bankers on Third Ways board.
But some elected officials in relatively conservative areas say progressives are clueless about what their agenda would mean for Democrats outside major cities and the coasts.
A single-payer government-run health care system may be a popular party plank in New York City where Ocascio-Cortez a Democratic Socialist recently won a high-profile primary said Iowa State Sen. Jeff Danielson a firefighter who represents an area that saw one of the biggest swings from Barack Obama to Trump during the 2016 election. But he added It doesnt work in the rest of America ... and Im tired of losing.
Rep. Cheri Bustos D-Ill. a member of the House Democratic leadership who represents a district Trump won invoked Richard Nixons silent majority.
If you look throughout the heartland theres a silent majority who just wants normalcy. Theres a lot of people that just dont really like protests and dont like yelling and screaming she said.
And they worry the angry left will cost Democrats a rare chance to win over those kind of voters including Republicans who no longer want to be part of Trumps GOP.Republicans have chosen the far right which means that they have ceded a good portion of the middle of the road said former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu who is considering a presidential run.
The Democrats in my opinion would make a big mistake if they decide to run a base election and just say Our base is bigger than your base.
With much of the recent policy innovation on the Democratic side happening on the left the Opportunity Agenda unveiled in Columbus tried to equip moderates with their own big ideas saying the progressive agenda is out of date.
The conference agenda was based mainly on geography rather than class or race which are more popular on the left. It focused on trying to address the fact that cities are thriving as rural areas fall behind.
As Democrat moderates in attendance said they feel theyre being drowned out by louder voices on the left Third Way unveiled the results of focus groups and polling that it says shows Americans are more receptive to an economic message built on opportunity rather than the lefts message about inequality.
Once again the time has come to mend but not end capitalism for a new era said Third Way President Jon Cowan.
Our ideas must be bold but they must also fit the age we are in. Big isnt enough. If its bold and old its simply old Cowan said.
Matt Bennett Third Ways senior vice president for public affairs acknowledges that Sanders had a big head start. Many of the partys biggest stars including Sens. Kamala Harris of California Kirsten Gillibrand of New York Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey have already signed on to Sanders-backed policies like single-payer health care.
But Bennett said he thinks theyll reconsider when they examine the details. I think they were a little hasty he said.
The difficulty will be selling this approach in the Democratic presidential primary to a base that has already clearly moved in the opposite direction.
