Coons: Democrats Need To Abandon 'Wild-Eyed' Race to Left

[question everything]

Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware called on the Democratic Party on Thursday to move beyond the politics of grievance and abandon its "relentless race to the left" that's been triggered by Donald Trump's presidency.

"If we as a Democratic Party are going to move from a minority at every level that is dedicated to resistance, to a majority that is capable of governing, we have got to move from grievance to optimism," Coons said in a speech in Washington. "And we've got to abandon a politics of anxiety that is characterized by wild-eyed proposals and instead deliver ideas and practical solutions."

The second-term centrist Democrat spoke before New Democracy, a group formed in the aftermath of the 2016 election as a home for centrist Democrats to project their views.

Coons' speech was designed to spur a pushback against the more vocal, progressive wing of his party that has dominated media attention in reaction to Trump and his slate of contentious policies.

Despite forecasts for a "blue wave" that would hand Democrats control of Congress in November's midterm elections, Coons said he is worried that far too many in his party are squandering the opportunity by "engaging in a relentless race to the left, with more and more outrageous proposals."

He listed abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, promising free health care, guaranteeing jobs through government and attacking energy companies as hyper-liberal policy positions that are undermining the party's chances at winning back the voters it lost in 2016.

More..

https://www.usnews.com/news/politics/articles/2018-07-12/sen-chris-coons-democrats-need-to-abandon-wild-eyed-race-to-left

[lapfog_1]

1. how about something more like "the party has room for many opinions"

instead of what he said... sounds more inclusive and hopeful... not to mention that we do, in fact, to save our democracy, need to stop the party of trump.

[question everything]

4. I am afraid of a repeat of 1968 and 2016

when so many stayed home.

This, of course, used to be the fate of the Republicans who thought their candidates were not pure enough, until Trump gave them the magic wand.

I know most here said they would vote for the Democratic candidate no matter what. I hope they hold this position.

But I am afraid that if a very far left wins a primary, that many Democrats will stay home.

[Demsrule86]

33. Me too...ideology is meaningless when you have no power...you can have the purist minority ever

and it won't matter...I would prefer a big tent majority. Delaware is a moderate state...shouldn't even be a primary against an incumbent. It is unwise and could cost us the seat. I see some even here pusing ideology when really, they should be pushing getting rid of Trump and the Republicans.

[theaocp]

51. to what end?

leaving the country to 45?

[question everything]

58. Yes, this is my fear. And I hope that many who "could not stomach" Hillary

or whatever their excuse was, would have sobered by now.

And that many will still come and vote in November. Yes, the tantrum baby will still be there, but a different Congress should be able to block him. Perhaps even joined by moderate Republicans - assuming there are some.

[Ligyron]

2. Here we go

More Republican lite coming right up.

[TheBlackAdder]

45. Pragmatism ONLY works when all sides are pragmatic. If one side is not, pragmatists lose every time

[gyroscope]

3. I've got news for Coons

Centrism has proven to be disastrous to the democratric party.

Moving to the right is not working out so well for the dems.

[question everything]

7. Both Bill Clinton and Obama are centrists

Sanders, who, by the way, has never been a Democrat and actively campaigned against Democrats excited many who stayed home in 2016, some even voted for Trump. I wonder what they are thinking now. Yes, I know, they thought that Hillary was going to win so...

I think that the majority of the non-deplorable voters are centrists. They don't want polarization, they don't want drama. They are afraid of Trump and of the way the Republican party has moved to a lock-step with Trump. But they will never vote for a self described "socialist' no matter how one presents it.

If Crowley is considering running as in Independent, it will not surprise me if he wins. This happened with Joe Lieberman.

[standingtall]

14. Neither Clinton or Obama were centrist especially not Obama

they were pragmatist. Do you understand that Coons is now coming out against many Obama policies. Lieberman ran as an independent endorsed by republicans sense the republican candidate was a drunk. Later Lieberman would go on to show up at the republican national committee and attack the Democratic nominee Barack Obama. No Crowley would not win as an independent it's a congressional race where the demographics shifts are not in his favor. Not a State wide race. I don't why people keep harping on a congressional race in safe Democratic district it's really not a big deal either way in the grand scheme of things.

[gyroscope]

15. Clinton and Obama ran as progressives

but governed the country as corporatists or center right centrists. which could explain why many are disillusioned with the democratic party. people voted for one thing but got something else.

[JI7]

16. no they didn't. they both governed as they ran.

[standingtall]

17. They tried to govern as they ran

but they both had to deal with a republican congress for most of their time in the White house. However neither one of them were center right centrist and defiantly not corporatist. If someone wants to know what a corporatist politician actually looks like just point them to your nearest republican.

[JI7]

20. of course. that would be true of anyone. all we have to do is look

at the mess that was bush and now trump to see the difference.

[gyroscope]

18. They ran as progressives

but that's beside the point.

running someone who was to the right of Obama in 2016 (who himself was relatively conservative) was not a wise move imo.

[JI7]

19. they ran the same as they governed

[gyroscope]

21. Doesn't matter

do you think running someone who was more conservative than Barack Obama and Bill Clinton is a smart move? or do you agree with Coons that democrats should move further to the right?

[JI7]

23. Coons is representing his state Delaware

[Nanjeanne]

48. So logically politicians must change core principles

as their states change demographically. So by cutting regulations from Dodd Frank he is representing DE. Now I ask, is that corporations that use DE to incorporate? Or actual citizens living in DE. Cause I haven’t seen those polls. Or the polls saying Dems support voting for Azar and Nielsen. Or did he do that because the majority of Republicans wanted it? Cause it becomes very confusing when the meme of representing their state is used.

[question everything]

59. But they gave us four supreme court justices

where, really this is where it counts. Were I religious, I would pray for the health of them for at least three more years.

Still, what would these disillusioned prefer? The "corporatists" presidents that we had, who, really made major changes, or what we have now?

Also, don't forget: even though both were in the White House for 8 years, they had Congress with them for only two. Gingrich took control in 1994 and the tea baggers - in 2010. Another cases when people who were disillusioned stayed home?

[wonkwest]

30. The "Resistance" is screwing us

I agree with you in that most voters and non-voters don’t want the drama.

We’re now a hyper-dramatic party.

I feel like we’re about to throw 2018 away. It’s been two years. Still, behaving as if the election was yesterday, so we have to run around like maniacs.

Not how that works. I’m already preparing told you so t-shirts.

[GaryCnf]

32. Another post equating Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama

Another attempt to tie the utter failure of what is now known as "New Democracy" to the utter success of the TRUE Democratic message that we can be better than we were the day before. Another attempt to let Bill Clinton ride the coattails of one of the greatest presidents and human beings of our time instead preside over the carnage left behind by the politics of creating a third way from centrist in both parties and the remnants of our party who would be so negatively personally affected by Republican rule that we just shut up and get in line.

Bill Clinton ran as a centrist campaign, a campaign of changing our party from the "wild eyed leftism" of Dukakis and McGovern. I stood in horror at a rally in Tifton, Georgia filled with what we now call Deplorables as he talked about teaching poor people the dignity of work and the plague of violent crime. All the revisionist history in the world won't change the fact that he RAN ON the policies embodied in the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the Violent Crime Act, and welfare "reform." They weren't forced on him. When he won in a triangulated election with less than a simple majority of the popular vote, he used that same coalition to pass what he promised.

Obama ran a decidedly progressive campaign, a campaign of changing America. He governed in the face of the reality that the establishment of our party was controlled by those who clung to this third way. He governed in the face of the reality that he was abandoned, not championed, in 2014. Finally, after maintaining HIS coalition in 2016, he used the power of the executive to do what should have been our policy all along and undo the damage of the centrist coalition.

To even speak their names in the same breath is to deny reality.

[Boomerproud]

44. Yes, I fell for that Third Way BS for a bit until

it proved to be a nothingburger. His shuttering at the word liberal also made me angry

[Demsrule86]

34. That is not true. Left Left politics cost us big in both 2000, 2004, 2010,

2014 and 2016. There are not enough votes to win with such ideology in this country and that makes me really sad because I am a liberal, but the GOP has successfully painted us as the out of touch left. And the get rid of ICE movement is an example of what not to do...I detest ICE but it isn't going anywhere...running on reform makes more sense.

We only have a majority with moderate to conservative Democrats. Look at the Senate and tell me how we achieve a majority without them? We don't. The idea that the centrists (which really mean anyone who disagrees with me) are somehow preventing a progressive utopia is ridiculous...we have at best a center left country. The last electoral success we had was in 08 where Dean ran a 50 state race...matching candidates to their states and districts. this is what works. The Democratic Party cannot achieve a majority without a big tent. If the GOP are able to paint us as far left, we will lose as many as five votes in the Senate..consider the consequences of that number, and we may not even get the House as we are competing in GOP areas for disaffected Trump voters. Without the Senate, we will never appoint a SCOTUS judge...that is just the reality of our situation. We get what we can.

[elleng]

5. Just what repugs want to see.

[marble falls]

6. He's confused. Anybody that loves Trump is in his arms right now. Tack left.

[Garrett78]

8. Nonsense.

Universal health care is not "free health care." I don't know exactly what he means by "guaranteeing jobs through government" or "attacking energy companies." But some government jobs programs (in the area of alternative energy, for instance) would be a good thing, and energy companies that lie about climate change are worthy of attack. Gun control and more affordable higher education should also get a lot of attention, as we need millennials to vote.

As for ICE, it does need to be repealed and replaced (it's not wise to have a criminal investigations unit and a civil immigration enforcement division under the same umbrella). But I agree that now is not the time to talk about that (for one thing, it's too nuanced for the average attention span). Focus on the fact that children were taken from their parents, that asylum-seekers (including children) were put into cages, and that there was never a plan for reunification. Focus on the fact that Trump is violating a court order and the Flores Settlement.

And it should go without saying that Democrats need to campaign in accordance with where they are campaigning (though I think many aspects of our platform should be considered universal).

Republicans have been successful in moving the Overton Window. It's about time we move it back the other direction. It's rather sad that the likes of Collins and McCain are considered "moderate." Actually, that's downright scary.

[ck4829]

40. +1

[leftstreet]

65. +1

[gratuitous]

9. Thank you for your concern, Sen. Coons

But every plank of the Democratic platform from health care to the environment to the budget polls in the majority of the American populace.

[mwooldri]

10. "free" health care isn't a hard left position.

It's the correct position.

Reform, not abolition, of ICE may be a good non partisan position.

Job guarantees I'm not sold on... but paid for tertiary education is a good idea since America needs a better educated workforce ... Robots are coming for your job, you will need to retrain.

Fossil fuels are dying out, so to hasten their demise can't be a bad thing.

I don't see any of those positions as being "hyper liberal". I see them as realistic.

[Delarage]

38. I agree

And Coons would agree with you, too, I believe, on the first two. To me, "Abolish ICE" does sound crazy.

Health care pretty much needs to be a permanent plank for progressives; everyone needs it, most other developed nations have it.

Job guarantees sounds like too much; what we could do is address income inequality and the concentration of wealth at the top and drastically improve the safety net (the system is totally gamed for the wealthy).

I'm all for the end of fossil fuels and dependence on creepy countries and creepy people (Republicans). Delaware has lost on several initiatives---the Fisker company, Bloom Energy seems like a ripoff, and Astropower (a solar manufacturer). We'd be better off subsidizing individuals purchasing solar panels. Not sure why he'd be criticizing "attacks" on energy companies. To me, shifting to renewables should be another permanent plank.

I can only guess that Coons may be reflecting on his own election; Delaware is fairly "moderate" (progressive to the north, more "conservative" to the south) and generally re-elects incumbents. He was in line for a crushing defeat until right-wing whack-job Christine O'Donnell took out Mike Castle in a primary. Perhaps he fears the same happening in other places. He never would have defeated Castle and Delaware would have had many more years of a Republican Senator had it not been for an "extremist." I would have preferred more info in the article (and from him) about how the concerns of the more progressive wing would be addressed.

[Caliman73]

52. No such thing as "free healthcare".

Coons is using conservative framing in his criticism of "wild leftism". It is a typical conservative tactic. People are talking about Universal Healthcare and Tuition Free college or Trade Schools. Both of those policies are absolutely necessary and they are doable, but they are not free. Republicans of course, want to treat everything as a commodity and thus you buy it on the market. Democrats, especially progressive Democrats, see both health care and affordable education as rights that should be accessible to all, in the case of healthcare and basic K-12 education, and to those who want and are qualified for it in the case of post secondary education.

Job guarantees are complicated policy, although there is MUCH that the government can be doing to assist people in working, especially regarding the repair and improvement of civic infrastructure. We need to repair roads, bridges, and other physical infrastructure as well as improving the security of our technology infrastructure. Those are things that government can subsidize, providing incentives for private companies to hire people to work on projects or directly paying people to do it.

The thing is, those are not free services. We pay for them with taxes and fees. I pay into Medicare even though I am more than 20 years from using it. I am paying for the people who came before me and even though I am not a fan of paying taxes, I understand the value of having medical care that is affordable and accessible when you are on a fixed income in your post retirement years. My property taxes, sales taxes, and other fees pay for the roads and other programs. It is all part of living in a society that allows you safe travel, structures that do not fall down around you, and clean air and water.

Fossil fuels are not only diminishing, but they are damaging to the environment and the reality is that for our own survival we need to move toward both fuel sources and lifestyles that are not as taxing on our environment otherwise we face significant consequences.

As you correctly say, the positions above are not "hyper liberal" they are positions that are supported by evidence, but again Not Free and not without potential consequences of their own. I think what Coons said is ridiculous. Perhaps because Delaware is a state where the large financial companies and insurance providers are stationed, he has to promote their interests, but he needs to allow Democrats to run on the issues that are important to their constituents and shut up about prescribing what a Democrat should promote.

[marylandblue]

11. "Politics of greivance" "wild eyed proposals" "better healthcare"

Isn't that how Trump got his base to turn out?

[moondust]

12. Delaware.

aka Bankistan.

So what's the deal with the Democrats who have signed on (to bank deregulation)? Some, such as Delaware Sens. Chris Coons and Thomas Carper, are from bank-friendly states...

https://www.usnews.com/opinion/thomas-jefferson-street/articles/2018-03-05/why-are-senate-democrats-backing-the-gops-bank-deregulation-bill

[Caliman73]

53. Exactly.

Delaware is banking and insurance. I understand why Democratic politicians from that state have to run more to the center, but Coons needs to refrain from telling politicians from other constituent districts what they should be saying.

When asked, "What do you think of the stunning upset by self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist Alexandria Ocasion-Cortez against long time incumbent Joe Crowley, is she the future of the Democratic Party? Are those policies the future of the Democratic Party?" How hard is it to say something like,

"The Democratic Party is a very diverse party. The fundamental belief from Democratic politicians that differentiates us from Republicans is that we believe that government is and should be a force for good in people's lives. Republicans want government to protect the wealth and the property of the richest and most powerful among us. They do not care about the poor, the working class or the middle class. Democrats may have differences on how we get there, but we all want the government to work for everyone, not just the wealthy."

I am sure it can be stated more eloquently, but that is basically the difference between Democrats and Republicans. The view of the role of government. Democrats believe in the good government can do and Republicans simply don't care and only want to use government to enforce the White, Wealthy status quo.

[moondust]

54. Excellent differentiation.

Most eloquent. Recommended.

[standingtall]

13. So Coons thinks our message should be vote for us and we will keep everything the same

after republicans have screwed everything up. The stuff he is saying is part of what landed us deep minority during the Bush administration before the hyper gerrymandering.

[backtoblue]

22. We are the majority. Never forget and never yield

We are the party of inclusion, of equality, of labor rights and human rights. We will not yield!

[question everything]

61. Then let's show our force in the ballot boxes (nt)

[Crunchy Frog]

24. Funny how everything that's regarded as normal and commonsense in the rest of the developed world

is seen as "wild-eyed" and extreme leftism in this country.

[eShirl]

28. exactly this

[ck4829]

42. Yeah, 'funny' like alt-right terrorism. I get what you're saying though. +1.

We've got to question and resist the fascist institutions that make these egalitarian things seem "wild-eyed".

[question everything]

60. Because this country is different

We will never have a revolution in this country; most do not hate the rich, they want to be rich (DUers notwithstanding)

Some years back, perhaps during the "great recession" someone was asking people in the street whether an income pie should be evenly distributed and too many said: no, I want the whole pie. I don't remember the details, but it was eye opening. People who came to this country, still coming, are searching for the pot of gold.

Other countries of the world - we like to look at Scandinavia - are more homogeneous. They share similar background, similar education system and are used to see their fellow citizens as equal and are used to share whatever wealth there is. Here, let's be honest, many are not.

Yes, at some point more would want to have a universal health care, but it will take some growing pain. Like, taking employers out of the heath care business, pay their employees whatever they are paying on their behalf and let them go and search for adequate coverage.

[ck4829]

66. "We will never have a revolution in this country" - Except this is how we were founded

But yes, there is something to what you are saying... We are told to hate those poorer than us, those darker skinned than us, those too 'different' from us; when we could be united against those who are telling us to hate all these groups.

They are the ones who benefit.

[safeinOhio]

25. I didn't see any repub win by

moving to the center.

[HopeAgain]

36. Some can't get that

hopefully we are seeing the death throes of Third-Way Democrats.

[LeftInTX]

37. I have....

Will Hurd, Susan Collins etc.

They keep their seats by throwing bones to Democrats

They throw Will Hurd on TV to make him seem "moderate", his district voted for Hillary, but voters re-elected him for congress.
Hurd voted against Paul Ryan's American Health Care Act.
Hurd is not endorsing Ted Cruz.
It's little things like that get them re-elected in swing districts.

[wonkwest]

26. Let me just get some popcorn

Because this is about to be some shit.

[DetlefK]

27. The electorate problem is that Democrats have no choice but to move left:

Republican voters would never vote for Democrats. Decades of brainwashing by right-wing radio, Fox News and recently the Trump-cult have made them immune to arguments.

You can say what you want, you can promise what you want. If you're a Democrat, they won't vote for you anyways. There is no point in specifically pandering to them.



The Democrats have no voters to gain by moving right. On the other side are disenchanted voters on the left: The voters of Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein. And these are voters that Democrats can win over.

[Meadowoak]

31. This

[shanny]

55. Bingo.

[AtomicKitten]

29. Coons touts support for $80 billion dollar increase in defense spending,

https://mobile.twitter.com/davidsirota/status/1018250665552904192

and four months later says it's unrealistic to fund tuition-free college or universal healthcare.

[melman]

43. Funny how that works

[appalachiablue]

63. That's something.

[HopeAgain]

35. Sucessfully moving from "grievance to optimism"

is to the left. We need excitement in the party to GOTV and if 2016 isn't taken as a lesson, we are doomed.

[Nanjeanne]

39. Voting to squash Dodd Frank regulations, voting for endless war in Yemen, oppossed

Allowing drugs to be brought in from Canada, confirming Azar, Nielsen. Voted for Linda McMahon to head Small Business ... screw you Coons.

[ck4829]

41. Far left: "Give everyone healthcare" Far right: "Put Muslims in camps and virgins in volcanoes

to appease the job creators! Ethnostate!!!"

Let's just remember that going forward.

[QC]

46. I guess the status quo does look pretty sweet when one has $9,000,000. n/t

[jalan48]

47. Well Chris, the Republican's control all three branches of our Federal Government, the majority of

the State Houses plus the Governorships. So, I'd say it's past time for a little "wild eyed", leftist politics. Your strategy of middle of the road, bi-partisanship has failed us miserably.

[Autumn]

49. Maybe he should take on the Republicans and their 'Wild-Eyed' Race to

aid and abet treason. There's a problem, right there.

[theaocp]

50. MLK Jr sez

“This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.”

I guess some in the D camp disagree. Thus, I disagree with them. I'm on the side of the resistance, not that of the tranquilizer. I must want to lose in November.

[JCanete]

56. well unless he is brave enough to say what he thinks is too left wing...too radical...."Wild Eyed"..

his ambiguos rhetoric to hold to the middle and not champion big ideas is pathetic.

[Orsino]

57. McConnell-approved.

[UTUSN]

62. K&R

[Nevernose]

64. "No changes! More of the same! Everything is fine!"

This guy has a pretty shitty campaign slogan for the Democratic Party. The lack of insight on display is staggering, considering that we’re at our weakest in a hundred years.