"FISSURES IN DEMOCRATIC PARTY AMID SEARCH FOR UNITY."

[Paladin]

I just walked past the TV, and that was showing as the discussion topic on "Morning Joe."

May I suggest once more, with all sincerity and hope, that we all pull our heads out of our asses, and damned soon?

[AgadorSparticus]

1. Yep. I'm tired of this infighting.

[Bettie]

2. From what I'm seeing

all we're going to be doing is refighting the primaries until after we lose the next election, then we'll continue blaming the parties from the primary until we lose the presidential election in 2020 and maybe then, we'll at least have another primary to keep refighting over and over.

It's pretty darned frustrating.

[KittyWampus]

4. I'm not fighting a primary. I'm standing up for the Democratic party, its leadership and its members

[uponit7771]

10. +1

[Cha]

12. Exactly, Kitty.. that "fighting the primary" is Baloney..

This isn't about the damn primary.. it about the here and freaking now!

[JudyM]

23. Dem party leadership is calling for unity.

[demmiblue]

5. Yep... same people over, and over, and over again.

I find it strange that they can't see the harm they are doing. No self-reflection at all.

My ignore list/trash thread list has exploded in the last week.

[delisen]

11. Importance of Refusing to be Scapegoated

I think the categorization of human rights of women as "social issue" that we should not prioritize in order to win elections is the wrong political analysis and a form of scapegoating.

I would encourage people being scapegoated to stand up for themselves. This is not "refighting the primaries." This is happening in real time.

It needs to be opposed just as we oppose Republicans who do not prioritize human rights.

[Bettie]

16. So, what is the purity test we're to apply?

If a Dem who is already running for an office against a Republican doesn't pass it, do we cede the election to the Republican becasue our side did not field a candidate who is sufficiently supportive of X or Y or Z?

Women's rights is not a social issue, it is very important, but if there are only two people in a race, the choice for the election is pretty simple, vote for the Dem this time and get a better one next time.

Life isn't perfect. People aren't perfect, but the worst Dem is better than any Republican at this point.

[KittyWampus]

3. It's not Democrats creating the "fissure". There's a certain someone doing this

and I'm beginning to wonder if this is intentional on that someone's part.

[boston bean]

6. protecting womens rights is not fracturing the party... damn how did things get so damned twisted??

[JudyM]

24. Maybe it is if it's directed selectively at one particular individual.

“If you have a rally in which you have the labor movement, and the environmentalists, and Native Americans, and the African American community, and the Latino community coming together, saying, ‘We want this guy to become our next mayor,’ should I reject going there to Omaha? I don’t think so.”

[JustAnotherGen]

14. I'm in agreement with you KW

I think *someone* is doing just what you say/write.

[delisen]

7. If there is a real fissure should we cover it up or address it?

[mopinko]

9. bernie needs to shut up.

the old white dude unity tour was a disaster.
if bernie doesnt want the job they made up for him, he should step down.
if he does, he needs to figure out how to do it.

[JustAnotherGen]

15. I'd love to see Maxine Waters on that tour

With NJ and VA having such huge election years this year - she's someone who can really help the candidates in our states get people fired up. She speaks our language - gettin' on his (Trumps) ass.

[mopinko]

17. wouldnt that be sweet.

i'd pay to see that.

[JustAnotherGen]

13. Who is saying this?

They can keep on telling themselves these lies all they want. The recess town halls, calling networks, trips to Capitol HIll, weekly actions at Congressional in district offices -

We are coordinated and coming for them.

[ornotna]

18. Hopefully soon

Unfortunately there seems to be an obsessive bunch of people here that insists on picking at the scab instead of letting the wound heal.

[H2O Man]

20. Recommended.

In response to an OP that I wrote yesterday, one fellow responded that there are no divides within the Democratic Party. As funny as that was, it is unfortunately dangerous. The number of elections that have resulted in lost seats -- from the state to federal level -- is a clear indicator that this isn't merely the result of what Schlesinger described as normal, anticipated cycles. Thus, we see the rise of the extreme right .....not only within the USA, but in Europe, as well.

At its best, our party has been a coalition that unites various groups with related interests. That remains an option that is available to us. But to access that, things need to grow and change.

[CousinIT]

21. There always has been. Is that new -or news? Ohhh the SPIN we swallow

that gets us all into a twist and then we become part of the cycle. Please.

[blogslut]

22. We need to fight voter supression laws and gerrymandering.

We need to stop accepting it when they call us the goddamned DEMOCRAT PARTY. We need to shut it down when they call social service programs, ENTITLEMENTS. We need to call them out for every dog whistle, every instance they try to rename white supremacy as the alt-right. We need to hold the media accountable when they manufacture inter-party drama instead of doing their damned jobs. We need to keep protesting, keep going to town halls and town squares, and making calls and sending letters.

We need to pace ourselves because the GOP/Trump machine operates on constant chaos. It's exhausting and disheartening and sows nothing but fear and doubt.