In my view, there's already an understanding baked in democratic principles that health care is important, and wages are important. We also need a strong economy, so you have your pro-growth democrats who believe the best way to secure the safety net is to ensure growth - which means not demonizing to the hilt "corporations". The key is funneling gains to wages so corporations cannot be allowed to run roughshod, after all CEO's will always want to improve their bottom line. There's already an awareness of this among democrats.

Change may not have happened as quickly as you would have liked, but it happened. And if there wasn't republican obstruction over the last 6 years, much more would have been done - Obama's second term defined obstructionist behavior - by republicans.

The Democratic Party is not perfect, no political institution is perfect, but if we fail at keep our alliances strong, we fail period. At this point, the Democratic Party is the only party defending our institutions, our liberty and our constitution. Our enemies are the RW ideologues itching to unleash their revanchism by destroying progress made ( KEY word there is PROGRESS MADE).

What you perceive as me ignoring history is me prioritizing what matters post at this point - and I have never expected perfectionism in politics. It is a distraction, because while we flagellate ourselves and circle the wagons, the republicans take power.

And I am also a good democrat who understands the painful process of reform.