General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Ralph Nader: 'Cowering' Democrats face defeat [View all]Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)And you forget that, in the Nineties(the decade that produced the Nader campaigns)it was IMPOSSIBLE for progressives to work within the Democratic party.
This led us, in 1996, to a Democratic platform that Gerald Ford could have run on. Even you would have to admit that it was a disgrace that our party went that far to the right in that decade and that internal democracy was essentially abolished during that time.
We ONLY have a reason exist as a party when we fight for the powerless. The DLC forbade the party to do that and silenced all opposition and all free speech in the Democratic ranks. It was a time when people like Paul Wellstone and Russ Feingold were always disregarded, when Marian Wright Edelman was ignored by both Bill and Hillary(she had a RIGHT to expect that Hillary would fight for Bill to veto the welfare bill), when Bill Clinton fought only for free trade and didn't even try to get healthcare reform.
For the love of God, remember what a decade of utter misery the Nineties were...what a time of total waste and failure.