I think posting rules might be more relaxed.

But remember, for the most part you all are the ones responsible for enforcing those rules. That’s why The Way Forward forum provides a reminder that there is an awful lot of wiggle room between “bashing” and “constructive criticism” and people are going to have different ideas on where those lines should be drawn. It also provides a common sense reminder about how to avoid getting posts removed.

This is the Statement of Purpose for The Way Forward forum:

It is tricky because the rules on DU are so tight about saying anything even remotely negative about Democrats. It's just what it is.

would be a No No here for some.

who got us to this place, beginning with the 2000 presidential election all the way to 2024 when "punishing Democrats" was more important than voting for harm reduction for marginalized people in both the US and abroad.

But we can all pretend otherwise because that's so much easier than actually fixing a terribly broken voting system.

Where's the Carter Center's impartial monitoring when you really need them? Oh that's right they are in Venezuela.

Leftists and BOTS on Social Media are posting threats that if we don't vote correctly in 2028 they won't vote.

It's almost like they don't know the name of a single member of their school board or town/city council and that there are 2 years of elections where they could be building traction for their candidates now.

And when you ask them WHO they want - they never have a name.

on my two hands over the past 2 decades. Our "left" here - folks who actually subscribe to the socialist and communist parties that do exist - are so decimated. Nothing like the left that you see in Europe for example.

Seriously, it is just another smear tactic tptb are using to divide us. Stop fighting other liberals/left of various types and turn that energy against the GOP.

But I think even you and I can agree that our opposition will not change and will not stop doing those things we abhor.

So, by extension, your comment says there is nothing we can or should do to change our situation. We must simply stew in it and stew in our anger at those who are not with us and who will not change.

I fundamentally disagree. We HAVE made mistakes. We HAVE misjudged the situation. There ARE things we can do. There ARE ways to improve our outcomes.

And again, we know they won't change. So OUR improving our game is our only hope of getting out of this mess.

I recommend that everyone do the same. This includes working hard to elect Democrats who can win in purple and red-leaning districts. Hopefully, by this point, purists finally understand the power of holding statehouses and majorities in Congress.

So much for my comment "by extension" saying there is nothing we can or should do to change our situation.

Recognize local Democrats who can win and work hard to elect them.

So now what?

"Hopefully our opposition will no longer be our opposition because I work really hard" doesn't fill me with hope of success.

that specifically target depressing the vote of folks more likely to vote for Democrats.

As for the contention that "we all here work hard to elect Democrats", I'm wary of categorical statements. We flipped two Congressional seats in my county blue in 2024 and have been working ever since to ensure that they remain blue in 2026.

Secondly, I don't accept the blanket "definition". If there were no opposition narratives, there would be no need for rules against them.

Work harder to shut down purists - AKA those with whom you don't agree?

It is a very odd use of the word. It is used frequently here and of course it means people who hold certain opinions. Ergo, shutting down purists is a matter if suppressing the opinions of those with whom one disagrees. It is a smear against fellow Democrats, too, ironically, because those attacking "purists" are themselves attacking other Democrats.

We should respond with an alternative view.

Just like in therapy, we had to take responsibility for our mistakes or else we won’t grown and improve.

If you are not willing to understand that mistakes on the part of the DNC is what elected Trump, you are part of the problem. The DNC short circuited the entire primary process in 2024. The constant drum beat that Joe Biden was a great President and was fully capable of being even greater in a second term did not serve the best interests of the party. Outside of party stalwarts, the American public didn't believe he was capable. By the time of the debate debacle, it was too late to right the ship. Kamala Harris was a great candidate and would have been a great President, but in her abbreviated campaign she could not overcome the hangover of those early mistakes.

Take a look at all of the elections, both local and national, that were held in 2025. Across the board the Repugs got their buns kicked. At the grass roots level there is wide support for Democratic candidates and policies. But that doesn't necessarily translate to the upper echelons of the party. The message is clear. The American people want major changes to the system and the election of Democrats in 2025 point the way. Those changes are not going to happen until the younger members of the party take the leadership positions that they deserve. Obama said that very clearly in his recent interview. Demanding that that happen is not disloyalty. It is the recognition of the completely new political environment.

I'm looking forward to the up coming primaries. We are going to find out who can get the job done and who can't. We are going to find out who the people want rather than who the old guard wants.

many of the names coming to the fore have a new approach grounded in understanding just how evil our opposition is. And just how hard we have to fight it.

I don't forget that, with the past two shutdown attempts, the vast majority of Democrats held fast.

someone would come to a forum who's purpose is to support democrats and attack democrats instead. And then lecture the rest of us as if they are morally superior for doing so.

Great example.

The OP is 1000% correct. It was NOT AN ATTACK.

They are the enemy, not democrats.

I don't know why anyone would imply such a stupid and wrong thing.

Have a nice day!

Things would never have gotten this bad if we'd been a true opposition party & we should examine that, cuz more of the same won't get us out of this.

and Green party voters who decided their purity tests for democrats were more important to them than stopping Republicans.

You are attacking fellow Democrats with that post.

and snark.

Not my idea of an adult conversation.

Stop attacking everyone who doesn't swear a party oath. Your post is pure strawman, and the last thing we need right now.

it needed to be said.

A lot of loyal Democrats were spanked for wanting Democrats to fight harder.

Last week I listened to Jason Crow say, (paraphrasing) the Democrats are in two camps, those who want to wait Trump out and those who are courageous and want to fight now.

Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie are the 2 faces leading the charge to release the Epstein files. Ro Khanna isn't even the ranking Democrat on the Oversight committee.

The Senate needs to stay strong in stopping funding for ICE. IMO the demands are even too weak. I would make the demand that the evidence in the Good/Pretti killings be turned over to local law enforcement before a nickel more is given to ICE.

the past and seeing what the ramifications of our actions were so we can do differently in the future where we need to. THAT does nothing against the DU rules, but it seems to be too much for some of our friends to tolerate.

Politics take care of themselves when our Reps are seen out in the streets with the protesters or on picket lines or trying to access concentration camps.

I would even have Democrats consider nominating a Republican to run for president in 2028 - Miles Taylor. He isn't about politics, he is about fighting. He speaks with fire and brimstone every time I hear him on TV. We end up debating whether we should nominate a moderate or a progressive, we should nominate the person who fights the hardest.

nothing about his position on most issues. We know he was early to speak against Trump, but so was the far better known Liz Cheney. We can admire Cheney 's principles, but disagree o almost every issue. She is a conservative Republican. On social media, Bill Kristol, long time neocon conservative is also starkly anti Trump, but likely still believes many things he advocated for in the Bush/Cheney years.

Another example is George Conway running for the solid blue seat currently held by Nadler. He was a long term conservative lawyer. Our agreement is that he is solidly against Trump.

I don't think we should vote for any of these conservative/neocons in OUR primaries. While they have rejected what their party is now, there is no reason to think they agree with any of our values on issues where the 2 parties fundamentally disagree.

you brought politics into it, Miles Taylor is not into politics.

Have you ever listened to him on cable news? He attacks Krasnov fiercely, he has had to pay for added security because of death threats, Krasnov fired him days before he was eligible for his pension.

I want a fighter as president and from what I hear from him he will hold the billionaires accountable.

he's into politics. If he runs for office he'll have to take a position on every political issue.
He's not the only one with good reason to be mad at Trump.

Didn't age well did it?

just that better background checks might be needed.

I also remember when Anthony Weiner and Alan Grayson were very popular here.

oppose Trump, I see no reason, if we survive all this and actually have an election again, that we should hand power back over to Republicans. There should be overwhelming enthusiasm for the Democrats in coming elections and we have a lot of work to do.
These Consevatives who have just seen the light helped get us to this place and were very late coming around. That doesn't bode well for their future decisions.

The only time we should consider these recent converts is in districts where we're unlikely to elect a real Democrat.

I agree with choosing fighters, but fighters can be found among Democrats.

just like that other group.

You'll see my thoughts on this. No one wants to hear the core base's thoughts.

With the way this country is going - there might not be any of the base alive in 2 years. Let's be clear -we've always been the end game for the Heritage Foundation. If every Black Woman, Man and Child were dead -

The Magapubs would be at their happiest. That way they can have Medicare for all and a living wage. As long as we aren't part of the equation . . .

AI will take care of the billionaires.

I've been a registered Democrat since 1965 but I'm not married to it and my vote is my own. it is not owned by any party. or dogma.

This is DU, the rules of DU are clear when you sign up for DU. We support Democrats, and while some constructive criticism is allowed, this isn't the place to rip on Dems.

Asking "Why did we do thing X and did it hurt us and what can we do differently in the future?" is not ripping Dems.

mock tRumphumpers for being lockstep-marching sheep, and like those sheep, they'll never see the hypocrisy or irony.

If we donate money - we have a right to suggest improvements.

If we elect people to positions in Congress, we have a right to expect them to represent us.

Great post!!!

Well said, and concise.

I believe in that concept very strongly. Appreciate your response.

This is a (significantly) older space. The comfortable and familiar will prevail.

As an older Millennial, it blows my mind a little. That people can look at the past 40, 25, or 10 years and think to themselves, "We're doing amazing. Look at the state of the country. We need to keep doing what we're doing to keep this party going!"

Particularly when we discuss leadership.

At the end of the day, when it comes to politicians and the consultant class who've been around for decades, it's all full Bondi. "The stock market is at 50,000!"

When your portfolios are that good, and all your friends and family are on the train with you, it can be a difficult thing to voluntarily disembark. "The country can't be that bad, can it? Because we're doing great!"

Yes. You are.

But yesterday a family friend, a 20 year old college sophomore and sweet kid, was picked up by ICE. Seeing his family and friends deal with this is heartbreaking.

We are all damaged by this disastrous administration and all the steps that led to it.

And I am aware that I am still feeling it second-hand, but those circles of damage are tightening fast.

It's not a universal thing by any means. I worked in adult and aging for the state for over a decade, and that whole job was watching older people get economically shafted.

It's a difficult thing to describe, how people get attached to politicians and will eagerly keep them out of misplaced affection and perception that, "Not my kid! It's the other kid that's the problem. Everything my kid does is great!"

Just the gulf in perception between generations. The entire ramp up to the '24 election was wild. Basically everyone under 50 going, "Are you insane?" while most people over 50 were "Wheeeeee! This is a great idea! Don't be ageist!"

And then when exactly what you thought was going to happen does indeed happen, and the leadership whose job it is to avoid that kind of thing sat on their hands the whole time, we still sit at square one. "Not my favorite politician. All his decisions were good!"

I'm not sure you can even talk to people with that mindset.

fall in line, bowing down, hive mind, cult. Why did Democrats allow/let/not stop all the bad things! Both sides both sides both sides both sides both sides.

QUASHERS! Help, help, I'm being repressed!

Dems with different opinions are the cheerleaders!

Lots of cheering going on here, good for you, OP!

Money and elites drive society and are loyal to themselves. Democracy is not a natural state. It is a fluid state that depends on public opinion, legal structures including constitutions, prosperity, elites being okay with it. There were not insignificant minorities that supported the Axis during WWII. We ignored it, and failed to understand in the entire post-war era.

We need to drive political structure and stop catering to tax cut elites.

when they admit that strategically, the Heritage Foundation outplayed us. Just the truth. Their philosophy isn't like the
Brookings or the Center for American Progress, and other liberal think tanks. They're aggressive and keep their eyes on
the goal (however detestable we find it). As a counter balance to what they term "woke" universities, right wing groups nurtured
and funded their own. The right wing was smart enough to purchase and retain licenses for cheap AM radio stations back in the day enabling them to propagandize rural voters while at the same time gerrymandering the districts to dilute urban voting blocks.
Many many posters on this board decry homeschooling because they associate it with religious indoctrination . Well folks, when the public schools themselves in red states are indoctrinating students in white power politics, you may think differently. Why are there no analog progressive home schooling curriculum/packages to counter the religious based ones? There will come a time (maybe) when
progressives have a window of opportunity and the the wind at our backs to (maybe) pass a constitutional amendment to try and
remedy our antiquated version. We have to be ready to pull the trigger - and have something ready for which consensus has been sought and obtained - because those chances do not last. I guess the upshot of what I'm saying is that I see democrats too often
reacting instead of planning 10 years ahead which we should be. Basically, we need to get off our asses and commit to paper exactly how we want it to be and have that plan ready to jam through when (if) we get a chance.

Well, it turns out they were true. And we have been reacting to them as if the world is a different thing than it is.

Our main problem has been our lack of understanding just how bad they are.

Well, we know now. And that should make a fundamental shift in OUR actions.

You know, the one where Gene Hackman as Lex Luther plans to purchase beachfront property in Nevada and then sink California.

I told her "Our lives are being ruined by billionaire men having the emotional maturity of 13 year olds." Just reading some of the ridiculous Epstein emails written by grown ass academics no less (the ones that lean more pathetic than horrific), is just flabbergasting. I try not to be drinking whenever someone opines about the US being a meritocracy.

Who knew? I commented the same thought.

Who knew we would be living the dystopian fiction that was prevalent in the literature of our formative years. We need to start thinking like this is our reality - because it is.

the perfect title for a book about the past 46+ years would be: WHILE THE NATION SLEPT

"Many" were walking down the jungle path, swatting at mosquitoes, and were oblivious to the herd of charging elephants.....
Pun Intended......

Anyone recall a large group called: "The Reagan Democrats" ????????

I have many of the finger-waggers on ignore, though, so I think I am missing a lot of the drama.

focusing on general electability.

I get so many jury summons here for people who don't understand the difference between constructive criticism and violating TOS. I don't get it for myself, but I imagine that some folks who live in less blue areas than I, or have more marginalized lives than I live, may feel the need to corral folks into a kind of lockstep because they feel the only way we break the R hold on the US is to be a united front. The thing is, we can be united under the Democratic umbrella and still understand the need to fix the umbrella when it develops a hole, because even though the umbrella worked fine in the past, a leaky umbrella umbrella serves no one very well.

but I think many here get totally frustrated with the Dem Party..........lack of direction by the majority of the 200+ Dem House and Senators, as well as the Leader???? of the Dem Party who ever that is at this point...........
I can't tell you when the last time I heard ANYTHING from our two Dem Senators and our Denver U.S. Rep..........
We need a whole lot more Dem firebrands like AOC, etc...........

In his recent interview with Brian Cohen. Democrats need to take the pulse of young people who can be energized to participate, especially around leaders who speak their language.

But don't leave anyone out, or push anyone away. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Elections are won by building coalitions.

Are we ourselves, in our online activity and interpersonal interactions, pushing people away? Not everyone who voted for Trump is irredeemable racist. Some voted for Obama. Many are misinformed, or persuadable swing voters.

We may feel temporary satisfaction from insulting them and expressing hope they suffer miserably for the catastrophe they have brought down on all of us. While there is truth that everyone who voted for Trump shares the blame, if we openly hate them they will hate us back -- and will vote against Democrats out of spite. Emotions often trump rational thought. This includes us, when we push people away who are capable of a change of heart or mind.

We now have a partial shutdown, mainly to have DHS follow the law before they get any more money, to put it simply.

Am I allowed to say that I think that Democrats should have demanded more than they did?

Isn't a core tenet of negotiating, asking for more and then coming down for what was wanted?

Pressure is going to be put on Senate Democrats, I praise them for what they have done. (wanted them to do it back in March but that's water over the dam)

Stay strong Senator Schumer because your demands are not excessive, do not make concessions.

Today, do all Democrats agree that no more funding for DHS until the Democrats' demands are met?

pushback the last two times, they would not be holding the line right now.

A change was needed. It was discussed on social media. The leaders got the message. They're responding better this time.

I think in the past our Democratic reps were able to do some negotiating with the Repubs, but now the Repubs have lost their fucking minds, so all bets are off.

Leaders need their own sense of outrage, no prompting needed.

The situation is very unlike March 2025 when Musk was still wielding his chainsaw and OMB director Russell Voss had removed all the contingency plans from the websites of every federal department and agency. (Even members of Congress were not privy to the plans.)

It is also unlike October 2025, when federal workers bore the brunt of the shutdown until a significant concession was won: the guarantee of SNAP funding through the remainder of the 2026 fiscal year, rather than merely until the end of January.

If folks on social media don't understand how things work, the best course of action is to keep them informed so that they can develop a more nuanced point of view.

trump 2.0 did not need to happen

trump 1.0 did not need to happen

The gop has declared war on America and we need to respond as such. i like the new slogan 'when they go high we hit back'. That's all maga understands. Being nice, looking forward absolves them and makes them stronger.

We are sitting here depending that the epstein files be released. We had Congress and the Presidency, why didn't everything get released about Trump then?

When republicans ask why it didn't get released, people think they have a good point.

Our answer is that there was ongoing litigation, but that ended in 2021. Then we say there was an appeals process. But that appeals process has not stopped us Democrats from calling for its release since Cankles entered office while the appeals were ongoing, so why would it stop the release while we had the power? There must be more to it. If a mistake was made, fine, but let's know that.

I want to know how to shut down my maga brother when he asks that question.

What never changed is the hideous wealth disparity that is at the root of 99% or more of the problems.

People always wanted a fair shake, and nobody offered it.

And that is the "revolutionary" Democratic Party that people demand.

Use the 80/20 rule.
You can spend 80% of your time gaining another 20% of votes, or
Spend 20% of your time deciding "This is what people want TODAY" and get 80% more votes.

KEEP IT SIMPLE AND WIN.

If they fail to do so they should be held to account. Much has been said about Fetterman lately, concerns have been raised, and rightly so.

To give a full pass to someone because they were elected with a "D" after their name is dangerous. Our party deserves better and deserves accountability.

And elected officials should represent all the people, not just those who voted for them.

and how far they stray from those promises and why.

People pointed them out to me. And sometimes I didn't make a mistake, I did the treatment that was most often efficacious, but it simply didn't work. So I analyzed the situation and changed my approach.

We as constituents have a responsibility to let our elected officials know when they are not moving us forward. Most (Fetterman, who knows what he's thinking?) want to do what we want them to do.

I have my reps on speed dial, from Senate to neighborhood association. My calls with them are never a fight, and they often get stuff done.

...is the sane mature intelligent way to approach things.

So yes, I agree.

But the nature of the beast is that Dems really love to think of themselves as free agents, so we can't ever agree on some pasic promises that every Democrat is committed to. We never have anything like Gingrich's Contract with America or the infamous Project 2025. Without an affirmative agenda shared proudly by the Party, we are left with little more than "Vote for Dems because we aren't as bad as Republicans."

will reverse on day one, and the American people (not just Democrats) REALLY want those things.

Show me any candidate that has a clear 5-point plan (or 10 points, if you prefer). I'm not talking about some 300 page white paper written by some contractor, full of equivocations and contingencies. I'm talking about, "If Democrats are elected, we promise to put top priority on these 5 things."

And I'm not talking generalizations like "affordability", "national security", "quality of life". I'm talking about real, tangible specific actions. What are Democrats going to do, specifically, if we give them power once again? Tell me 5 things that will be different in my life if Democrats are in control.

What, specifically, are they committed to doing about the billionaires and the abuse of the economic power they hold? What, specifically, are they going to do to restore constitutional rule so the next Republicans can't just break it as easily as Trump did. What, specifically , are they going to do about a SCOTUS that has obviously been corrupted, and a system that allows all these extreme RWres to be on the court? (If the Justices were nominated by Presidents who came to office with the most votes, the only RWer on the court would by Thomas (appointed by GHW Bush, who did get a majority. The other 5 RW extremists were all nominated by Presidents who took office LOSING the popular vote.)

Tell us specifically what will be done about corporations off shoring jobs and profits and paying no taxes here? Tell us how the EPA and CDC will be put back together in a sustainable way.

Etc.

"Why did we do thing X, did it hurt us, and how can we do differently in the future?"

I must have missed them.

What I've seen are variations of "milquetoast Merrick," Schumer's sternly worded letters, old Dems don't want change, why did Dems let MAGAts get away with whatever, why don't Dems do this, why don't Dems do that, why don't Dems do what I want? Dems cave, Schumer caves, Jeffries dares mention his faith how dare he? Primary! Primary! Primary!

Having an opinion that isn't yours is not quashing your "conversations."

"That's what adults do..." Like call others with opinions that aren't yours the "posse"?

our opponent. Their long-term strategy starting with the Powell Memo, the money their side has, and their absolute ruthlessness which instilled fear in us as intended. We have a major disadvantage in the media, and our openness gets portrayed poorly. Our message per our platform is good. We have good candidates, but we fail to get our message across. Buying up several thousand raido stations and getting our own cable show would help.

I recall after the last election Earl G suggested the rules regarding criticizing Dems could be a little looser. I think he framed it as we have problems to solve. I hope I am remembering correctly. I was relatively new to DU at the time.

We have all been living the same nightmare now, since November 2024. My personal opinion is we are in a CRISIS! We are in a Constitutional crisis. Our Democracy is on the brink. This is not the usual political dilemma(s). We need to figure out how to save Democracy. We need to figure out how to get out of this Constitutional crisis. We need all hands on deck. We need all ideas on deck. We need to adopt a solution oriented paradigm on steroids.

Should we really have to worry about stepping on peoples' "old school" sensibilities? As long as we offer analysis and critique without engaging in "low blows", shouldn't the discussion be welcomed, rather than quashed? IMHO

Thanks for the great OP, S. And I appreciate the discussion it generated.

Look, if Democrats make a mistake, cannot admit their mistakes, talk about them, and figure out avenues to correct a course and move forward, how would we ever get ANYWHERE? Not every action is a mistake. There are many, many Democratic leaders who are to be respected and supported.

But when there is one or some or a few that are headed in a direction that I (or anyone) thinks isn't the right thing, I don't understand NOT being able to speak up and say so. Because THAT is free speech.

Don't talk to me about "working harder". Come on down to Texas and let me show you what working your ass off for TWENTY PLUS YEARS looks like when the whole system is rigged against you and isn't fair. Yes, Texas is finally seeing some strides and I am hopeful for the midterms. But I will not lose sight of the reality that it may very well be that nothing changes because there are still plenty of people down here who hate Democrats and refuse to listen to anything that a Democrat may have to offer. That is because they've been brainwashed for forty plus years.