TPP fight illustrates Left's depth problem

[eridani]

I've been riding this hobbyhorse for some time now--glad to hear the same thing from other quarters.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/06/24/1396062/-TPP-fight-illustrates-Left-s-depth-problem

As I watched the diaries roll on by, with people adamantly calling for primaries against Democrats who supported Fast Track legislation, I kept asking the same question I always ask when votes go down like this: Who?

But it isn't just having a lack of viable challengers to Democrats who go astray from the party line. Liberal Democrats lack of depth in political offices also affects the policy choices Democrats choose to fight on, more often than not ceding ground to Republicans and fighting on their turf. I'll try and be brief.

Both Virginia Senators, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, voted for the Fast Track legislation. Now, one has to ask: Did either of these men fear any political repercussion for this vote? I'm willing to wager a hearty no. For this reason: There are other statewide Democratic elected official in the state other than those two:

One is Governor Terry MacAuliffe, a noted supporter of the WTO and free trade generally. He said no

The point being, none of these potential challengers formed what could have been a "left flank" of pressure for either Warner or Kaine. Had either of them had to worry that a potential challenger was using the issue to gain sufficient support to push them out of the nomination, I suspect their votes would have been different.

This is why, ladies and gentlemen, I cannot emphasize enough that the focus of the Left's ire over the economic policy direction of the Democratic Party has to begin at the local level, not at the presidency. It is those local offices where better Senators are groomed. It is those local offices where better Presidents are groomed.thing about TPP.

[djean111]

1. I cannot speak for other states, but here in Florida, Debbie Wasserman-DINO only backs DINOs.

We can have all the local liberals we want, but Debbie decides who to back for national office, as far as I can tell. She threatened to disband the state Dem Progressive Caucus because they had the temerity to question Patrick Murphy, who was a Republican until 2011, and whose chief attraction seems to be that he is rich. He is adopting liberal talking points, but his sincerity has been questioned. In any even, Debbie and Patrick and Bill Nelson are all members of the DINO club, er, the New Democrat Coalition, which proudly wants to eschew that stupid old ideology and work closely with the GOP. As they have. So getting liberals any higher than Florida state is well nigh impossible while Debbie is in charge.

[Phlem]

2. K&R!

[cascadiance]

3. If DeFazio were to run against Wyden, I think we'd have a pretty good primary here in Oregon!

DeFazio certainly was our only House rep with decent stands on Fast Track, and I think he is strong in areas that Wyden has been strong in the past in areas like protecting our privacy. There are many of us calling his office to get him to run. Not sure if he's going to yet, but I think he's certainly had a lot of feedback in this state to announce now. He did run against Wyden many years back in the primary to replace Packwood, he narrow lost to Wyden then. I think he could beat Wyden this time around. And I think we would be better off with him running for senator in the general election now than Wyden too, as I think Wyden might have a lot of people stay home this election, especially independents not happy with his fast track vote.

[jeff47]

4. There's a reason the DNC has been working so hard to kill primary challenges

and that's so they could end up in this situation.

[dreamnightwind]

5. Well, it isn't so much that there aren't local progressives in office

It's more that the Democratic party leadership makes damn sure they don't move up the chain.

You don't think Californians could, and WANT TO, challenge Feinstein? The party is absolutely against it, I heard (but have yet to see or read the background info) that some rule was passed here about not primarying Democatic incumbents.

In this state we actually do have a deep bench of progressives in local and state office who could fill that Senate seat with some real progressive values, and the people of this state deserve such a primary fight. It's the corporate capture of party leadership that prevents it. That may not be the case in every state or every situation, but it's definitely a big part of the problem.

I join you in your desire for more progressives in lower offices, I just don't think that's the main obstacle to getting them in higher offices.

edit to add: I rec'd this because it's a good discussion to have

[Nay]

7. Same problem in VA -- no help for progressive Dems who challenge anyone, Dem or Pub.

The guy who challenged Cantor got 41% of the vote without ANY money or help from national Dems. Then, when Cantor was primaried by a complete dumbass teapartier, the national Dems didn't even help the Dem challenger then -- no money, nothing. Even though it would have been easy to help the progressive Dem challenger because the teapartier was a complete, and I mean complete, idiot. His idiocy even caused concern among the Pubs here. WHY was no help given? Cuz they don't care.

[TheKentuckian]

9. Oh they care, if you aren't representing the boys in the boardroom they'd rather have a puke.

[eridani]

8. I am tired of this shit and want to figure out ways of networking around it. n/t

[Fairgo]

6. This is what I hoped to find at DU

This is a call to arms... better yet, a call to community. I want to hear more.