Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I feel a good Project 2028 needs to refocus our government to center BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ voices and lived-experiences.

This is the big debate. Do we do this, or do we "pivot to the center," "run a boring white guy," "ease up on the progressive politics," etc.?

I personally think we have to OWN our authentic selves in this party, and stop being ashamed of who were are racially, sexually, politically, whatever. I really don't thinking running as Republicans lite is going to cut it.

Isn’t the definition of insanity repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

Well, both options feel kind of insane when we're losing. I mean, there are only three categories, really: authentically progressive candidates, ideally from a marginalized group; boring white guy Republican lite; or something in the middle, a la Kamala, who ends up having an authenticity problem ("is she a proud black woman, or a rich narc?").

I'm not convinced that the boring white guy approach is any good either. Do we really think our rainbow coalition is going to enthusiastically canvas for Mark Kelly? Do we really think Republican dudes are going to go against their buddies and abandon their party just because we put up someone with a dad bod?

Anyway, what do you think we should do? Who should we run? I'm at a loss.

The "rainbow coalition" won't vote for Mark Kelly because the Democratic party has spent a decade mainlining identity politics and magnifying our differences rather than focusing on what brings Americans together.

This +100.

I'm a moderate Republican (who voted for Biden and Harris FWIW) and I truly believe that had Mark Kelly been selected as the VP or even been the POTUS nominee....the Democrats would have been able to win by a large margin.

Mark Kelly - or someone like him - is what we need to get the 3rd party voters and those who simply didn't vote to come out and vote D.

Last night's address to Congress...I wish I had decided to go to bed early and not watched it all...but I did want to hear everything with my own ears. While I don't believe in LGBTQ+ lifestyle I believe they deserve equal rights and the messaging last night was too over the top for me. Looks as though we are going back to the "don't ask don't tell" years. A bit too extreme for me.

But I also think the Democrats had gotten too wrapped up in identity politics and too extreme on gender identity ideology.

The middle ground is lost. I'm a moderate who thinks the only way forward is for a 3rd common sense party to rise from the ashes that Trump leaves behind.

So I don't know if I agree with you about Kelly. But I do dream that a 3rd party might come forward. I think the Dem's tent is not holding together well at the moment. It's hard for me to say that this is because of leadership being unwilling to look deeply at policies that didn't work (despite good intentions) OR there are irreconcilable differences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel a good Project 2028 needs to refocus our government to center BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ voices and lived-experiences.

This is the big debate. Do we do this, or do we "pivot to the center," "run a boring white guy," "ease up on the progressive politics," etc.?

I personally think we have to OWN our authentic selves in this party, and stop being ashamed of who were are racially, sexually, politically, whatever. I really don't thinking running as Republicans lite is going to cut it.

Isn’t the definition of insanity repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

Well, both options feel kind of insane when we're losing. I mean, there are only three categories, really: authentically progressive candidates, ideally from a marginalized group; boring white guy Republican lite; or something in the middle, a la Kamala, who ends up having an authenticity problem ("is she a proud black woman, or a rich narc?").

I'm not convinced that the boring white guy approach is any good either. Do we really think our rainbow coalition is going to enthusiastically canvas for Mark Kelly? Do we really think Republican dudes are going to go against their buddies and abandon their party just because we put up someone with a dad bod?

Anyway, what do you think we should do? Who should we run? I'm at a loss.

The "rainbow coalition" won't vote for Mark Kelly because the Democratic party has spent a decade mainlining identity politics and magnifying our differences rather than focusing on what brings Americans together.

This +100.

I'm a moderate Republican (who voted for Biden and Harris FWIW) and I truly believe that had Mark Kelly been selected as the VP or even been the POTUS nominee....the Democrats would have been able to win by a large margin.

Mark Kelly - or someone like him - is what we need to get the 3rd party voters and those who simply didn't vote to come out and vote D.

Last night's address to Congress...I wish I had decided to go to bed early and not watched it all...but I did want to hear everything with my own ears. While I don't believe in LGBTQ+ lifestyle I believe they deserve equal rights and the messaging last night was too over the top for me. Looks as though we are going back to the "don't ask don't tell" years. A bit too extreme for me.

But I also think the Democrats had gotten too wrapped up in identity politics and too extreme on gender identity ideology.

The middle ground is lost. I'm a moderate who thinks the only way forward is for a 3rd common sense party to rise from the ashes that Trump leaves behind.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yeah no.
Frankly a bunch of self satisfied in-the-bubble elite progressives sucking up money at NGO’s enabled all the right wing bullshittery we are currently enduring.
The smug aholes that got us into this, aren’t the ones to get us out.
No thank you.

+1 If a Democratic Project 2028 simply means to totally reverse ALL of Trump's EOs (they aren't all bad...perhaps just badly implemented)..then no, absolutely not in favor.

There needs to be less extremism from both sides...that's what landed us in this mess to begin with. There needs to be a clean slate - stop with the blame game. Just look forward and put forth a new "best in breed" Project 2028 -- meaning take a look at Trump's EOs without bias - the EOs that a majority of the country fundamentally favor (and voted for or even support even though they voted for Harris) and incorporate them into Project 2028 with perhaps a modified plan of execution/implementation.

I voted for Harris and can't stand Trump, but I fundamentally support the idea of many of his EOs even though I may disagree with how they are being implemented.

Np. I don't believe you voted for Harris and agree with his 'many' EO.
Please share which ones you like

Just admit you voted for him

Whatever floats your boat. My vote for Harris was purely an anti-Trump, the man, vote.
I knew in my gut that Trump was going to win but at least I can honestly and truthfully tell all my liberal friends that I voted for Harris.
I don't GAF if you don't believe me.

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Anonymous wrote:What Democrats need is their own version of the Heritage Foundation to craft this. Define an entire collection of pieces of legislation for when they regain control of Congress and unleash it with a blitzkrieg legislative and communications effort. Likewise, for when they regain the White House, have all of the key executive orders written up, have all key appointees identified, judicial candidates, everything and everyone vetted and lined up ready to go in an all-out blast.

If the Democratic response to the current extreme MAGA administration is simply the opposite extreme, then I may actually decide not to vote in 2028. I'm done with the extremism of both sides.

There has been no extremist left, you are just an idiot. Please stay home.

Thank you. Yes, I think I will...along with many other voters who decided to stay home last year....which is a big reason Democrats lost.

^Now who's the idiot.

^Also, FWIW this "idiot" voted for Harris last year. But sure I'll stay home next time and not vote since that's what Democrats want.

Dp. Good grief. You would throw away your vote because of one person? That's crazy. The pp doesn't speak for all democrats

Geez - you can't recognize sarcasm? I didn't feel like voting last year...but I did...and for Harris no less.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think watch it implode is the best strategy. We are long overdue for a course correction in this country, and MAGA seems dead set on bringing it on. Hell, Musk was joking with Joe Rogan about how much he can hurt people before getting himself killed.

The truth is that we’ve grown way too comfortable as a people. We’ve fooled ourselves into thinking we are self-reliant and the working man is more important and more powerful than he actually is. We’ve grown too tolerant of the nuts and the conspiracy theorists. We can educate people until we are blue in the face, but at the end of the day only starvation and deprivation and watching your kids die can cut through all the Russia propaganda and noise. They need to feel the pain of the leopards eating their face to stop letting the leopards loose.

I’m not a burn it all down type of person, but the people are demanding to FAFO so at some point we just have to let them get what they voted for. And remind them at every turn that they chose this and there are better options. Eventually they’ll hit rock bottom and want to be comfortable and naive again.

You just said a whole bunch of nothing that matters. You are chastising people and not offering anything optimistic to make them want to vote for you. At least try to be a better salesperson? Your way to win lost audiences is for the situation to implode and FAFO? That's what you got up your sleeve? You hope people will run for lesser of two evils? The point is that people are tired voting for the lesser of 2 evils and tuning out. At some point a 3rd party will have to emerge or there will be no interest in elections at all and things that happen with that aren't going to play in your favor.

Listen - people voted for Trump because they thought things sucked under Biden and they couldn’t get worse. Even people that hated him.

Well, things can get worse, and they will. No one is saving them from themselves this time.

I’m not interested in selling anything to people who can’t understand. I’m not interested in

debating policy with people who vote on emotions. “Look at what the GOP did to you, let’s get even” is a pretty good selling point when people are feeling mad and dare I say it, violent. Worked for the GOP for a long time.

I love the projection. Federal employees are feeling mad that they can't do the Covid work from home routine anymore now that the pandemic ended years ago. Federal employees are feeling mad about the first layoffs they've faced in many decades. DC insiders are feeling mad about not being able to use taxpayer funds as much for their NGOs or for Democratic Party politics. We lost the election and we are NOT enjoying the results at all. So were are indeed "feeling mad and dare I say it, violent."

However, it is a mistake for us to assume that private sector employees or Republicans or swing voters feel violent. People are always disappointed in politicians, but it takes a LOT, over a LONG period of time, for people to regret their votes. Yes Trump's approval rating is down, but I'm yet to hear any swing voters say they miss Joe or Kamala.

If we think that OUR rage against Trump and his voters, which, let's be honest, gets kinda ugly sometimes, is going to motivate Trump voters to come back to us next time because they will magically share OUR rage, we probably won't win. We have to offer Trump voters a better set of policies for THEM than Republicans do. So far, I have seen nothing like that even discussed.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I actually think watch it implode is the best strategy. We are long overdue for a course correction in this country, and MAGA seems dead set on bringing it on. Hell, Musk was joking with Joe Rogan about how much he can hurt people before getting himself killed.

The truth is that we’ve grown way too comfortable as a people. We’ve fooled ourselves into thinking we are self-reliant and the working man is more important and more powerful than he actually is. We’ve grown too tolerant of the nuts and the conspiracy theorists. We can educate people until we are blue in the face, but at the end of the day only starvation and deprivation and watching your kids die can cut through all the Russia propaganda and noise. They need to feel the pain of the leopards eating their face to stop letting the leopards loose.

I’m not a burn it all down type of person, but the people are demanding to FAFO so at some point we just have to let them get what they voted for. And remind them at every turn that they chose this and there are better options. Eventually they’ll hit rock bottom and want to be comfortable and naive again.

You just said a whole bunch of nothing that matters. You are chastising people and not offering anything optimistic to make them want to vote for you. At least try to be a better salesperson? Your way to win lost audiences is for the situation to implode and FAFO? That's what you got up your sleeve? You hope people will run for lesser of two evils? The point is that people are tired voting for the lesser of 2 evils and tuning out. At some point a 3rd party will have to emerge or there will be no interest in elections at all and things that happen with that aren't going to play in your favor.

Listen - people voted for Trump because they thought things sucked under Biden and they couldn’t get worse. Even people that hated him.

Well, things can get worse, and they will. No one is saving them from themselves this time.

I’m not interested in selling anything to people who can’t understand. I’m not interested in debating policy with people who vote on emotions. “Look at what the GOP did to you, let’s get even” is a pretty good selling point when people are feeling mad and dare I say it, violent. Worked for the GOP for a long time.

I can’t tell who is being serious on this thread and who is trolling. This does not bode well for the democrats.

Anonymous wrote:I actually think watch it implode is the best strategy. We are long overdue for a course correction in this country, and MAGA seems dead set on bringing it on. Hell, Musk was joking with Joe Rogan about how much he can hurt people before getting himself killed.

The truth is that we’ve grown way too comfortable as a people. We’ve fooled ourselves into thinking we are self-reliant and the working man is more important and more powerful than he actually is. We’ve grown too tolerant of the nuts and the conspiracy theorists. We can educate people until we are blue in the face, but at the end of the day only starvation and deprivation and watching your kids die can cut through all the Russia propaganda and noise. They need to feel the pain of the leopards eating their face to stop letting the leopards loose.

I’m not a burn it all down type of person, but the people are demanding to FAFO so at some point we just have to let them get what they voted for. And remind them at every turn that they chose this and there are better options. Eventually they’ll hit rock bottom and want to be comfortable and naive again.

You just said a whole bunch of nothing that matters. You are chastising people and not offering anything optimistic to make them want to vote for you. At least try to be a better salesperson? Your way to win lost audiences is for the situation to implode and FAFO? That's what you got up your sleeve? You hope people will run for lesser of two evils? The point is that people are tired voting for the lesser of 2 evils and tuning out. At some point a 3rd party will have to emerge or there will be no interest in elections at all and things that happen with that aren't going to play in your favor.

Maybe we need to fight fire with fire, reality tv with reality tv.

This is a desperation play, but I'm starting to get desperate.

Pete Buttigieg is pretty impressive. He's smart and articulate, he's competent, and he's OURS. He stands for the right things. He's a far better Democrat, in my opinion, than Biden or Harris.

But he's short, he's young, and he's not nearly famous enough. He has an adorable gay marriage and family.
But...he doesn't come off as gay enough to inspire most LGBTQIA+. My gay friends are VERY lukewarm to him and in some cases hostile. In fact, he comes off a little "Republican lite."

But if Pete Buttigieg were to transition to a woman, and do it authentically in the public eye, he would become the most famous person who ever lived.

I know it's risky. I know it seems silly. But he's just one guy, and I don't think he can win as he is. I'm not that worried about losing the "Pete Buttigieg as a male Presidential candidate" option. He's not viable enough as is. But with a few tweaks, really the ultimate tweak, he could be viable. I think it's worth a try.

I think his national profile would soar. His problem now is that his coming out as gay wasn't a big enough deal. If it had happened about 10 years earlier, he probably WOULD be President now. But in 2025, he has to go bigger.

Even if the bid for the Presidency (or some other huge office) fails, this would still be pretty amazing for the trans rights movement.

We haven't seen a beloved major national figure go through the steps of a transition. The closest we've come so far is Ellen/Elliot Page, a semi-famous actor, and Caitlyn Jenner, who, as a weird conservative, was a less-than-ideal role model.

I would love to see a good looking, articulate, already kinda famous, Progressive politician do this. And I do think Buttigieg is ambitious enough to go for it. If he has even a little bit of curiosity about becoming a woman, he should consider doing it for society, for trans folk, and for the Democratic Party.

I think it would be epic.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel a good Project 2028 needs to refocus our government to center BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ voices and lived-experiences.

This is the big debate. Do we do this, or do we "pivot to the center," "run a boring white guy," "ease up on the progressive politics," etc.?

I personally think we have to OWN our authentic selves in this party, and stop being ashamed of who were are racially, sexually, politically, whatever. I really don't thinking running as Republicans lite is going to cut it.

Isn’t the definition of insanity repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

Well, both options feel kind of insane when we're losing. I mean, there are only three categories, really: authentically progressive candidates, ideally from a marginalized group; boring white guy Republican lite; or something in the middle, a la Kamala, who ends up having an authenticity problem ("is she a proud black woman, or a rich narc?").

I'm not convinced that the boring white guy approach is any good either. Do we really think our rainbow coalition is going to enthusiastically canvas for Mark Kelly? Do we really think Republican dudes are going to go against their buddies and abandon their party just because we put up someone with a dad bod?

Anyway, what do you think we should do? Who should we run? I'm at a loss.

Anonymous wrote:Democrats have a few psychological dynamics that prevent optimal strategizing. We SHOULD want to deliver policies that most Americans support. That would help us a) improve more American lives; and b) win more votes and more elections. But we often DON'T support policies popular with the American people. Why not?

1) Anti-Trumpism. If he likes it; we tend to hate it. We tell ourselves it's bad even if it's not. Even when we KNOW it's good, we'll often be against it to deny him a popular win. We'd rather deny it to the people for four years so WE can give it to them.

2) Democrats imagine ourselves to be intellectuals. So if we like a policy, we're quite sure it's correct, even if unpopular. We also don't like admitting we've ever been wrong, so we stand staunchly by terribly ineffective policies that have been demonstrably failing for years.

3) Progressivism is a dangerous drug. The world view is that we should always be "opposing" tradition and the status quo. The idea is that we are the most evolved enlightened ones, dragging the rest of society along behind us. So if we support something that only 30% of Americans support, we don't think of that as "wrong," just "early." We see it as our job to PUSH THROUGH unpopular ideas that WE believe in, because we're sure the rest of the world will EVENTUALLY believe in them too if we can force them to evolve.

+100

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel a good Project 2028 needs to refocus our government to center BIPOC and LGTBQIA+ voices and lived-experiences.

This is the big debate. Do we do this, or do we "pivot to the center," "run a boring white guy," "ease up on the progressive politics," etc.?

I personally think we have to OWN our authentic selves in this party, and stop being ashamed of who were are racially, sexually, politically, whatever. I really don't thinking running as Republicans lite is going to cut it.

Isn’t the definition of insanity repeating the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

So need to be thinking 2026. The focus should be on fair elections, getting out the vote, and getting majorities in the House and the Senate. I’ve realized recently that many many people have no idea what Biden accomplished— and also had no idea what Trump was really planning — taking him at his lying word. Unfortunately I think it’s all about the marketing.

In a month or so, though, people who are happy with Trump now will start to feel things implode on a personal level — especially anyone who lives paycheck to paycheck, anyone with investments, and anyone receiving any kind of social safety net support — including health care. The government is likely to close — or to come close to closing, while the budget gets addressed. Tax season will be a mess, and people will be getting tax bills just as government resources that they depend on will be less reliable and less available.

Trump and his supporters are breaking things — with no concern for those of us who aren’t white, male, and extremely rich. This is a message that should be emphasized: What we’ve lost — and what they’ve gained. We also need to make sure that Musk and Vance are prominently seen as faces of their party. Whatever charisma people see in Trump is lacking in abrasive Vance and unelected, socially challenged Musk.