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“A rose by any other name is still a rose”
If the right wing could emerge as “The Tea Party”, and become a force to be reckoned with; then the left can become “The New Democratic Party” and become a force to be reckoned with.
What are progressives but Democrats before they became “Republicrats”. A platform combining the wisdom of FDR and the compassion of MLK, is what’s badly needed at this time. If “all” progressives united under one banner that expressed this, the masses who are in need would get behind them. “United Progressives” wont sell, but “The New Democratic Party” will, and it’ll attract all of those who remember the “Old Democratic” party with the spirit of FDR and MLK before it got bought off.
All things are possible if you get the masses behind you. Can anyone remember the “March on Washington”, organized by MLK. I’m talking about a movement that would catch fire and burn faster than a forest in a drought. If FDR and MLK were alive today, they would be “Progressives”, but they wouldn’t call themselves progressives, they would call themselves “Democrats”. The FDR, MLK party would be “The Progressive Party”, flying under the name of “The New Democratic Party”, and that’s not a false flag. This is the reality we are confronted with, “There is no Democratic Party”. While “The Progressive Party” is the Democratic party in reality, people don’t know that. “If the mountain will not come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain”. People will feel more comfortable voting for “The New Democratic Party”, than the Progressive Party. Progressives can struggle another 50 years, or consider uniting under a banner that people would get behind and support.
Never in history has there been a better time for “Progressives”. Agua is water in Spanish, they are both H20. Progressive and FDR, MLK Democrat are the same. People would recognize a “New Democratic Party” which has no affiliations with the present day Democratic Party but has chosen to resurrect the spirit of FDR and MLK combined in one party. That’s the banner united progressives would fly under, and it would be no more false than calling “Agua”, water.
More Democrats are dissatisfied now than ever, they know the “Republicratic Party” is not acting in their best interests, and they want a change, but their is no other realistic option. While “Progressive’s” are the only real option, patriotic citizens are only going to vote for “Democrat or Republican”; anything else is un-American. The “New Democratic Party”, moving in the resurrected spirits of FDR and MLK, is as American as you can get.
Unless an FDR type works program is erected, the lower middle class will suffer indefinitely, and the solid middle class will slowly sink a notch. No matter what the cost it must be done. While only a “Progressive” president would be able to come to grips with this, that ain’t gonna happen; but I believe there is a possibility for a representative of “The New Democratic Party” to get a lot of grass roots support and go from there.
18 Comments
As late as early 2011 we have tried to change the democratic party. It failed miserably. We can continue pretending or start the hard work of starting something new with the Green party, New Progressive Alliance, or whatever other path you may choose. It is way past time for a name change for the democrats.
The New Democratic Party. Well, at least there’s a sense of humor. After it fails, we can have the New and Improved Democratic Party … Pretty soon they’ll have to put “revolutionary” in there somewhere and then there’ll be no word for what the comrades want.
Clever.
People know more about midget mud wrestling than they do about political solutions. First, all we have to do is get organized enough to counter generations of brainwashing so that we’ll vote for a decent party that actually represents us and plans for the future.
The Green Party would be a step in the right direction– but how that’s possible is beyond me– We’re no where near having enough people on the same page. MSM propaganda has us by the short hairs.
So, what would members of this new party call themselves, “New Democrats?” Somehow, that name is already tainted in my mind.
Well I’m glad you almost get what I’m talking about. This would be a party with absolutely no affiliations with “The Democratic Party”. If “The Tea Party” and the Republican Party are not the same, why does “The New Democratic Party” and the old Democratic party have to be the same. That name is tainted because it’s not the party of FDR, and MLK, like it should be in these hard times.
Progressive’s in my eyesight are a combination of FDR, and MLK; and if you go deep into what those two people did, you’ll understand why I keep repeating their names. “Don’t change a hair for me, not if you care for me”, so the song goes. I just want progressives to think about changing the wrapper. While the people here at FDL know all about progressives, just go out on the sidewalk and ask the first person that comes by, about “Progressives”. The options are: work another 50 years and maybe people will recognize “Progressives”, or, have a party “reincarnated” in the spirit of MLK, and FDR; in the name of “The New Democratic Party”, or a “wrapper” that fits this script.
So this new party can be confused with the Canadian NDP. That gives you name recognition along the border where there is crossover media.
“Real Democratic Party” works even better: It reminds everyone that what’s now called the Democratic Party is phony through and through.
So you wish your New Democrats to be named after a bunch of DLC’d corporate whores?
… surely you were aware of the New Democrat caucus within the House Dems?
Here’s a place to start when considering names… or not…
I like that.
I’m talking about a name that will instantly tell people what progressives are about, that they can identify with. I believe the economic wisdom of FDR in times past, similar to these; and the compassion of MLK for those who are less fortunate, should be reflected in the name of a “United progressive party”. Actually, I’m talking about a movement, more than a political party. A “nonviolent” movement that forces the government to listen to the people, does anyone remember MLK? Once you get enough people behind you, anything is possible.
Does everyone have “negativitis”? This is the New Year, let’s get some new ideas.
Recommended. But don’t you think that the corporate corrupt criminal Democratic Party will sue the new group for using its name?
I understand what your intent is, but you’re falling into a trap. This is essentially a branding exercise, which inevitably become hollow expenditures of time.
Besides, I’ve given up hope on “progressives” because they are wrapped up in the progressive “brand” (which has devolved into meaning anti-GOP/pro-Obama) rather than liberal values.
Further, if MLK were a Dem now, he would be even further ostracized & hated by party operatives than he was even back then.
You’re certainly right about the lack of footing under us for a whatever-you-call-it* movement. MLK and Gandhi opposed the Slavery in South Africa that was Apartheid. But when I speak out against the Slavery prevalent now in South Africa (35 Slaves were recently massacred there for striking & the survivors were charged with crimes as it’s illegal for Slaves to strike), most Americans don’t want to hear about it.
*”Liberal” [based in "Liberty"] I thought used to mean Left/compassionate/humanist; so I thought I was one. Then they became neo-Liberals. “Progressive” [based in "Progress"] I thought meant Left/compassionate/humanist; so I thought I was one. But if it means pro-Obama, I’m not. I’m a “Leftist,” as I was even when I was a Democrat. I know the “Left” label puts some people off, people who want to abandon a paradigm (which after all exists). I’m Left or Civil Libertarian/Environmentalist or pro-human, pro-other-life-forms-too, pro-planet.
“You’re certainly right about the lack of footing under us for a whatever-you-call-it* movement. MLK and Gandhi opposed the Slavery in South Africa that was Apartheid”
This is “US”, this is no trap. Anti GOP, does not mean pro-Obama for us. It means what we identify with as “Progressives”. Smell the coffee, people are dissatisfied with Obama and the the Republican Party. The unemployed know that a big jobs program like FDR’s WPA is their only hope and solution. Jobs create jobs, and all of that money works it’s way to the top; that’s fact. MLK had compassion for those who are less fortunate than the chosen few. A “New Party” that projected the spirit of both men in it’s name would attract “all” of the people who are, in reality, left out of the Democratic Party.
Now is our time to form a party that projects the spirit of those two men. This could be like a snow ball rolling down a hill, it would attract more snow, AKA people. When something attracts people, other like minded people want to make alliances. Once you get above the “critical mass” of people, you got power; that’s exactly what MLK did.
Promoting the programs championed by FDR (on economics) and MLK on Civil Rights, peace, and other issues is a great idea:
Who can logically argue against it? (You can prove them wrong.)
Now we need a name that will project precisely what you discribed.
Between 1935 and 1943, FDR’s WPA provided 8 million jobs at a total cost of $13. 4 billion. That translates into $216. 7 billion today. Since Obama took office, the Afghanistan war has cost $350 billion. The WPA provided jobs for 8 million people for 8 years at less than the cost of the Afghan war for 4 years, and I’m sure that doesn’t include the medical costs of battle injuries.
You do the math and tell me what that war has been good for, or who it’s been good for. Do you feel safer knowing that people who can hardly go across their own country, will not attack you in your sleep?