To the Editor:
“Centrist Democrats Squirm as ’20 Rivals Tilt Left” (front page, March 10) warns that some Democrats fear that they could lose their chance to defeat President Trump by “careening over a liberal cliff.” But the article does not cite a single poll showing that voters will rebel against progressive policies. Instead, it simply recites the dire warnings of “moderates” without giving a shred of evidence to support their fears.
The fact is that many policies dismissed as “liberal cliff” ideas by the Washington establishment are broadly popular. Recently, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew charges of extremism when they proposed much higher taxes on the rich. Then people did polls and — guess what? — both proposals did very well.
Not only are voters more supportive of progressive policies than “moderates” imagine, but as political data geeks could tell you, specific policy positions play a limited role in elections. In 1980, Ronald Reagan’s right-wing policy ideas were far out of the mainstream, but he won, because people were tired of Jimmy Carter. And if Bernie Sanders runs against Donald Trump, voters tired of Mr. Trump will make him president.
Steve Novick
Portland, Ore.
To the Editor:
As a centrist Democrat, I believe that there is only one thing that Democrats ought to prioritize in 2020, and that is the removal of Donald Trump from office. Instead, they are busily crafting and polishing their dreamy policy positions, all of which Mr. Trump will use against them to great effect, particularly in my part of the country — which has already shown a dreary susceptibility to his wretched message.
I don’t doubt that the new young Democrats are honest in their zeal to fix America’s problems, but I wish they would do less feeling and more thinking. For, to paraphrase Mark 8:36, “What doth it profit a party to gain its whole soul, only to lose Pennsylvania?”
Brian Gavin
Lakeport, Mich.
Source: Read Full Article
Home » Analysis & Comment » Opinion | Moderate Democrats’ Fears of Veering Too Far Left
Opinion | Moderate Democrats’ Fears of Veering Too Far Left
To the Editor:
“Centrist Democrats Squirm as ’20 Rivals Tilt Left” (front page, March 10) warns that some Democrats fear that they could lose their chance to defeat President Trump by “careening over a liberal cliff.” But the article does not cite a single poll showing that voters will rebel against progressive policies. Instead, it simply recites the dire warnings of “moderates” without giving a shred of evidence to support their fears.
The fact is that many policies dismissed as “liberal cliff” ideas by the Washington establishment are broadly popular. Recently, Elizabeth Warren and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew charges of extremism when they proposed much higher taxes on the rich. Then people did polls and — guess what? — both proposals did very well.
Not only are voters more supportive of progressive policies than “moderates” imagine, but as political data geeks could tell you, specific policy positions play a limited role in elections. In 1980, Ronald Reagan’s right-wing policy ideas were far out of the mainstream, but he won, because people were tired of Jimmy Carter. And if Bernie Sanders runs against Donald Trump, voters tired of Mr. Trump will make him president.
Steve Novick
Portland, Ore.
To the Editor:
As a centrist Democrat, I believe that there is only one thing that Democrats ought to prioritize in 2020, and that is the removal of Donald Trump from office. Instead, they are busily crafting and polishing their dreamy policy positions, all of which Mr. Trump will use against them to great effect, particularly in my part of the country — which has already shown a dreary susceptibility to his wretched message.
I don’t doubt that the new young Democrats are honest in their zeal to fix America’s problems, but I wish they would do less feeling and more thinking. For, to paraphrase Mark 8:36, “What doth it profit a party to gain its whole soul, only to lose Pennsylvania?”
Brian Gavin
Lakeport, Mich.
Source: Read Full Article