Howdy, Issue-Left folks! Over the past few months we've heard that you all are starting to get angry that we are not moving fast enough, or at all on some of the issues that you care so deeply about. We could give you a nice thoughtful and bullshit reason why we aren't moving so fast on each one of those issues, but we won't bullshit you. We don't all share them views on issues, and in the end we need to get elected to govern.
Moderates Win Elections
Since 2006 we have elected many democrats to political office. Some liberal, some conservative, but the majority were moderate and didn't hold all the of the views you did. You all knew this going into the voting booth. Yet you still voted for them anyway, because they were not republicans. Now after the Democratic party controls both houses of Congress and the White House, you on the Issue-Left appear to have forgotten who you worked so hard to get into office.
We got elected into office because not only did we have wonderful, hardworking people like you on the frontlines, but we also had cross party appeal. That appeal was due to some of our moderate stances on the same issues you support so very much. Did you think that we were lying about our stances to get the other-sides votes?
We do care about your issues and will listen to you. Which is more then we can say about the other side. However this means we will not always see eye to eye on every issue, but then if we did we would not be able to get elected in all the places that we did. Politics, like sports, is local after all.
Did you Even Read the Lit?
We in the Center Left are somewhat confused. We thought you worked and voted for us because of the total person, not just an issue. We had good reason to think that way. Many members of the GLBT community worked for Barack Obama even though he said he was against gay marriage. As did members of the anti-war movement even though Mr. Obama said Afganistan would be where he sent troops next. Planned Parenthood supporters put up yard signs for Senators Tester and Casey, even though they weren't pro-choice. The list is endless.
We know you guys got us elected to offices we now hold, but that does not mean we are going to agree with everything you say now that we are in office. And frankly it scares the hell out of us that you now claim after five months you no longer support us because of one issue or another. We can not change everything overnight, and if you think we can then you've never been in government or public service.
In the end, we will fight for the issues that our base wants, but not every elected democrat will support every issue on the left. Because we are not just the Left, we are the Center Left