Reading the diaries this week-end the left [myself included] is frustrated, there is nothing new about this nor is anything dangerous going to occur to the Democratic Party from our vexation.
We have been called purists and whiners I suppose that could be justified in part; then again if there is no counterweight to the incessant march to the middle we end up with a continuous rightward shift. The Tea Party is dragging the Republican party dangerously right where birtherism is almost becoming a badge of honor. Now the only logical explanation for birtherism in the first place is the fact that the President is the first person of color to hold the position, so racism has become a litmus test for conservative politicians in a round about fashion. This has created an understandably defensive stance from the President's supporters so that any criticism no matter from what side of the aisle is tinged by racial prejudices.
Now the left are not swing voters that have to be courted we generally accept the reality of the day when we enter the voting booth. This is part of the problem as our votes are taken for granted, we may stop actively promoting candidates but we will in the end vote for anything but a Republican. There is no other viable choice, so we are locked into voting one way and we tend to be reliable voters.
Our complaints are hardly likely to topple empires [or even be listened to], or to cause concern in our own party since we can safely be ignored. This however gives us room [an echo chamber] to state our views and argue our case with relative freedom but this causes a great deal of frustration along the way.
I suppose we could just shut up [and it is tempting to do so] and let the politics/politicians take care of themselves and move further to the right with each passing election; as they have been doing for decades anyway.
Quite frankly it seems inevitable that the country will swing a long way right in the coming years and the consequences of such a shift on the economy, infrastructure, education, health care, women's rights and immigration will become apparent. Perhaps when this cycle is completed we will once again see the value of a less individualistic approach to our politics and once again start working for the society as a whole. The forces aligned against such a shift left are immense and without balancing powers such as unions it is pretty much a lost cause. We seem to be accepting that avoiding the worst is the best we can do; not much to get excited about there I'm afraid.
I suppose it is a waiting game and we will see the consequences of increasing economic disparity in the coming years, perhaps the left will be there to write a New New Deal and create a New Great Society...or perhaps not.
One thing I will say to the "pragmatists" is when you lose sight of your ideals then compromise becomes meaningless, and don't worry about us on the left; nobody listens anyway.
We seem committed to austerity and avoiding only the most vile consequences demanded by the right.
Lowering taxes coupled with austerity now there is a novel program; a bit like cutting our noses off to spite our faces...
I might have chosen a different path.... but who cares?