Election 2006 & America's Populist Center by David Sirota

[Douglas Carpenter]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/david-sirota/election-2006-americas_4844.html
{http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/david-sirota/election-2006-americas_4844.html}

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Election 2006 & America's Populist Center by David Sirota

I have often argued that the terms "centrism" or "moderate" as used
inside the Washington Beltway are misnomers. These terms are used to
describe politicians who, while mainstream on social issues like
abortion, are far to the right of America on core economic issues.
The media and the moneyed interests, of course, loves to tell us that
this version of "centrism" is an effective way to win elections. They
also like to make anyone who doesn't subscribe to this faux version
of centrism is some sort of leftist extremist. Both claims are
deliberate lies.

Whenever anyone goes after groups like the Democratic Leadership
Council (DLC) for pushing corporate conservative policies far outside
of the mainstream of American public opinion, the response is "you are
wrongly urging Democrats to move farther to the LEFT." That is exactly
what the economic powers that be want you to think. They want
Americans to see the world as "left" vs. "right" instead of what
really drives American politics: Big Money vs. The Rest of Us.

The fact is, economic populism is neither left nor right - it is, in
fact, what centrism REALLY is in America, if centrism means being in
the mainstream of American public opinion. That populist center - not
some co-option of corporate conservatism - is what allows politicians
who employ it to bridge the manufactured partisan divide and win
elections. In fact, doing the opposite and trying to out-Republican
Republicans not only undermines the Democratic Party, but has proven
to be a surefire way to lose elections.

If you don't believe me, read this article linked below from the
American Prospect that goes over very real examples of this. Or,
better yet, read the new cover story in the Nation magazine
(attached) about Vermont's Independent Congressman Bernie Sanders,
who is running for the U.S. Senate in 2006. As the story notes,
Sanders has used a willingness to stand up for ordinary Americans'
economic rights to win both liberals and culturally conservative,
rural white working class voters - the very voters the Democratic
Party has lost in its increasing embrace of DLC-style corporate
conservatism. The article is a fascinating read that shows exactly
why Sanders' success in 2006 is so important, and how Democrats must
change course in order to start winning elections again - especially
when you consider polls that show Americans are waiting for Democrats
to finally go after the Republicans for the GOP's corporate cronyism.

How does Sanders do it? By focusing on kitchen table pocketbook
issues - and being willing to honestly assess how Washington, D.C.
has become a city dominated by a legalized bribery that gets our
government to help powerful interests economically squeeze the middle
class. For his candor, he is rewarded with support from all across the
political spectrum. As one Vermonter was quoted as saying, "I used to
be a diehard Republican. Now, I'm a diehard for Bernie." Exactly -
and if more Democrats would follow Sanders' model, they would be
hearing that about themselves in their own states.
Oh sure, critics will scream that Sanders is a - gasp! - socialist.
But notice, they have trouble actually criticizing any economic
policy that Sanders advocates because they know those populist
policies are the moderate/mainstream/centrist positions in America's
heartland (even if the elitists in Washington, D.C. want you to think
their brand of corporate conservatism is "centrist").

Sanders is sure to face serious opposition from the GOP in his race.
Already a multimillionaire Bentley-driving corporate executive has
threatened to run and spend at least $5 million of his own money to
buy the seat for the GOP. And because Sanders refuses to take
corporate PAC money, he is going to need all of our small donations
to help him keep this seat out of the hands of George W. Bush and the
Republican Party. With solid funding, Sanders can capitalize on what
he has spent so long building up: credibility with voters that he
earned by speaking truth to economic power. If more Democrats
followed that model, Democrats might be in the majority right now.
Sources: How the term "centrism" has been butchered in Washington,
D.C.: http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050103&c=1&s=sirota
{http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20050103&c=1&s=sirota} D.C.'s
self-described "centrists" push policies far outside the mainstream:
http://www.workingforchange.com/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=53A402B3-BF3A-DC0C-98BEE51AC3AC76DB
{http://www.workingforchange.com/blog/index.cfm?mode=entry&entry=53A402B3-BF3A-DC0C-98BEE51AC3AC76DB}
It's not "left" vs. "right", it's Big Money vs. The Rest of Us:
http://thinkprogress.org/2005/05/26/how-congress-really-works/
{http://thinkprogress.org/2005/05/26/how-congress-really-works/}
American Prospect article on the electoral success of economic
populists:
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=8917
{http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=8917}
How D.C.'s faux "centrism" (aka. corporate conservatism) loses
elections: http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/28/183018/505
{http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/28/183018/505} Polls show Americans
want Democrats to draw the economic contrast with the GOP:
http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/28/131215/971
{http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/28/131215/971} Sanders' GOP
opponent to spend $5 million to buy the Senate seat:
http://www.dwinellpoliticalreport.com/dpr_04_28_05.shtml
{http://www.dwinellpoliticalreport.com/dpr_04_28_05.shtml}

_______________________________________________________


A True Voice of Opposition
--A Voice for Working People
--Not the Elite--
http://www.bernie.org/issues.asp

Who is Congressman Bernie Sanders?

Read this article and watch the short video clips:

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/04/who-is-bernie-sanders.html

[Talismom]

1. This is a great and very important post! Nominated! n/t

[pstans]

2. Must read article, nominated

This article really focuses in on the battle we are fighting. The Republicans want us to be thinking "Left vs Right". That cuts the nation in thirds (1/3 Dem, 1/3 Repub, 1/3 independent/moderate/centrists/etc). We need to be thinking "Big Money vs. The Rest of Us." That divides the nation lke 10% Big Money and 90% the rest of us. Those are much better chances for us to win.

[ochazuke]

3. Centrist: in the center (half-way between what's right and

fascism.

)