"Is The Democratic Party Becoming More Like The GOP?"

[_Res Ipsa]

Sounds like a corollary of Gresham's Law for politics.

[_Jesse Jackson Jr]

That is a line used to justify purging people insufficiently loyal to Trump, but I do think you know better.

I know Jim Comey leaked information to damage the Trump administration by his own admission.

If it's not Obama holdover appointees or Democrat civil servants, who is doing the leaking?

[_EAllusion]

Sharing a non-classified, private memo you wrote with the press to contradict lies being put out by the admin and thwart obvious attempts at obstucting investigation isn't "leaking." It's legal and adviseable to do that.

And Comey was a lifelong Republican who had inadvertently thrown the presidential election to Trump through a very poor decision. It's officially the reason he was fired, even though nobody believes that.

[_Res Ipsa]

One of the hardest parts of this is that most of people that will reasonably discuss it are probably not the ones at the root of the issue. Case in point, I seem to recall you stating you were quite left of center RI but you are also a thoughtful well reasoned individual that can see a good argument/solution when it is presented. I'm finding that characteristic to be less common and it leads to this sort of partisan divide that I think breeds extremism.

Well, thanks. I say I'm quite left of center because I have zero confidence in the ability of unregulated capitalism to produce a just society. After watching how capitalists exercise control over all parts of our government, I'm becoming much less confident in the ability of regulated capitalism to produce a just society. I'm increasingly persuaded by Marx's critique of capitalism. I look at the outcomes of European socialist countries, and think they may have a better approach.

At the same time, I think I'm a pragmatist. I don't believe in a revolution to overthrow the government. in my opinion, that tactic has a poor track record in getting to a just society. So I accept the reality of where I'm starting from, and look for practical ways to try and make things better. I guess that makes me one of those incrementalists that my fellow lefties love to hate.

I was talking with a liberal friend last night who has joined the Centrist party. Never heard of it before, but I plan to read up on it. It led me to invent the quark theory of politics: what happens when you pull quarks too far apart? Actually, i'm sure I stole that from somewhere -- just don't recall where.

[_Xenophon]

EA, thanks for clarifying, I do think we were closer than I originally pictured. The troubling part is in figuring out how Democrats can walk what is arguably a pretty fine line. How do they use parliamentary procedure to their advantage without breaking the system? How do they counter some of the wrongs without running too far the other way (mainly with gerrymandering)? It is not a task I envy anyone.

Sounds like a corollary of Gresham's Law for politics

And I thought Popkin's application of Gresham was troubling enough..

[_EAllusion]

If Democrats take the Senate this year and *don't* set about killing every single judicial appointment from Trump to prove how conciliatory and bipartisan they are, you might as well burn the party to the ground. There's no point in them being a political party if the can't act to protect political interests like that.

This is a good for the goose good for the gander situation if there ever was one. Democrats have to use their power to freeze judicial nominations when they have it. I'm near certain right-wing media will make it into a controversy in a way Democrats failed to under Obama, but they have to weather that storm. Progressives would be right to primary every last Senator who doesn't go along.

[_Some Schmo]

It is a tough question, Xen, (should Democrats fight dirtier) and my answer changes ever half hour or so.

But in the long run, I just don't see how we combat the growing destruction of the American political system without Democrats getting in the mud. It clearly works for a great number of people (both pols and voters). The question is will it work on those who lean left.

I've started looking at it like the core of the current GOP has cancer, and unless the Democrats act like chemo, the disease will only get worse. So yeah, we'll destroy some of the healthy cells, but the cancer's got to go. It's the only way we'll preserve the spirit of the American Constitution rather than turning into a cancer ridden zombie of our former selves (we're well on our way - there are already several citizens seemingly intent on chewing brains).

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Organizations for educating and problem solving without resorting to the old identity-based coalitions.

It will not work by the sea,

It will not work in a tree,

It will not work in the rain,

It will not work on the plain,

I do not like your communist sparks,

I do not like them Mr. Marx!

- Doc