election demographics

[Brad DeLong]

>Brad DeLong wrote:
>
>>You have to doubt it. You would have to move pretty far left in 
>>order to pull in those 3% that are Nader voters. And in the process 
>>you lose people in the center who think they don't like Democrats 
>>who engage in "class war."
>
>Far left? Brad, you think of yourself as some kind of social 
>democrat, no? Are the ideas of more favorable labor laws, campaign 
>finance reform, a higher minimum wage, and national health insurance 
>"pretty far left"? Are they so far left they'll never win an 
>electoral constituency? If so, why not give up on soc dem politics 
>completely?
>
>Doug

A belief that the current extent of the social insurance state is 
worth defending, and that DLC types can (for the most part) be relied 
upon to do that? A belief that a high-pressure economy and a period 
of fast growth will reopen possibilities? A belief that things 
change, but until they do it is profoundly stupid to hope that the 
world is as one would wish it to be rather than as it really is?

Brad DeLong