Surely, to ignore humane social values related to gender, drug policy, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, etc. is a death-trip for the party; however, to ignore income inequality (which is highly correlated with some of the above variables) may be equally suicidal in 2014 and 2016. Progressivism must shape itself around this entire range of potentially explosive issues.

How does giving ex-felons their voting rights back expand the franchise? Tom Delay isn't a Democrat.


Sounds like a bunch of Third Way crap blended by right-wing sabateurs.

how giving ex-felons their voting rights back expands the franchise, is why non-white members of the coalition that elected this President and have been stalwart supporters of the Democratic Party, have little faith that you view us as anything more than fodder to accomplishing your ends, with little concern for interests that do not benefit you directly.

Hint: look up the racial disparities in the criminal justice system.

Absolutely no connection, whatsoever!

"Hey Black folks ... Let's get together and fight income inequity. I'm not rich, you're not rich, we're both getting f@cked!"

"Okay, but you realize that your not being rich is structural and my not being rich is both structural and institutional, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah ... we solve the structural problem because that's the bigger issue. We'll deal with the institutional problem later ... I promise."

so very sorry. Some will never get it.

That poster has not responded back.

Is a "Oops, I really screwed up ... You're tight" really that difficult an admission?

followed by two predictable responses.

The coalition that elected this President (and have historically been stalwart supporters of the Democratic Party) have interests beyond those of white males. While our interests intersect at the income inequity issue, they diverge after that.

As I have said before: our helping you accomplish your ends, still leaves us wanting. And history gives us plenty of reason to believe that once we help you accomplish your ends, you will jettison us ... as the status quo, with respect to race/gender/sexual orientation relationships, hasn't changed ... we just have a different white guy to deal with.

bother to read or understand.

and of course, you are right, there should be no "Our" or "you", indicating separateness. But we are not there yet.

It's painfully true.

I thank you for your comments, I fear for them too.

That comment reminded me of how that white bully cop mistreated Henry Louis Gates --*in his own home!*

And of course the cops were called in the first place because a white neighbor automatically *assumed* that the black man must be trying to break into that nice house.

But some stuff needs to be said. And, as the piece said ... coalitions ain't about kumbaya(sp?)

I have to go to work in a few hours, so please continue!

So, the Party needs to do a MUCH BETTER job of keeping connected to the non 1 percenters. Even though, I realize, the 1 percenters have all the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

President Obama has not discarded the voters that put him in office. Perhaps you are on the wrong site. May I suggest you visit Unicorns-R-Us.com AKA the paulite site?

That's crap and you know it!

The geography of the Senate races we have to win this year does not permit it.

Booker has to run again. Truthfully it's a lost cause in the NJ 7th - but even though Leonard Lance (R) eventually caved last fall - he didn't do America any favors by holding us hostage first. So I'm voting come November.