Something that I haven't heard much discussion about yet...
When we're discussing how to best affect change in the Democratic Party and national leadership, I think we have been forgetting something extremely important: alternatives to the two-party system, and voting systems that provide true choice, rather than simply a choice between two people.
Right now, even if we could get a truly liberal candidate elected in the primaries (say Senator Sanders), voters would still only be provided with two choices: him, and whatever lunatic the Republican party decides to throw out. We need to remember that we not only need to change the direction our party is heading, but that we also need to create long-lasting change in our electoral system. If we can't remember that, then in 10 years from now, 20 years, 30 years, we will eventually find ourselves in the same position as we do now.
The electoral process is critically flawed: even if we manage to get progressive candidates on the ballot this year and next and the year after, we won't be able to hold onto that forever. I don't think that's an unreasonable assumption; voters cycle back and forth between more and less liberal/conservative positions constantly. Knowing that, we need to set up the system so that it enables us to bring the party back on track in the future as it inevitably strays.
In order to do this, I propose that we make changing our current electoral system one of our top priorities once we can get strong liberals back into office again. Obviously, our current priority is to reform the Democratic Party and change the narrative that is currently being pushed by the right-wing media and corporatist Democrats. However, if we can accomplish that, we must immediately begin pushing for change to the current system, or I think we will lose everything we gain within a decade or two. The money allied against true liberalism in our government is only getting stronger, and we must cement our advances as quickly as possible.
To that end, I think that instant runoff voting should be added to our platform (or our compendium of stands and beliefs, whatever we decide to call it). It is the only long-term solution that I have heard of that I think would be effective in combating rightwards drift and the eventual recreation of two national corporate parties. Though right now we must focus on the Democratic Party, eventually we need to encourage the total dismantling of the two-party system. In my opinion, the two-party system is second only to the vast amount of money in top tier government as a threat to a true democracy.
The two-party system ran its course long ago; its disastrous effects have limited us to the "lesser of two evils" voting scheme that has plagued us for the last few decades. Though I am not advocating for third parties currently, they are necessary for true choice, and not just the illusion of such. If I cannot vote for a Socialist candidate without worrying about ceding the country to a Republican candidate, then I am no longer given a choice, and choice will be what enables true liberalism to flourish. The lack of choice is what has forced our hand and elected corporatists in past elections; let's not let that happen again.
Apologies for the rambling nature of my post--I'm busy trying to remain awake at work, and after little sleep last night, I don't think that I've made my point quite as clearly as I meant to.
On edit: I forgot to mention this, but I might support a constitutional amendment that set into place a national voting process that states must follow--one that specifically provides protections for third parties through instant-runoff voting or something similar (though with luck, they would not be considered such in the future). I'm not sure that would be possible or even a good idea--just a thought.
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