The Way Forward
Related: About this forumHow To End Democrats' Civil War
National Politics
Jun 18, 2025
David Sirota
Abundance liberals and populists can together combat scarcity but one side has to come clean.
If politics is now just a series of reality TV shows, then binge-watchers have probably seen some combative characters yelling abundance and oligarchy on the depressing new season of Democrats In Disarray.
The argument between the two sides is a new version of an old conflict about what out-of-power Democrats should identify as Americas central problems. Should the party declare that government, bureaucracy, and messy democratic institutions are the creators of scarcity and obstacles to abundance? Or should the party assert that corporate predators, billionaires, and organized money are the villains?
And will this debate fracture the Democratic coalition ahead of the midterms and the next presidential election?
It might, as Ive argued in two recent essays. But in this follow-up, Im here to suggest that it doesnt have to. Amid encouraging signs from Americas biggest mayoral election, there are potential points of agreement on the center-left.
https://www.levernews.com/how-to-end-democrats-civil-war/
Hopeful.

JustAnotherGen
(35,696 posts)There is no Civil.War.
No problems, no worries.
We have lost the Congress, Senate, and White House. We have been losing seats for quite some time.
JustAnotherGen
(35,696 posts)We lose because people who profit from making this stuff up benefit when we lose.
Sirota is a multi millionaire. He's got no problems if his *war tactic* fails.
Trump just handed Mamdani the win with his threat. Mamdani needs to have that all over social media until the polls close on election night. He's got this - if the M$M and Pundit class don't screw it up for him.
NYC just had a call to war from Trump.
Passages
(3,269 posts)you reconsider that political dynamic, it is just the tip of the iceberg.
Sirota is an investigative journalist; he writes what he sees.
Fiendish Thingy
(20,081 posts)Focus on dumping Government bureaucracy, with its building codes, labor laws and environmental and FDA regulations designed for safety and fairness,
OR
Focus on reining in late-stage capitalism, its oligarchs, billionaires, private equity predators, and tech bros - the very people who want to eliminate the regulations that safeguard citizens against waste, fraud and abuse, not to mention poisoned food, water and air, so they can maximize their profits while enjoying low taxes
Im sure the Problem Solvers caucus will come up with a compromise platform that gives the rich and powerful all they want, and in exchange, Americans get an abundance of
quickly, poorly constructed infrastructure and public works projects built with non-union labor.
Not a very tough choice for me
if it fractures the party, so be it. I hear Elon Musk is looking for a bunch of centrists for his Third Way Third Party
and then the Democratic Party can retain its long held values that protect and benefit the working families of the nation.
Passages
(3,269 posts)Climate change is the one issue that keeps me awake at night.
13 year old son of mine, what will he be living through in 20 years?
No more compromise to the right, our kids can't afford it.
JustAnotherGen
(35,696 posts)The Problem Solvers are going to be much of a thing anymore.
We are a fractured country - and the base of the Democratic Party wants blood. We are still.pragmatic - but that happens after the regime falls, their leaders appear before tribunals, and they are imprisoned.
An abundance platform comes AFTER punishment. We aren't going back to the status quo. That means,1 person, 1 vote, mandatory voting, and an expanded House and SCOTUS.
In that environment, we can have abundance.
Sirota doesn't think as revolutionary as the base needs. Same promises about rising tides lifting all boats. That's always been a load of horseshit to Black Americans.
We aren't having another 1865-1965. This time - we want our pound of flesh for 400 years of a shit sandwich in AmeriKKKa.