If you are a Democrat, I'm not asking you to abandon your progressive values, but you should reconsider the Democratic Party. You should either abandon it, reform it, or start a new party.
Actually, brutal, no-holds-barred tactics have been common behind the scenes in politics for some time. The difference here is the profound hypocrisy and self-righteousness of a party that argues its exclusive claim on "democracy" and virtue.
From Taibbi: "Its [No Labels] leading voices included Lieberman and former NAACP chief Ben Chavis, who together that year published “Donald Trump Must Never Again Be President” on the real No Labels site." That belies the previous sentence's assertion of the group's centrism. They have a real constituency and a right to seek political influence. But they were also very consistent in labeling Trump a threat: "[Trump] is a uniquely divisive force in our politics". Really? More divisive than Obama?
All Trump was guilty of was threatening the establishments in both parties, as well as the deep state; media, education and healthcare establishments; the permanent bureaucracy, and so on. To my mind, Trump is actually far more centrist than Lieberman. I'd like to think that Joe would have voted for Trump.
There were others (like me but more influential) involved with No Labels including some major Republican leaders and donors. In general, few wanted Trump to win and few wanted Biden to win. And I have been very impressed by No Labels' even-handedness in addressing issues and candidates, and the organization's promotion of speech and debate (not just tolerance) including some fairly strong rhetoric from me.
Actually, brutal, no-holds-barred tactics have been common behind the scenes in politics for some time. The difference here is the profound hypocrisy and self-righteousness of a party that argues its exclusive claim on "democracy" and virtue.
From Taibbi: "Its [No Labels] leading voices included Lieberman and former NAACP chief Ben Chavis, who together that year published “Donald Trump Must Never Again Be President” on the real No Labels site." That belies the previous sentence's assertion of the group's centrism. They have a real constituency and a right to seek political influence. But they were also very consistent in labeling Trump a threat: "[Trump] is a uniquely divisive force in our politics". Really? More divisive than Obama?
All Trump was guilty of was threatening the establishments in both parties, as well as the deep state; media, education and healthcare establishments; the permanent bureaucracy, and so on. To my mind, Trump is actually far more centrist than Lieberman. I'd like to think that Joe would have voted for Trump.
There were others (like me but more influential) involved with No Labels including some major Republican leaders and donors. In general, few wanted Trump to win and few wanted Biden to win. And I have been very impressed by No Labels' even-handedness in addressing issues and candidates, and the organization's promotion of speech and debate (not just tolerance) including some fairly strong rhetoric from me.