Replies

1. for the last 20 years the new democrats has scuffled with the leftist democrats over the direction of the democrat party.

2. these new democrats are the moderates of the party and provided the support for bill clinton and al gore in 1992 and 1996. they worked thru' the dlc = democrat leadership council.

3. but now with the 2004 presidential elections coming up this coalition has fallen apart.

4. now the dlc is under a blistering attack from the left by the two most liberal 2004 candidates--rep. richard gephardt and gov. howard dean. the latter accuses the dlc of blurring the differences between dems and pubs.

5. some of clinton's ideas such as reforming welfare and a tough crime stance have become dem party consensus. but other clinton agreements are under attack: particulary the importance of balancing the budget.

6. with dean and others arguing for the party to sharpen its differences with the republicans, others are worried that swing voters will be alienated. the leftist position is devisive and doesn't help getting money or the white house.

7. meanwhile, the dlc was founded by al from and a group of mostly southern and western dems after mondale lost to reagan in 1984. from the start, the dlc was to move the democrat party to the center.

8. the dlc hit its stride after the dems lost the 1988 race.

9. the progressive policy inst is the dlc's think tank. al from convinced bill clinton to serve as chairman.

10. jesse jackson objected, saying that the dems had abandoned the po', and that dems were for the leisure class.

11. the conflict between the democrat left and the moderate dlc was never resolved.

12. in 2000, dlc members privately fumed that gore had moved back to the left.

13. dean's recent memos have inflamed the party.

14. some dlc members are backing john f. kerry and john edwards.

that's 'bout the jist of things.