@janbb: “I like to “keep my eye on the prize” and be a pragmatist rather than stand on the sidelines throwing bricks at my close neighbors.”
Then we’re in agreement.
But keep in mind that while the left punches right, while the “center” punches left and right. That means that we are often the target of a group of people (who we believe are directly responsible for Trump, among other things) who appear to do more punching left than right. And there are calls from everywhere to unite. Yet, all concessions are to be made by those left of center, with the same old problematic solutions being trotted out.
I mean, we can’t unite if the Democrats trot out some monster like Joe Biden.
Anyway, I don’t see the resolution, because the Democratic party is to the right of the general public, so there are many who still see 3rd parties or staying home as a reasonable option. “Pragmatism” can’t possibly be applied to the HRC scenario, because it was the most far-fetched, unpragmatic fantasy of a way to get a Democrat in the white house. And it possibly destroyed what was left of the Democratic party in the process. If they (Democrats) don’t get their act together, they will be rightly seen as irrelevant.
Something to consider: one of the big problems facing the Dems is the fact that most people can’t even articulate what the Democratic party even stands for. If the Democrats can’t even make the case for their relevancy, nobody is going to make it for them. “Not Trump” is not enough. And being hostile to the Democratic voters and the resulting #DemExit isn’t going to go down well with the younger (under 45 and especially under 30 crowd), who feel completely wronged by the Democrats.
Note: I really do hope we can all get on the same page and create a new direction for the Democratic party so that there is a reason for people to vote.