Why Me

Once upon at time the Dem centrist way was to promise liberal goals using conservative means. This stuff was offered up as being genuinely good ideas and the need/desirability to get Republican support. This hustle fell apart when Republicans made clear that they would oppose anything Obama supported. 8 years of "we will give you nothing." That it was a hustle on the Republican side, at least, should have been crystal clear before that. But now we know that "conservative means for liberal ends" are at best a bait-and-switch, and in the post-Ryan post-Trump era they're probably not even gonna bother with the bait part anymore.

All "moderates" can do now is get on stage and say "better things are not possible." Perhaps true, but "elect me because I will tell you the truth that your miserable lives are only get worse even as the richest country in the history of the planet continues to get richer" is not exactly inspiring. Trump promises bullshit, but at least he does that.

Amy Klobuchar has been an exception to the latter, having shown throughout the race so far a gritty determination to offer the Democratic primary electorate as little as possible. This approach hasn’t worked very well, oddly enough, and at Tuesday night’s debate, her frustration with progressives boiled over in response to Warren’s suggestion that opponents of a wealth tax want “to protect billionaires.”

“I want to give a reality check to Elizabeth,” she said huffily. “No one on this stage wants to protect billionaires. Not even [billionaire Tom Steyer] wants to protect billionaires. We have different approaches. Your idea is not the only idea.” Klobuchar then went on to argue for repealing Trump’s income and corporate tax cuts. “You add it all up, you got a lot of money that...helps pay for that child care, protects that dignity of work, makes sure we have decent retirement and makes sure that our kids can go to good schools. It is not one idea that rules here.”

The best we can do is party like it's 2016. One can argue that the Great and Glorious Empire under Benevolent Dictator Obama I would have been truly a wondrous thing, but it's a bit weird to argue that the best we can do is what was left at the end of Obama with 6 years of Republicans controlling the House and the magical filibuster/McConnell controlling the Senate. Roll back the Trump era! Truly inspiring.