Calitics is doing good work tracking Ellen Tauscher (including video). She's a real problem for Democrats, and should face a serious challenge. As I see groups like Third Way gaining more influence on Capitol Hill, it's becoming increasingly clear that the progressive movement is way behind in some critical infrastructure areas. At the same time, we cannot stop putting pressure on people like Tauscher, who empowers Third Way style policy people.
By the way, the President of Third Way, Jonathan Cowan, was a strong advocate of privatizing Social Security, saying that "this entire discussion is really a discussion that's at the heart of whether there's a future for the Democratic Party." Now, I don't know if the Democrats are really going to work on Social Security 'fixes' with the White House, which would be incredibly stupid. I've spoken with one high level business-friendly Democrat who really wants to modify the program in a bipartisan manner, seeing it as a matter of political bravery to do so.
It's a really really awful idea, and it's terrible politics. That said, I don't think it's completely off the table. It's the kind of stupid trick that centrist Democrats will want to run in parallel with very hard core investigations of the President as proof that they aren't one of us hippies. That's why pressure on people like Tauscher is really important.
This started off as an open thread, but it's turned into a warning about Third Way and why primaries are critical.
So to get back to the open threadiness spirit, who else should be primaried?
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