For the last 40 years, since the dawn of the Reagan era, progressives have been demonized by Republicans, Democrats and the media. They have been blamed for every electoral setback and for the loss of a key constituency, the white working class.
As usual with the party, there is a persistent refusal to admit that promises are made to the electorate by Democrats and are rarely if ever fulfilled. The minimum wage is a case in point. Although progressives started the fight for $15, most party leaders signed on and it sounded like the party was on board with the policy. Somehow, Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema did not get the memo and so another promise goes unfulfilled.
Voting rights may be the hill the Democratic party will die on. Unless the filibuster rule in the Senate is altered to allow a simple majority vote to pass the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, Republicans will implement rules at the state level which will enable minority rule for years if not decades. If Senate Democrats fail to act, the blame game will start and progressives know who will be portrayed as saboteurs.
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