Open Left

As usual, you misrepresent what third parties accomplish.

2) Vigorously support 3rd parties, especially in close races, so that the Repubs will win, and this will "teach Dems a lesson" - I think this is counterproductive, and is the second worst thing we can do (the worst thing being an actual vote for a Repub.)

The goal is not so Republicans win.  It's to get recalcitrant Democrats to run leftward and stay there.  What incentive have you got to give right-wing Democrats in changing their behavior in office if you never dare vote against them for fear of the other side winning?  There has GOT to be the risk of losing to the GOP, or else you won't make significant change in the Democratic party makeup.

4) Reform the Dems from within. Primary the DINO's, and give most (or all) support to prog. Dems, and little or none to moderates - Bingo. This is the winning strategy.

No, that's only half of it.  Suppose your primary opponent of choice loses, as Ned Lamont and Ed Fallon did?  By your reasoning, we should then do as we did with Obama and shut up and throw our support behind him, because we just KNOW the other party is so much worse...oh, wait a minute, hasn't the Democratic Party at large spent the better part of three years proving it isn't?  The last time I checked, it has.

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by: Michael Kwiatkowski @ Thu Jul 02, 2009 at 14:42:02 PM CDT