, 7 tweets, 2 min read Read on Twitter
The thought that this provokes is: Nah
The question isn’t whether there is a “progressive majority,” because demographics and polls both show this to exist (albeit not in a continuum across all issues). It’s whether that majority can be motivated to come out at scale, despite massive vote suppression by GOP machines.
This kind of ideation pushes the idea that Democrats can only run and win with moderates, while Republicans run more and more extreme and partisan candidates. It is, in and of itself, amazingly regressive.
OK @mikiebarb, I looked at the CNN poll @jonathanchait used to support his analysis and there’s at least one misleading element: It’s a poll of Dems & *Dem-leaning independents,* who in the data skew conservative. When you look at Dems alone you see this.
From a 49-41 swing of “too liberal”/“not liberal enough” we suddenly see a 45-46 reverse majority. That’s within the margin of error, but it no longer supports the claims Chait makes.
But the bigger question is: Who’s going to vote in the general? You could argue people motivated by defeating Trump will vote against Trump. There’s precious little enthusiasm for Biden or any centrist. There‘s plenty for Warren and Sanders. That could make all the difference.
(You can also argue that the Dems need Independents to win. That’s a slightly different argument from the one Chait is making, however.)
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