A real liberal can't be elected to anything other than the House (and the senate in very blue states) for the next 8-16 years since the large majority of voters at this time want both low taxes and a strong government safety net.
That doesn't make sense because you can't have both, but, that's what voters want.
If it was 2008 again and there was a fiscal collapse under the Republicans watch some one like Warren might be able to squeak out a victory. Right now with a mediocre economic recovery under the Democrats watch she wouldn't stand a chance.
Hillary, or someone like her, is the best candidate at this time. Will that hold through 2016? I don't know.
There is no point in your team winning an election if they're not progressive towards your ideas. Honestly I do not know what people think they are going to get out of Hilary, I'm really curious if anyone can answer. They keep mentioning the supreme court and she is going to put right wing people replacements on there too. What exactly are the positives of a Hilary presidency if you're a liberal? I honestly don't know. Hilary is a right wing politician that would move further right than Obama has on everything.
This isn't me being pessimistic or whatever, it's just simply the facts based on both her words and actions. You can defend being for lesser of two evils only if it's actually going to bring improvements, there will not be, unless you want a right wing agenda.
A leftist populist appeal can and will work for any politician willing to go there, as it did in NYC (deblasio has been selling out of late but that's another issue). Channel the dissatisfaction people justifiably have towards towards a system that does nothing for working people into a genuine alternative plan. The only thing stopping them is faux liberals scared of their own shadow.
You sound a bit too salty. I think you're really overstating how much liberals like Clinton. I know a few moderate Dem voters who really like her, but for the most part, liberals are not fans of Clinton in my experience. Pretty much every liberal I know wants to vote for anyone but her in the primary, but agree that we'll all probably hold our noses and vote for her in the general if it comes to that.
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I guarantee you if Warren or Sanders was running there would be a sizable amount, maybe the majority, (more so if Sanders because he's old/white), who would say nominate Hilary instead because she has a higher chance of winning. I'm not objecting to hilary vs random repub in final election I'm objecting to choosing her over Warren or Sanders during the nomination process based on name recognition or gender politics rather than principles.
No independent can win at the federal level obviously liberals will have to support the democrat so pick the democrat that's most close to progressive values, and these values do have the backing of the general public.