How the British Elections last week are instructive to us?

What are some helpful lessons for Democrats and Progressives from last week's British Elections that saw the electoral fortunes of the Conservative Party under Theresa May head in a downward trajectory?

1) There is a great appetite for progressive change as parts of the Labor Party's Manifesto found wide support. At least they were not the party that wanted to charge senior citizens more money if they fell into dementia.

2)  With a different more centrist party leader, Labor may well have won the election. It has to be remembered that while Labor made great gains and Conservatives lost considerable ground, it is still the Conservatives that look the strongest to forming a government. A centrist progressive in the form of a Tony Blair probably would have taken this election.

We need to learn this lesson here. Bernie Sanders is an impressive figure who has shifted the debate in the Democratic Party to the left. However, he may not be the person to take the Democrats to the promised land. Democrats need to build supermajorities across the country in order to bring about the progressive wave of change this country needs in some areas. However, to do that, a 50 state strategy like one the Democrats adopted in 2006 and 2008 is in order. To be successful, the Sanders brand of progressivism may not be enough in some areas of the country. A more moderate centrist brand may be needed that can blend with the best ideas of the Sanders Movement in order to build super majorities that can withstand perennial Republican obstructionism that manifested itself during the Clinton and Obama Administrations. It is this direction Progressive Activists need to move in order to move the country forward.



https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/08/opinion/the-democratic-party-is-in-worse-shape-than-you-thought.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=opinion-c-col-right-region&region=opinion-c-col-right-region&WT.nav=opinion-c-col-right-region&_r=0

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/6/9/15766300/uk-election-results-who-won

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/09/election-results-2017-theresa-may-clings-power-needs-support/

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/11/us/democrats-midterm-elections.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news