Concern trolls worry as Democrats increasingly embrace popular progressive policies

It’s clear that the energy in the Democratic Party is with progressive policies and candidates … so of course the media is working hard to push a “But are they going too far? Conservative Democrats are worried” narrative. The Democrats running for president are embracing Medicare for all and the fight against climate change, but hey, the Washington Postcan still get a quote from Sen. Joe Manchin or a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, so Democrats must be divided.

“We won the House through the middle,” according to “Problem Solver” Rep. Josh Gottheimer, so “Our party has to be open and recognize that. And if we don’t and insist that everyone takes a hard line view on everything, (a) I don’t think that’s going to attract votes in the next election, and (b) it puts our majority at risk.”

Buddy. Taxing the rich is enormously popular, both in general terms and when the question is specifically about Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s wealth tax. A pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants is also extremely popular—but a border wall is extremely unpopular. A majority of Americans understand that climate change is real, and a threat, and the Green New Deal has done very well in some polls, with especially strong support among young people.

Studies have shown that politicians believe that voters are more conservative than they really are. We can’t let conservative Democrats and a media that loves “Democrats divided” stories cover over the reality that progressive economic policies, gun reform policies, climate policies are extremely popular.