The DLC is dead, and it's not because they're a centrist entity

After reading the Time article and Kos's post, I'm glad to see the NDN come out as a centrist group with balls. The reason why so many hate the DLC is not because they are centrist, but because they don't excite/stimulate the party's grassroots. The reason why the '94 election was lost was because we were outgunned by Limbaugh and his cronies of GOP grassroots, while the sedentary DLC did little. It was only in 2002 and 2003 with the rise of groups like MoveOn, DU, and the Blogosphere, that the left became politically potent again, as the DLC allowed the rise of hate radio, the Freepers, and Drudge to take during the '90s. Despite all of this, during this time, the centrist message began to find, and still enjoys success in the party (for example, if you support Kerry's healthcare plan, or still support keeping NAFTA in place besides making major reforms to it, or if you support the death penalty, many Liberal Democrats share these three positions).

2002 was the death knell for a purely DLC-controlled party, because they allowed *'s agenda to be the convention wisdom, and didn't bother resetting the playing field. The DLC is a purely REACTIVE group, and have been ever since they REACTED to the electoral success of Reagan with their founding. Instead of being proactive, you would hear from Reed, Lieberman, or From "we can't push for modifying the tax cuts, it's just risky big govt. liberalism" or "we can't voice opposition to the war in Iraq (never mind that * was ignoring our genuine threats) because mainstream America supports it, therefore we must as well". This fear of doing anything or saying anything risky is what cost us in 2002, NOT because we pursued a "centrist" message, but because we let our grassroots wither on the grapevine, and never offered anything new and exciting in our ideas.

To me, the NDN represents the wave of the future. Simon Rosenberg is a moderate, and we need him as much as we need Dean and Kucinich. Without a centrist wing, how the hell could we be a viable party? Well we can be a party with a message, and still have a centrist wing, one that wants to embrace the liberal netroots then shun them. One that will not poke fun at DK for being a peace Democrat. The NDN is not the stale, overly-pragmatic entity that the DLC is, but rather one that looks beyond simply winning elections.

I have a problem with the wing taking over the party, though, yes. Which is what the DLC did. Which is why they are loathed by so many.

Make your bed, lie in it. Not too hard to comprehend, is it?

I do agree with the main one, which is that the DLC's power is long past it's high point. I find it ironic how so many "progressives", who's title of identification would lead one to think that they are mainly concerned with the future, are so obsessive about an organizations who's power is in the past.

?

Are there issues that makes him and the NDN centrist?