I think one fundamental issue I have with a lot of what I would consider fellow members of the left coalition is that - and I know this phrase got made political by Nazis, but they stole it from anime - I kind of agree it's often useful not to "show your power level"

Like, as a politician. Most folks I know on the left scoff at the idea that a centrist Democrat could say things about reform or whatever and then actually implement much more left wing policies, but the GOP did this until at least 2008, and they're winning overall

Like,why are we believing slogans politicians say and promises they make instead of listening to signals they send to their base through intermediaries or targeted messaging it's harder for the other side to see or understand, when that's how the GOP got to be able to not do that

A right wing populist agenda has never been popular. Hardcore Southern evangelions and Chicago school libertarians and the like spent DECADES, at least two, being fine with this bc they were signaled their agenda was being executed quietly, and they were correct

But left Dems in my lifetime have never been willing to accept that politicians on their side lie or omit to win, and even when something like Obama's flip on same sex marriage happens they mock it instead of recognizing it may have helped win

I don't think we should pick our politicians based on an uncritical evaluation of their platforms, and I also think we should recognize we're not in the side with structural power so we have to play dirtier to win. It worked for the enemy.

Palpatine didn't become Emperor on publicly backing Sith4All, and we didn't get to the point where we can credibly compare our President to Sh*tty Palpatine by his antecedents running on what they intended to do either