Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

edhopper

(36,355 posts)
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 12:09 PM Jul 6

A Democrat and Republican are standing on the beach

The Republican starts walking to the right, he walks very far to the right. The Democrat stands where he was always standing.
A voter comes along and says to the Democrat. "Why don't you walk closer to the Republican so you can be more in the middle."

24 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
A Democrat and Republican are standing on the beach (Original Post) edhopper Jul 6 OP
Nailed it! wordstroken Jul 6 #1
Bullseye! democrank Jul 6 #2
Correct. brush Jul 6 #3
That's where we are Bettie Jul 6 #4
Is it a voter or a reporter? GopherGal Jul 6 #5
A reporter works better. And it doesn't mean just a Fox News one either. Gimpyknee Jul 6 #6
Agree. GopherGal Jul 6 #15
the pundits orchidlady Jul 6 #19
Then they all three died instantly because of the sea rise. Layzeebeaver Jul 6 #7
And then the Democrat does it. nilram Jul 6 #8
Meanwhile, hundreds of people are watching.. Permanut Jul 6 #9
Hear Hear! OldBaldy1701E Jul 7 #22
" Cause I don't want to think like a cockroach" chouchou Jul 6 #10
Watched 1776 again on Friday SleeplessinSoCal Jul 6 #11
Now all I wanna see... mwooldri Jul 6 #12
A voter comes along and says to the Democrat, "Why didn't you stop the Republican from walking so betsuni Jul 6 #13
The Democrat listens to the right thinkers and accepts "the third way" as a solution LiberalLovinLug Jul 6 #14
So true edhopper Jul 6 #16
And too many Democrats since Carter have fallen for it Warpy Jul 6 #17
"Because being 'in the middle' was a major factor in what led to this situation." (n/t) OldBaldy1701E Jul 6 #18
It wasn't a "voter", it was a member of the 'main-stream media' !!!! Jack Valentino Jul 6 #20
I'm walking where I've always walked and they call me radical. rickyhall Jul 6 #21
The Logical Song by Supertramp is relevant today LiberalLovinLug Jul 9 #24
Good one! Joinfortmill Jul 7 #23

Bettie

(18,596 posts)
4. That's where we are
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 12:17 PM
Jul 6

and then a crowd of Republicans and Democrats forms....the Republicans move even farther than the first guy and most of the Dems follow, but don't go quite as far. The Democrats still hanging out where they stared are now "too far to the Left", even though they never moved.

GopherGal

(2,534 posts)
5. Is it a voter or a reporter?
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 01:31 PM
Jul 6

Possibly a voter who has get getting his news solely from Faux News for the last decade.

GopherGal

(2,534 posts)
15. Agree.
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 04:54 PM
Jul 6

The indoctrination by Faux was my proposed explanation for why a voter might behave in such a way.

I almost phrased it as being a CNN or M$M reporter in memory of the M$M harranging Kamala to do a sit-down interview last summer.

orchidlady

(23 posts)
19. the pundits
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 09:24 PM
Jul 6

imho, they're the ones who should be targeted here.
reporters are most often behind the scenes beating the shoe leather to the pavement; to my eyes it's the pundits whose mugs are on the tv screen while the reporters rarely get the credit they deserve. moreover, it's the pundits who've been nagging dems for over two decades to do that "right shot" that has pushed the overton window into maga and Q territory.

Permanut

(7,336 posts)
9. Meanwhile, hundreds of people are watching..
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 02:48 PM
Jul 6

from the parking area. One of those observers comments to another "Look, those two people on the beach are standing exactly the same distance from the water. They're both older white males, about the same height, walk at the same pace and are similarly dressed. They look exactly the same to me".

SleeplessinSoCal

(10,197 posts)
11. Watched 1776 again on Friday
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 03:07 PM
Jul 6

The Cool, Cool Considerate Men with the refrain "to the right, ever to the right, never to the left, forever to the right" hit me hard in 1971 when I first saw it. Today it just validates our politics, lockstep and all.

The congressional custodian asks at the end of it "How would you like to try to borrow a dollar from one of them?"

This was written around 1969.

Such great theater.

mwooldri

(10,663 posts)
12. Now all I wanna see...
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 03:29 PM
Jul 6

is a Democratic Socialist come up to the voter and say "listen here you little shit..." Cos that person would be me, wanting to beat some sense into that voter, ask them why they ain't been paying any attention.

betsuni

(28,109 posts)
13. A voter comes along and says to the Democrat, "Why didn't you stop the Republican from walking so
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 04:07 PM
Jul 6

Last edited Sun Jul 6, 2025, 05:52 PM - Edit history (1)

far to the right?"

Another voter comes up to the Democrat and berates them for walking with the Republican far to the right and doesn't listen when the Democrat says they haven't moved to the right, you can SEE I haven't, but the voter won't listen and spends the next two hours berating them for bad messaging and being centrist and neoliberals and not progressive and beholden to monsters and what they should do and that if they don't the voter will teach them a lesson and send a message by not voting and the Democrat walks into the ocean.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,471 posts)
14. The Democrat listens to the right thinkers and accepts "the third way" as a solution
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 04:28 PM
Jul 6

And follows the Republican a ways to the right and stops. Waiting for the Republican to walk back to them.

And waits.

And then watches the Republican, offended that he has to stand so close to the Democrat, move even further away to the right.

So the Democrat once again moves closer to the Republican.

And waits.

And the Republican, disgusted, moves so far away, out of their traditional right wing space, and enters the Fascism space.

The Democrat waits again, contemplating just how much further they can risk moving without losing their base of support. They decide to just be quiet, and wait longer. Surely one day the Republican will come back their way soon......right?

Warpy

(113,706 posts)
17. And too many Democrats since Carter have fallen for it
Sun Jul 6, 2025, 06:51 PM
Jul 6

and don't get me started on the gentlemen of the press.

This is not the country it was supposed to be.

LiberalLovinLug

(14,471 posts)
24. The Logical Song by Supertramp is relevant today
Wed Jul 9, 2025, 03:26 PM
Jul 9

"I said, watch what you say or they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah"


Latest Discussions»General Discussion»A Democrat and Republican...