[…]
‘I’m skeptical of third parties, especially ones purporting to represent independents or centrists. Even if you could organize one, it would only give the Democratic establishment another excuse not to make the changes necessary to stop shrinking their coalition and start expanding it.’
Party leaders, in Marshall’s view, “need to reject progressive purity tests and develop a new reform blueprint that accommodates the moral sentiments and economic aspirations of working families.”
There is, Marshall maintained, “no deus ex machina that’s going to save the party; the change has to come from within as rank-and-file Democrats get tired of losing.
‘Replace the party’s primary and caucus system with ranked-choice (also called instant runoff) voting. The current system empowers well-organized activists and interest groups to elect their favorites on the basis of narrow pluralities rather than broad political appeal. Under ranked choice, nominees would have to win an outright majority. This would introduce a centrist bias into candidate selection and change the balance of power within the party.’
Jentleson, Kessler and Marshall bring a combination of extensive experience in the political trenches, years of pondering the Democratic future and a deep interest in finding solutions to improve the party’s future prospects.”
