This entire thread is normalizing bullfeathers from the right that indeed borders on authoritarian corporatism (is this a better label then fascism
@Patine ?). The difference between a small subset of a political group being overly sensitive to rude jokes and another political group basically repressing the votes of the population, defunding what social safety nets are still left, and dismantling the administrative state to the point of complete ineptitude. Remember the very definition of the GOP at this point is a government small enough you can drown it in a bathtub. The part left alive seems to be the part that basically enacts modern slavery for private profit.
On the actual politicking of the moment? Why would I vote for the fake republican when I can get the real deal? So why are "centrist dems" running as fake republicans? The label democrat is frankly just as toxic to most of the population as republican so you are left running on policies. Progressive policies are popular basically everywhere, choose the ones that are popular in your district and run on those. When they ask you about abortion just dodge the question. Gun control? dodge it.
I agree there needs to be a rebranding of some of these policies like police reform, but fundamentally even when labeled badly the premise enjoys popular support. Of course gun control has enjoyed that kind of support for a generation and we still get nowhere.
There is a group within the dem party right now called justice democrats (AOC is one) that refuse corporate pac money and are generally denied any funding from the dem party until they have no choice. I believe there are very particular funding mechanisms that the parties have cornered and is part of why it is so hard to get a new party off the ground. As I recall its one of the Justice Democrats plans to remove those kinds of laws, thus opening the door for easier campaigning as independent.
Sorry a lot you guys went over today and I tried to address some of all of it.