The main problem was the LACK of real change and reform due to the timidity and aiming so low from Democrats in Congress (and even Obama). We were promised the EFCA and immigration reform in the first year, nada. There could have been an executive order shutting down Gitmo, didn’t happen. The Senate Dems didn’t even fight for a strong, robust public option. Then in 2010 Dems ran from progress to try to get elected when they needed to get BOLDER and fight HARDER against the astroturfed Tea Party.

New Deal Democrats understood this. They FOUGHT for real change and reform, and America loved them and kept electing them because of it.

The people don’t want a phony Democrat. If it’s a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time. -Harry S. Truman

May 17, 1952 speech to Americans for Democratic Action
http://trumanlibrary.org/publicpapers/index.php?pid=1296&st=&st1