The Times they are changing – again

The Thurston County Democratic Party is in a period of change and disarray.   Bernie Sanders socialists have taken over the party and old line Democratic leaders have been shunted aside or forced to take a lesser role.   The Democratic party as we’ve known it, at least in Thurston County, no longer exists.

This isn’t the first time national political events have affected our local political party.   In 1972, George McGovern liberals gained control of  Thurston County Democrats and forced out the Henry Jackson Democrats which had controlled the party for decades.

It isn’t just confined to Democrats.   In the 1980’s, Christians conservatives gained control of the State Republican party from the Dan Evans liberal Republicans, and took the GOP down the road to near irrelevancy in Western Washington.

The 2016 election was a change election.  The progressive socialists now in control of Democratic politics in King, Snohomish and Thurston counties are making their mark at the local and state level.

When they over-reach – – and they will over-reach – – the pendulum will swing back and a new form of political leaders will move the Democratic party back to the middle – – wherever that middle may be by then.   And, with three conservative independents in control of the Thurston County Commission and the semi-Republican Donald Trump in the White House, maybe the local Republican party will emerge in a new form as well.

All we know for sure is that both parties are in a period of change.