@BenRossTransit i don’t think “explicitly and clearly critical” works. the reason why plutocrats fund what you are calling “ultra-left” is because that category reflects wedge issues, both between “left” constituencies and the broad public, and within “left” constituencies. they fund the food fight, because the food-fight disrupts and distracts from social democratic reform. taking even the “popular” side on throws you in the melee. 1/

@BenRossTransit i think it’s probably better for social democratic movements to explicitly absent themselves, as an organized force, from debates about social and cultural issues. of course individuals will have their views, but what should be explicit is a detente, when we advocate for social democracy, we leave them at the door. wherever society ends up on, say, puberty blockers as health care, we’ll all be better off if what we define as health care is provided by right. /fin