Punching down is easy but almost always unwise.

Mainstream Democrats have spent this election cycle accommodating themselves to a putative Hillary Clinton nomination. For the more privileged among them, this came easy. For those anxious to retain at least a little left or “progressive” cred, pushing a moderate and unpopular candidate has been a rocky road at best.

DailyKos situated itself very early (and with distressing ease) within the Clinton machine. The tone was set almost immediately. The Front Page staff worked tirelessly to churn out pro-Hillary content. The founder saw which way the winds were blowing and made a business decision: not so much gate crashing, but instead a lot of “Make the best of what the power structure is about to give us”.

That’s all understandable, as was the bulk of Kos’s recent post calling the house back to order. Yes, Clinton is still the undisputed front-runner. Yes, we all need to rein in the passions so that the site and the left in America do not descend into self-destructive chaos.

But this otherwise well-meaning, sensible laying down of the law veered astray several times. It always did so in the same direction — doling out unnecessary and often gratuitous swipes at the left. Those of us here who actually are on the left must push back against such tactics. We can do so while respecting the rules and the boss who makes the rules in this neck of the woods.

Here’s how (underlining added to blackquotes from kos’s original article):

1). Oligarchy, corporatist and neocon are not empty insults or meaningless terms.

There’s too much at stake in this election, both in the short and long terms. People’s real lives are at stake today, tomorrow, and 30 years from now. You may not give a shit because whatever whatever oligarchy , but I do, and l’m not alone.

Political life is not a sitcom. The death and destruction that human oligarchy has wrought over thousands of years is real, horrendous and tragic on an unfathomable scale. It is a serious matter taken seriously by serious people like Hillary-endorser Paul Krugman. Reducing it to glib sneers at those who overuse “oligarch” as jargon is not the best look.

Constructive criticism from the Left is allowed... It’s the difference between “We need to put pressure on her to do the right thing on TPP” versus “she’s a sell-out corporatist whore oligarch.” In general, if you’re resorting to cheap sloganeering like “oligarch” or “warmonger” or “neocon”, you might want to reframe your argument in a more substantive, issue-focused and constructive matter . Again, I’m not interested in furthering the Right’s hate-fueled media machine. If that’s what you want, might I suggest Free Republic?

More of the same. Again, “oligarch” and “neocon” are specific terms drawn from scholarly discourse. It’s absurd and offensive to insinuate those criticizing Hillary Clinton for her corporate-friendly policies and acts are driven by hate, the Right or a need to engage in misogyny. No, no, and HELL NO.

Still, to be fair, there is a kernel of meaning that those of us on the left should heed. When you write about Hillary’s economic policies, Wall Street legislation, or hawkish proclivities, try to do so without using buzzwords like “oligarch” or “corporatist”. They act as shibboleths only. Lefties will cheer them on sight, while moderates will wail and moan. It is more effective, and more delightfully witty, to detail your critiques of Hillary Clinton or other moderate/conservative Democrats with surgical precision, eschewing over-familiar generalities in favor of fresh, inventive, creative prose.

2). People on the left care about the country and its future. How dare you suggest otherwise?

​Saying you won’t vote, or will vote for Trump, or will vote for Jill Stein (or another Third Party) is not allowed. If that’s how you feel, but have other places in which you can be constructive on the site, then keep your presidential feelings to yourself. Those of us who care about our country and it’s future are focused on victory.

We get it, we can’t talk about not voting Democratic in the general. But it really takes some nerve to take the left to task for not caring “about our country and it’s future[sic]”. If it weren't for the left, there would be no political discussion of global warming at all. None. Nor would there be any talk of undoing systemic racism, gender discrimination or income inequality.

There’s no excuse not to vote in the general. But likewise, there’s also no excuse for not feeling demoralized and frustrated with the likely impotence of our vote to effect the change we need.

3). What candidates say and do during primaries matter. This one won’t end March 15.

No re-litigating the primary. I don’t give a shit what Clinton or Sanders said in the primary anymore. It’s over. Move on. Again, if it’s not over on March 15 because Sanders has narrowed his delegate deficit, then this doesn’t apply.

As many others have said, the declaration that the primaries will end March 15 is bizarre and arbitrary. It also appears cynical and contrived, as every analyst has said Sanders’s long-shot road to victory could only come in piling up wins post-March 15, once the most pro-Hillary states have voted.

Further, no matter what any authority figure says, the 2016 primaries will always be up for discussion. If Hillary wins the nomination and tacks hard to the right (surprise, surprise! OK not really), you will not forestall discussion of that occurrence. DKos writers and commenters frequently re-hash 2008. We’ll tackle the 2016 primaries as well, with mutual respect, this year and beyond.

4). Changing the primary calendar and superdelegates isn’t all there is to “Battling the establishment”.

Battle “the establishment” where it makes sense. And we will battle the establishment together on things like the primary calendar and superdelegates. But we pick our battles, and in many places, the establishment will be our allies.

If the only thing worth fighting “the establishment” over is inside-baseball technicalities, you ain’t fighting the establishment. You are the establishment.

And no, for many far bigger things at stake, the establishment are not our allies. Viewing the world in such a way would be hopelessly idealistic.

5). Please consider stopping cursing out the Left to establish dominance.

It just looks silly.

Finally). Hang in there, fellow lefties!

Try to stay unbanned and active on this site and in Democratic Party discourse in general. Don’t let the insults and the moderate/conservative chest-thumping get you down. They are louder and they have more money and power behind them. Winning them over and bending them to the principles of social justice takes endless time and endless energy. Keep at it -- and keep a smile on your face.