Once again, the Dems hijacked progressives
Americans just survived yet another “most important election” of our lives. This one lasted more than 18 months and did little but assault our ears and intelligence. The campaigns tied up valuable resources and distracted the nation from real problems: chronic underemployment, low wages, increasing cost for health insurance, the deterioration of our education system and the loss of respect for human rights best illustrated by the hateful campaign rhetoric of the Republican candidate, Donald Trump.
Similar to previous elections, we progressives, again, had the responsibility to help the Democratic Party win. There was apparently no other way. Therefore, our votes had to be sacrificed at the expense of exercising our right to vote freely. When we questioned how many times we were supposed to vote for someone against our conscience, as in the case of voting for Hillary Clinton, our fellow Democrats told us that this time it was different. They told us that Trump was dangerous and could overturn the progress we had made.
If voters complied, coincidentally, the Democratic Party would benefit: It was one of the two parties that has successfully stifled competition and silenced third parties.
Nonetheless, the situation was so dire, we were told, that no responsible citizen could do otherwise.
Regardless, in November, only about 58% of registered voters went to the polls. In 14 states, more people voted for Senate candidates than for president. Among them were 87,810 voters in Michigan who cast a ballot, but did not cast a vote for the top of the ticket. Of voters who voted for president, about half voted for Clinton and the other half for Trump. Among Clinton voters were many Republicans who simply could not bring themselves to vote for Trump. Among progressives who voted for Clinton were those who voted for her not because she was their top candidate but because she was the “lesser of the two evils.”
Clinton and the Democrats still lost.
And in the wake of that defeat, instead of acknowledging just how low the party must have sunk for this to have happened, supporters and leaders were both quick to point fingers.
Clinton and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (RNev.) blamed FBI Director James Comey.
Frustrated Democrats blamed their fellow Democrats and other progressives for not voting for Clinton.
Others blamed the Electoral College. Trump lost the popular vote but won in the Electoral College so discussion of getting rid of the Electoral College quickly followed.
The discussion overall is troubling — it seems to ensure that the Democratic Party will seek to win at all costs without having to improve either its conduct or its performance.
So far, Americans seem entertained and distracted by all this. We will see how long it is before it becomes clear once again that the middle
class is still deteriorating and the two leading parties are
doing little to get in touch with the needs of voters.
In the midst of all the ugliness around this election, however, there is one glimmer of hope.
With their recent voting behavior, Americans not only demonstrated how unpredictable they are, but they also showed that they are better than their leaders.
Many of them could not bring themselves to validate an approach to politics that had little respect for them and their democracy.
The silver lining is this: An election that lacked even the bare minimum standards of civility and rationale provided all Americans — Republicans, Democrats and Independents — with an opportunity to question the political system and demand change. Let’s hope that opportunity isn’t wasted.