The right road to 2020 involves collaboration

The 2020 presidential election will arguably be the most pivotal in human history. The outcome will likely determine whether our republic survives. Also, this race will decide whether our climate and ecosystem will fatally collapse or stand and walk upright toward measurable recovery. The stakes could not be higher.

This drama is playing out on a stage where powerful players already are working feverishly to ensure that Democrats splinter under the separative ax of identity politics and “gotcha” moments to eat our young in the emerging political coliseum.

We cannot afford to conduct a “business as usual” primary season.

Proposition 1: The 12-year egg timer on irreversible climate disaster has been flipped, with the sands irrevocably flowing to the bottom now. Candidates embracing “patient incrementalism” are invited to quit now.

Proposition 2: The fuse is lit on income inequality, ready to blow. Candidates

too timid to cut this fuse should graciously exit.

Proposition 3: The rot of corruption is sinking our ship of state. Candidates without an aggressive plan to remove this rot should not run.

Proposition 4. Our next president must repair our relationships with the international community and provide clear leadership on the first three propositions.

The good news is, most Democrats running for president embrace bold, proactive tropes; most are gifted leaders embodying some facet of the policy diamond we need. Whomever can strongly embody all four propositions should become our nominee, with remaining contenders offering full-throated support and resources to the winner.

Affirming an underlying unity: Democratic candidates need strict discipline in their messaging, by affirming our positive, unified vision for a humane, livable and green future and by avoiding all negative frames that may seek to entrap them in dead-end argumentation, partisanship and blame.

Our values are attractive to 60 percent to 80 percent of the population, depending on the issue. We need to affirm this underlying unity of values at every opportunity. When confronted with gotcha questions and wedge-issue frames, do not accept the premise; reply with the positive vision (and supporting data) and doggedly put forward your own frame, never stepping into the gotcha bear trap, never repeating or giving any credence to a negative frame. The frames brandished by the right are old news. The most viable frames affirm the steps we must take to ensure a fair, green and livable world for future generations of humans and nature itself.

Framing the debates: Every effort will be made by the GOP and the punditry to divide us and to invite contention in our ranks. By getting our candidates to attack one another, they succeed in provoking an attack on the vital issues and values each candidate holds. In debates, there will be every temptation to refer to other Democratic candidates as “my opponent.” I highly recommend avoiding all nomenclature of opposition. “My opponent” can be reframed as: “my esteemed colleague,” “my friend” or “my fellow Democrat.”

Rather than modeling a field of gladiators, our candidates can affirm one another’s strengths, can heartily agree with synchronous issues and can then put forward an even more well-rounded vision and action plan that invites collaboration.

I would love to see Democratic candidates behave more as a “wise council of elders” than a ragged field of competing warriors. If this tone can be set by our candidates, all their positive proposals will emerge from the primaries unscathed and ready to succeed in the 2020 general election.

Let’s set the tone now.