The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Time to stand up, Democrats, for good of nation
It is not a good time to be a Democrat. Republicans are running the table, albeit imperfectly, and losing carries a sting longer than one election cycle. What can Democrats do to become more relevant, responsible and credible? What do they have to do to earn back America’s respect? And vote?
One answer is: stop whining. Another? Avoid making Donald Trump the issue. Finally, categorically reject the cardboard, here-we-go-again message of “leveling the playing field” and “making America work for all Americans” that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi rolled out in July, during their overly transparent trip to a white, Republican district in northern Virginia.
That event, to kick off the Democrats’ 2018 campaign, A Better Deal, was aimed at appealing to the white, workingclass voters who elected Donald Trump. This is like buying flowers for the girl who turned you down for the prom. Dumb.
So what should Democrats do? One answer is: know thy self. Know your values. Speak truth to power, even if that means the American voter. Stand up, as California Gov. Jerry Brown did, and call out Republicans based on the facts — in this case, the fallacy of President Trump’s rejection of the Paris Climate accord.
In a word, stand up. Speak plainly, and carry the right stick — one that puts Americans first, but in the right way. This is not easy. It is, in fact, a narrow needle to thread. Sincerity and integrity help. The good news? President Barack Obama did it twice — in part by winning the white, working-class voters so prized by both parties, even as he represented the progressive values of the Democratic platform.
This leads us to the nub of the Democrats’ challenge: they must find the right people to run. They must choose men and women of common sense, courage and character. Their candidates must really care about the American people — all of them. Does charisma help? Absolutely. But handsome is as handsome does, too.
We need a standard bearer, a candidate everyone in the Democratic coalition can get behind: white, progressive, Latino, LGBTQ, young and old. Someone who can also capture that most elusive of voters, America’s independents.
Elizabeth Warren? No. Cory Booker? Maybe. Sen. Al Franken? Maybe with a bullet. Generic white-guy governor/senator with centrist credentials? Not so much. It’s early, but boy, it’s going to matter.
And the mid-terms? Democrats stand a good chance of winning back the House, and this is essential, because they are wrong-footed in their Senate races and stand to lose members there. A Democratic House of Representatives becomes a policy firewall when Republicans get closer to a 60-vote, filibusterproof Senate majority.
The X factors? World and national events. War and recession. The Republican Party. Does it implode, retrench or play nice? Is it possible for truly bipartisan governing to happen? Can we cross the aisle to serve America? That’s good politics, too.
Fortunately, Americans tend to elect sane and competent people to office, regardless of their party. We are notorious for voting in divided governments, mixing parties, Presidents and Congresspeople. Some might call that wisdom.
The truly essential task for Democrats, much less America? Healing or responding to the cultural, social and political Zeitgeist that gave us Donald Trump. This is a magical fix, but sometimes that is what politics is for.
And? The media. They are almost now the fourth branch of government. Not biased, but neither a fair and full broker of fact — and now as divided as our country. We really need to fix this or we will start settling elections like they do in Kenya: after the fact, and with machetes.
And the Russians? Good luck, America. See you in 2018.