Get priorities right

Re: “‘Blue Ripples’ won’t win 2020 polls”, (Opinion, Nov 9).

Nicholas Kristof’s post-election article is the best assessment I’ve seen so far on what it will take to unseat US President Donald Trump in the 2020 elections. If Democrats want to retake the White House, they need to realise that presidential elections are won and lost in America’s heartland.

Liberal social policies are fine up to a point, but the average moderate voter in Ohio or Iowa, for example, doesn’t put LGBT rights or transgender toilets at the top of their issues list. Certainly, most don’t favour the complete abolition of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, as some Democrats advocate. In general, they don’t support a broad socialist agenda.

What voters in these areas do care about is a workable health-care system, opportunities to make a decent living (without having to work two or three jobs to make ends meet), affordable education, a revenue structure that fairly taxes both the rich and the middle class, roads without potholes, international trade that benefits Americans, a strong military, good relations with neighbouring countries and allies, responsible gun ownership, protections of air and water quality, and (yes) sensible immigration.

When Democrats learn to articulate these values in ways that resonate with moderate voters in America’s heartland, there will be a true “Blue Wave,” including the election of a Democratic president. If they fail to address these matters of concern to average Americans, the world will undoubtedly have to gird for a second term for Donald Trump.

SAMANEA SAMAN