Dems must stick together for now

I share columnist Richard Brodsky’s expectation of a record turnout of opposition votes next month (“Trump outrage helps to reinvigorate Democratic Party,” Sept. 24) and pray it will be enough to override the many weapons that Republicans have employed to kidnap American democracy: widespread voter suppression, gerrymandering, the distortions and lies of right-wing propaganda, and whatever additional blows the oligarchic super-pacs and their GOP minions might still have in store for our dying democracy.

Brodsky’s faith that left and moderate Democrats, Greens and Independents can successfully redefine themselves as partners-in-arms is lovely, but I fear he doesn’t spend enough time on social media to gauge fully what we’re up against. Too many on the left still complain about “establishment” Democrats, measuring performance on a purity scale that varies from voter to voter and essentially amounts to impossible dreaming. Gaslighting is in full effect as users share Youtube conspiracy videos, parrot the Gopfriendly messaging that all news is “fake news,” and heckle one another to dismiss the system altogether. All of which helped to give us the sham presidency of Donald Trump in the first place.

We must have a common agenda now, to save our country from an advancing authoritarian takedown. The now-heavily tilted Supreme Court could well assist Trump in dodging laws that would hold him and his cronies accountable. The particulars don’t matter at this point: We all need to vote blue down the line if we care, and criticize Democratic leadership later when we have some power to wield. robin Vaughan Kolderie Hoosick