I have
written before about the need for Democrats to come up with a Plan for
countering Donald Trump and for winning the election in 2020. Instead, the Party (and the media like MSNBC)
seems stuck with reacting to the agenda that Trump is setting for them. Democrats are busy reacting to:
· the aggressiveness of Iran toward the
US because of multiple incidents (from both sides)
· Trump attacks on the four
Congresswomen of “the Squad” and his attempt to make them and their
left-oriented democratic socialism the face of the Dem Party
· similar attacks on Elijah Cummings
(D-MD), chair of the House Judiciary Committee who vociferously questioned
Trump’s appointment; and against The Rev. Al Sharpton, national civil rights
leader and commentator on MSNBC
· Robert Mueller’s testimony and the need
to have the essence of his report come from him direct to the public; it is predictable
that the Mueller hearing will do little, if anything, to change the minds of voters
about Trump’s behavior or about impeachment
· the subject of impeachment (or no
impeachment) -- the Dem’s delay and their disagreements regarding opening an
impeachment inquiry are damaging to their supposed assertiveness and voter
mandates.
Except
perhaps for the 100+ former Obama administration African American members who
expressed their outrage in a Washington Post Op-Ed, the Democratic Party under
cautious leadership is following a strategy that is not aggressively pro-active,
is not progressive, is not futuristic, and is certainly not designed for the current
situation in which a so-called President acts like a Fuhrer who scoffs at the
law, the Constitution; at legislators and democratic values and
institutions.
Democrats
have fallen back into Party politics, protecting its new majority in the House,
rather than doing deep dives into what is necessary to set this government on a
course of serving the needs of ordinary people rather than the enrichment of
the rich and powerful.
Meanwhile,
Trump continues very pointed racist attacks against people of color.
“ANOTHER
VICTIM OF TRUMP'S AMERICA: six-year-old Steven Romero, who was killed by a
WHITE SUPREMACIST TERRORIST (recently) at a garlic festival in California.
Romero was at the festival with his mother, who was also shot and… treated at a
hospital. Two others were killed and 11 were injured. The shooter promoted a
WHITE SUPREMACIST book in an Instagram post minutes before the shooting. He
also posted a complaint about "mestizos" before the attack. Mestizos
are mixed race Hispanic-Americans. This is what Trump has unleashed on America.
2020 can't come soon enough.” (Occupy Democrats on Facebook)
Trump’s aim seems clear: he is targeting racial and ethnic minorities
to emphasize the importance to his base of (white) nationalism, and the
absolute need for that white base to turn out to vote overwhelmingly for him in
2020, lest they lose control of government policies and functions. In fact, everything he does now is aimed at
that base and at the 2020 election.
What do I
think Democrats need to do to assure that Trump and his puppets in the Senate
are defeated and that our government acts in the interest of equal opportunity,
equal justice for all, and for the freedoms guaranteed by our
Constitution? Here are some thoughts for
your consideration.
1) An impeachment trial is not going to find
this President guilty of high crimes because the Republican Senate will not
vote to impeach on the charges, no matter what they are, plus, the public is
not in favor of it. So, the House should
continue its inquiries and investigations into Trump behaviors but should use
other means to censure his abuses of power.
I have written before of this and believe censure resolutions and court interventions
are necessary for building support for impeachment charges formulated in the
House, at the same time using those alternative methods of censure to educate
the Public.
2) Make clear the threat(s) that Trump
represents, and make that case to those poor white voters whose vote for Trump
will seal their fate
3) The figures are against the Dem Party
as far as winning the presidency; they may win the popular vote, but the
Electoral College favors a Trump win, unless the DNC and progressive groups
target critical districts with a ground-game that delivers new voters and former
non- voters; with special emphasis on the Party base: suburban women, women of
color, young people and college youth ages (17-)18-25.
4) Democrats must defeat Donald Trump
and must also win a majority in the Senate.
Anything less will freeze the government in place and prevent any
progressive reform. It is therefore
imperative that Democrats continue unabated in illustrating and promoting the
destructive nature of both Trumpian ideology and attempts to “de-construct”
democratic government. A major part of
this must be the continued emphasis on the Trump administration’s neglect of
the cyber threats from foreign powers to interfere with and to disrupt our
elections and governmental functions.
There must be an understanding that every Senate race is not just a state
election. Present circumstances make
every Senate race a national election, meaning every Democrat who
can, needs to support Democrat candidates in multiple states, not just one’s
own state. So, start picking Senate races
that need your help, no matter where they may be!
5) Build a common pragmatic and hopeful
message:
a. Armed with this message, Democrats
can propose an inclusive economic program that widens prosperity and
opportunity. That includes empowering families, kids and young people by
investing in universal health care; infrastructure; affordable housing; paid
family and sick leave; day care; early childhood education; better public
schools; affordable college; student debt relief; and vocational education and
retraining. Our veterans deserve more support; our seniors a secure retirement.
Rural America must be linked to our prosperity through broadband connectivity;
better highways and rail lines; economic development geared to the new economy;
and programs to combat opioid addiction (based on ‘How Democrats Can Win in
2020’ Huffpost.com)
b. And, future generations need us to do the
urgent work of combating climate change ― beginning right now.
6) Democrats must also make some deep dives
to offer changes to some foundational negatives that continue to be used by
those who wish to control our democracy and our economy. Examples:
a. what is lowering the rate of home
ownership among African Americans? We need to find the cause and act to
distinguish it
b. why do we continue to talk about
“automatic voter registration” when what is needed is “universal automatic
voter enrollment” that does not depend on personal initiative to register at a
proper age? Voting is an inalienable
right that should never be restricted by a registration process, just as one is
not required to register in order to use free speech or to have a free press or
to present a grievance against one’s government. (see my Blog of June 17, 2019
for details)
c. how can we continue allowing tech
giants like Facebook, Google, Amazon, etc. to collect private information on
consumers – their personal data and preferences – when our Constitution
emphasizes the absolute right of people to protect their privacy? All collection of personal information should
be restricted and barred unless consumers give their permission to collect and use
that data in certain ways chosen from a menu of choices; such permission always
able to be rescinded? HIPPA is a clear example of how personal (health care)
information should be handled; why can’t similar guidelines and restrictions be
applied to personal consumer data?
d. what can be done to prepare for a
future when jobs will be scarce and artificial intelligence will have replaced
so many functions that unemployment will rise to unexpected levels (like
30-40%) and a “job” may not be what defines us? Will something significant like
national service (or possibly a minimum government salary) be what fills that ‘void’?
(see my Blog on National Service – 2/8/2016)
e. Why do we continue to support public
education with property taxes only, giving homeowners the major access to
decisions about what happens in every school district? Should we have an Education Trust Fund (like
the Social Security Trust Fund) to which all can contribute to some degree,
especially corporations?
f. Why not add recall election as another
choice short of impeachment when voters wish to reject officeholders for their
corruption, abuse of power or high crimes and misdemeanors?
g. Begin to change prison sentences
based on years of incarceration/punishment to compensation of loss as basis of
sentencing. In other words, sentence non-violent and some violent criminals to
compensating victims and/or society for their crimes by means of labor,
community service, building homes, training service animals, supporting
community development/action programs, etc. Paying back and paying forward become the aims
instead of incarceration and “doing the time.”
Rehabilitation is not a direct aim, but perhaps a by-product that
depends upon the individuals.
h. Increase Funding for Mental Illness Research
(see my next planned
Blog post)
i.
And don’t forget - considering the 3 mass shootings within one week, that we must begin to
treat guns as potentially lethal products that must be treated just as automobiles
are treated (please see my Blog of 3/11 and 3/14/2018)
It’s time to stop the foolishness of the Democrat’s Second Debate from
Detroit. Obama’s record is not the major concern. Biden’s long record is not the main concern,
even if he went astray from progressive ideals.
Medicare-for-all is one of many major concerns, but how we get there is
a matter of strategy and planning that should be agreed upon before we discuss
and debate it. Has anyone taken the time
to research the steps and time involved to implement Social Security and
Medicare? Neither came to fruition
overnight in a one-size-fits-all format!
We must focus on the two main concerns: winning the White House and
winning a majority in the Senate. That
is what matters. If Democrats want to
attack anyone – attack Donald Trump – at every opportunity. Attack Republican puppets who have put Trump
and Party over the welfare of the nation and its people. Then tout how Democratic plans, programs and
processes will make our lives better, more secure, and healthier. Talk about detailed plans in the context
of what is holding us back, putting obstacles in the way and de-constructing
democratic values and institutions. Dig
Deep and offer the People pragmatic solutions to foundational core problems. Don’t apologize for ideals or values, make
them shine in the context of just how proposed changes will affect the daily
lives of our People.
Let’s have more discussion among qualified candidates before the next
debates about how to approach each other in a unified manner around these two
necessities. Acknowledge disagreements
in details (in fact, display them for all to see), but stress unity in
attacking Trumpism, so that we can let the People know that the Democratic
candidates are united in their quest to rescue the planet, enlarge affordable
health care to all, unite within our diversity
for the good of all, present new opportunities in a revived economy
based on democratic capitalism, not on a plutocratic capitalism known as
“welfare for the richest among us.” Let
us offer reform of processes that now favor the wealthy, like elections, the
Electoral College, lobbying, how education is paid for and how voters voices
get heard and dealt with.
This is not the time to quibble, to argue, to attack other Democrats, or
to try to explain details that no one wants to hear.
Dig Deep – Go
Big – Agree to Disagree – and SHOW the People how things could be with
Democrats at the helm.
“SHOW” means to
demonstrate or to illustrate with pictures, videos, visual presentations --
even documentaries -- what life can look like when progressive ideas are the
base on which we will act. TV and Social
Media are meant to SHOW results and outcomes, not just to talk! Stop living in the PAST; come into the
PRESENT and demonstrate the FUTURE.
