WHOA-a-a-a-a
there! Wait just one minute! Virginia wasn’t the only big story on
election Tuesday- New Jersey came
through and so did voters in cities like New York, Boston, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Buffalo. Virginia
just doesn’t tell us as much as conservatives would like it to! Although, apparently, a fair number of Republican campaigners had success peddling some form of the following misinformation there:
· Oppose teaching about race relations, differences and violent incidents as unfair and slanted. They don’t want their kids being taught “Critical
Race Theory” in their schools because it puts white people in a bad light and
brings to the forefront attention to racial disparities and conflicts that existed in the past but are not the fault of kids or adults of today. Moreover, such teachings take blame about racial injustice and divisions and lay it at the feet
of white people, including their kids. Apparently, this angry voter opposition
to the teaching of “Critical race theory,” and to blame aimed at white folks has grown out of a conspiracy theory based, as most are, on manufactured and twisted information. 'Critical race theory’ is not
taught as course subject matter anywhere but at some grad schools not in grade
schools! Did those voters know the difference, did they simply buy an "e" from some dispenser of vowels?
·
Republicans,
independents and even some Virginia Democrats seem fed up with delays in
Washington. That is not anything new –
voters often express their ‘taking too much time” frustration by voting to change the Party in
power. Problem is, such change for
change’s sake brings more delay and obstruction from the next group-in-charge! Failure to acknowledge need for fundamental
change increases voter confusion over who is causing the delays, and leads to propagandizing,
politicizing and culturizing of real problems into false issues that have
little or nothing to do with improving the lives of real people. The Party-in-charge is not the problem; the main problem
is rooted in the way that Party chooses to operate or how the traditions, norms
and rules say they must operate (Filibuster anyone?)
· Too many voters are demanding an end to mandates for getting vaccinated and wearing masks as examples of government dictatorship. Never mind that the mandates are put forward for their protection
(and that of their children and aging parents) from permanent dysfunction or even death (over 750K deaths from COVID19 in this country alone).
Truth is, fighting a global war against an unrelenting killer like COVID19 demands the same sacrifices
that World War demands – everyone must pitch in, sacrifice something, and live
within mandated guidelines that affect everyone like food rationing and
contributing certain items (like used rubber tires) to the government. To save
individual rights – like the right to protest --sometimes, like in a world war, one must accept temporary
actions and requirements that benefit the larger society above our individual desires,
in order to put the “greater good” of winning the war at the forefront of life
at that moment.
·
For
some voters, rising prices affecting gas, food, and supplies affected their votes. For others, it may have been about the back-up in the supply chain
and the lack of Christmas present choices on store shelves! Such reasons are usually not about to be
solved by state Governors or even by national legislators in Congress. So, Good Luck to those voters!
·
ANGER
and FRUSTRATION over problems of a “cultural nature” are not being addressed to
their satisfaction, like religion in schools or having a central government
tell us what to do -- affected some voters. Apparently, inconsistency is not part of
their frustration because they advocate vociferously for anti-abortion restrictions being mandated by all governments and especially on the national
level. Voting to empower government to
set abortion and anti- abortion mandates, or to allow governments to decide who
can and can’t vote, or to decide what subjects are allowable in public schools, are all cultural issue mandates that fly under the Far-Right
radar.
There are some other lessons that may have emerged but with
more than conspiracy and misinformation behind them:
· Republican candidates did well in a couple of states by walking a thin line in regard to Trump who may have difficulty with more 'hands off' candidates in 2022 and beyond. Dems must keep investigations and grand juries going full steam along with a continuous narrative that shows the contrast between the Democrat Plan and the fascist Plan that motivates Trumpers.
· Making national issues into local issues – like school curricula -- helped prove again that "All politics is local." Dems have got to keep emphasizing what their Mission and Plan will do
for local families and communities
·
By
turning out their base and other voters, Republicans managed a better than usual
ground game in Virginia and New Jersey. Democrats need to learn to target grass
roots constituencies where new voters might be found.
·
Trump
may have some difficulty with some more “hands off” candidates in 2022 and
beyond
·
Biden
losing ground in polls is a problem and he needs broad-based Party support
Finally, I believe there are some critical strategy lessons for Democrats should implement – quickly:
1.
Democrats must change the narrative from numbers, concepts, boring
details on process and bottom lines to real help coming to children and
families, and workers.
2.
More
important, they must be specific
about what it will do and highly creative about presenting it.
3.
People need optics to make things real
for them – like the George Floyd murder and the Jan.6th insurrection.
4.
Democrats
also need to stop talking about themselves and their experiences and
instead put families and children on camera who have already experienced
help with affordable health care and with Child Income Credits, or other
programs being touted in the legislation..
Showcase actual people, especially children. Make everything – infrastructure, guns
in public, universal day care and pre-K, and include voting and election reform
as being about the future of children
and families. I have heard some in
Congress and the President already expressing these themes, but it needs to be
everybody who does so
5.
Immediately
put Sens Manchin and Sinema on notice that there will be no more meetings with
the president at the White House. If
they have something to say, have them put it in writing and be very
specific. Let them know that they need
to present proof that their constituents are asking for what they are asking
for; and especially need to show whether constituents support their blocking of
key legislation that will benefit their lives.
Also, put them on notice that they
are in immediate danger of losing their
places in the Party – in terms of support, campaign money, committee
assignments, and even a place on the Potomac to park that damn Machin houseboat! They need to feel the sting of being isolated
from the Party they deserted in a crucial time.
Even being shunned by Dems would not be excessive retribution. They are welcome to their opinions but not to
special treatment or press coverage or Dem support. They are blocking legislation meant to
bolster families, children and workers and their opposition is hurting the entire
Party.
In fact, one could make a strong case
that it has been their actions and words that kept Democrats from winning
in Virginia because all delay in voting on key legislation in the Senate has
depended entirely on all Dems voting in favor and this duo has resisted that especially
important contribution to all Dems. They
have in reality voted against the Dem. Legislation, the Dem Party Mission and
the rest of their Dem colleagues who have to run on the accomplishments or
failures of the Party
6.
Dems
must fight back against the Right-Wing Propaganda machine. A war room or message center or exceptional
group must be named and organized to develop a Dem Presentation Plan and to get out the Dem
message and get it out first; This group must also be prepared to answer every
attack from Trumpers in terms of illustrating their lasting harm to families,
children and even to their grandparents. – real people not just numbers. If
Dems can’t do both they might as well cede defeat
7.
It
comes down to Dems having to present a VISION of what we can do together as a society. Dems must go above and beyond where we are or
where we have been. WE MUST DO MORE than refer constantly to a slogan of “build
back better” which is evidently failing to inspire enough voters and may even
be turning them off, at least in Virginia and New Jersey. Dems must present the VISION of a new society
that has problem-solving and people-enhancing as its great Mission.
Learn from FORD Motor that Dems need to envision something like an
all-electric Ford-150 to move to the next level of operation. Or follow the boldness and inventiveness and
entrepreneurship of those millionaires preparing space vehicles to fly citizens
to the next livable planet. Or follow
the boldness and vision of some of the foundations of former presidents and the
Gates foundation to go above and beyond our past to help solve global
problems.
8. We have allowed the Dem/Biden Plan to
end up as a political gift for Republicans talking about big spending, raising
taxes, and adding to a deficit that will burden our grandchildren. SO-KEEP BREAKING-DOWN THE LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE
into understandable and sellable steps toward the VISION. Help the people—families, children, seniors,
workers— move with you toward fulfilling the VISION. And KEEP people informed at each step with
rhetoric and optics and real people speaking out or doing something
inspiring -- just like the end of NBC
Nightly NEWS hosted by Lester Holt!
9. The legislative process needs to
change from a total committee infrastructure to a problem-solving task force
operation. Nothing of importance will
get said or done under the moribund committee/sub-committee structure because
it is too slow, cumbersome, and politics-as-usual in orientation and operation. Perhaps keep the major committees dedicated
to chosen subjects and issues would be useful. BUT,
create bi-partisan (preferably non-partisan) Task Forces out of those committees dedicated to solving
problems experienced by constituents and in many cases by a national
audience. From a Master List developed by those major Committees , develop Task
Force Teams of 5-10 people each to research, formulate and present viable
alternatives for addressing the problem. Each Task Force then checks with their
constituency (and others) by means of polls, surveys, hearings, meetings, advisory groups, hired consultants)
to determine which alternatives resonate, what should be changed. Then, the
Task Forces go to work in technical, systematic procedures to present
legislation that will meet constituent desires and needs and help to alleviate or resolve the problems
undertaken.
10. The task force members should, by the way, be trained
in problem-solving techniques rather than being political operatives; they should
follow procedures and take actions based
on ground rules previously agreed to and formulated to further the integrity and
effectiveness of these groups. Thus, future
candidates for Congress will have to be qualified for the job and not mere
political hacks!
There is much needing to be done by
Democrats in the next year to get ready for midterm elections, and they better
pay attention to them or risk more races like the Virginia governorship race! Here are some of the questions that I think they need to ask themselves:
What is our
VISION for AMERICA?
What is our
MISSION within that VISION?
What is our
PLAN for accomplishing that MISSION?
(Purposes, Aims or Goals, and Desired Outcomes?
How do we
get groups, organizations and activists to embrace the MISSION and IMPLEMENT
the PLAN?
How do we
make sure that a broad-based electorate is well-informed and involved in every step in the
Plan and the Mission – i.e., demonstrate
the efficacy and effectiveness of the MISSION for children and families?
What kind of
group operation do we require to sell our VISION and our PLAN? Who is best equipped for the role of
promotion and publicity, especially of authentic Optics – is it the leadership or
specially chosen individuals? Or both, in different ways and in appropriate settings?
Can we tell
the personal stories of what makes Democracy work and avoid the rhetoric and
propaganda that tend to diminish people and government?
Can we keep
Democrats and Independents on target about children, families and workers?
What
sacrifices will be necessary to win another chance at governing and taking
steps toward our VISION?
Soft-pedal “build back better” and dump the word
“existential” Raise the stakes!
Talk about a
‘BRAVE NEW WORLD’, or ‘CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE’ or ‘NEW WORLD
AWAITS’ or ‘THIS IS ABOUT PEOPLE’
or ‘OUR FUTURE IS NOW!’
Emphasize that this is the ‘CRUCIAL MOMENT’, the
‘BEST OPPORTUNITY’, the ‘FULLNESS of TIME’ the ‘11th HOUR’ to reach
beyond ourselves and to realize more of the ideal truths of our democracy.
It is a CRITICAL CHOICE that comes
only at limited intervals in human history (like Lincoln at Gettysburg, FDR and
WWII, JFK and the Peace Corps, LBJ and the Great Society). It must
be grasped when it presents itself or the moment may never be retrieved..
IT’S TIME TO ROLL
