The trouble with the Democrats is best summed up in one line by New York Times columnist Tom Friedman who wrote that Americans are looking for “a leader who believes his job is not to read the polls but to change the polls.”
Bingo.
In politics, there has been no bigger offender in reacting to polls and engaging in short-term tactics, at the expense of long-term strategies and goals — than the Democratic Party.
If the Dems truly believe in what virtually all leading scientists are saying about the danger of “Climate Catastrophe” — they ought to enact an aggressive plan.
If the Dems are genuinely in favor of LGBT rights — they ought to make a full-throated case to the American people and then swiftly move to outlaw all forms of anti-gay discrimination in a single vote.
If the Dems believe in medicare for all — that is what they should have fought for.
If the Dems are for Energy Innovation — the Party should have made a powerful case for ending our addiction to fossil fuels.
As a result of the Democrats not standing up and advocating for their professed beliefs, the Republicans have swooped in to fill the void. While the GOP offers nothing but cultural, moral, spiritual, governmental and economic rot — at least they know how to sell their snake oil with conviction.
The Democrats all too often act as if they are ashamed of their beliefs and seem to whisper their lackadaisical arguments. This inexplicable reticence has angered much of the base, including major donors. A New York Times article today discussed how Sugar Daddies — such as Peter Lewis and George Soros — have shifted their donations away from the Democratic Party and towards progressive causes.
Of course, this scares the hell out of me because the last thing we need are Tea Party nuts running Congress. However, their reluctance to fund the Party should be a wake-up call. It is time for Democrats to start fighting and shaping polls to prepare for future victory. If this party will not defend its values, many voters will not value the party enough to donate or vote.
The media and some Democrats have made progressives out to be intransigent and uncompromising. This is far from the truth. We realize that politics is the art of the compromise and one rarely gets a whole loaf. All we are asking is that the Democratic Party clearly define the loaf they want, articulate why this particular loaf is good for America, and then fight like hell to keep as much of the loaf as possible.
Is that really so hard?
