In the summer of 2016 I visited some relatives in New Hampshire near the border of Vermont. Everyone was a Bernie Saunders supporter. However, I was skeptical he would win over Trump, Clinton was the candidate for me. I was confident Hillary Clinton would win the Presidency. After Trump was elected President my lack of understanding about people’s frustrations with politics came down with a bump.
It’s been over a year of working to activate Democrats through my local town Democratic Committee, and not much progress has been made in the effort to recruit all registered Democrats. First it took six months to get a meeting, and after we did start meeting again. I found that when I did suggest anything those ideas were discredited. I now believe that Bernie Saunders was right about existing politics.
Only 41% Of DTCs Spend Money!
My research into DTCs and RTC’s here in the Commonwealth seem to me at least, that there are some serious structural issues with local politics. I’ve tried to work through back channels and make suggestions, and when that failed I’ve published my research, and criticized the existing establishment. (www.committeecitizen.com)
However, I think I should remember those folks back in the summer of 2016, they were in the same position I am in now, they knew they were right, and they knew our only hope as Democrats to win was to promote policies that the majority of Americans need enacted, without excluding folks within the party.
My experience with the establishment is that if you don’t fit their mold, you are excluded. There isn’t the sort of open discussion and debate about policies, and what we should be doing about making changes in the country, as I was expecting to see in a political organization.
So how do we reach out to the establishment and turn them around?
A Deal For The 21st Century
I don’t know if you recall, but before the 1990’s Democrats won a lot, especially in the house, it’s only been since the 80’s and the policies of Reagan, lower taxes and small government that we’ve seen the big wins for Republicans. Rather after Roosevelt and the 40’s Democrats were as they used to say, the “natural party” of Government. Yes, we did see the seesaw of the Presidency go back and forth between the parties, but that was more about global politics and the Cold War, where there was a consensus of the fight against Communism, the Russians and Chinese.
Progressive policies were first promoted by a Republican, Teddy Roosevelt. He protected the environment, tackled the big trusts, and helped workers, especially in the meat packing industry. His cousin, Franklin Roosevelt borrowed a lot of his ideas for the New Deal, and even the name, in part, itself. The Square Deal was President Theodore Roosevelt’s program. Roosevelt had 3 goals:
- Conservation of natural resources.
- Control of corporations.
- Consumer protection.
We need a return to the policies of the Roosevelt’s, not literally, but common sense policies for today’s problems that are at the core of the democratic and pragmatic heart of the American Democracy. If we don’t offer these policies just as in the 1930’s darker forces emerge offering policies that end up hurting Americans because they don’t help all Americans, but are exclusionary.
Give Everyone A Square Deal In The Party
I think back again to the summer of 2016, what could have convinced me to change my mind, perhaps an appeal to policy, facts showing that Trump could and probably will win. Or maybe in the end we each have to go through our own personal journey. I know this, the Democrats aren’t going to win by excluding ideas, and people, and we need more Democrats on board. Here in Massachusetts we’ve seen the size of the un-enrolled grow and grow, why is that? What can be done to change that around.
If you are an establishment Democrat. Have a pause for thought. Could it be that by working to only include establishment Democrats in the party. What if your tactics of exclusion mean you lose 5-15% of the vote because progressives are disillusioned and Republicans get in.
I’ve worked in marketing for over 25 years. I can assure you unless you spend time, effort and money on promotion, you’ll not succeed in your marketing goals. We need those same goals for Democrats.
We need the goal of getting new registered Democrats activated as involved citizens. How can any Democrat argue with that? Rather than spending time and effort on excluding the wrong sort. Spend that time getting as many folks into the party as possible. Is your mission to get Democrats elected? Or only to get the sort of Democrats you want elected? From my standing point, I don’t think that strategy is working well.
What are your thoughts, both Establishment and Progressive Democrats, what would change establishment minds as mine was changed?