Democrats: What Now?
I recently read that the NY Attorney General plans to sue if House healthcare legislation becomes law. There are some things to consider about the current state of American politics. These ideas apply equally to people across the political spectrum but given the way power works it's usually the people out of power who have cause to take them to heart.
Legislatures decide policy, not constitutionality. The courts decide whether something is constitutional or not. Courts (usually) do not pick among different policy choices. Just because someone is pursuing a policy preference you truly despise doesn't automatically mean it's unconstitutional. The courts can't and shouldn't rule on the political merits of a given policy. There is a whole universe of policy initiatives that I don't like but which are not unconstitutional. In short, the courts will not save you from all of the effects of a Trump Presidency and Republican control of both chambers of Congress. Only the people can do that. Like it or not Trump won. Right now the only people who can legally remove him from office are other Republicans. That's because, drunk on moral certainty, starting around 2010 Democrats forgot how to win seats.
On policy questions, no political party or movement can accomplish much without winning over voters. Obtaining voter support doesn't mean that you must agree with every "deplorable" voter stance. It does mean though that you must visit the voters, listen to them, be seen to work on their issues, and build both a logical and emotional argument on why you and your policy are their best options. Hectoring them and lecturing them don't work.
Peremptory white hot enraged righteous dismissal of large swaths of the electorate works well and may even pay well for authors, youtube personalities, academics, actors, media analysts, protesters, and dare I say bloggers. But usually that's not a smart option for politicians. The past eight years have seen too many Democratic thought leaders fall into the trap of dismissing almost all opposition as not only wrongheaded but entirely illegitimate. The Democratic Party put all of its eggs in the basket of future demographic change. The problem with this approach is (1) the future isn't here yet and (2) that demographic change might not be as fiercely Democratic as once thought. Heck the demographic change itself might be halted or even reversed if some right-wingers have their way. Where the Democrats move politically is a different conversation. I'm just saying that Democrats must reconnect with more people outside of the traditional coastal Democratic strongholds. You don't need to swallow silly exclusionary ideas about "heartland real Americans" to realize that this is a big country with lots of different folks.
Democrats pointed out Trump's bigotry; Black voter turnout dropped. Slightly more Blacks and Hispanics voted for Trump than a Republican would usually get. Democrats dinged Trump on his sexist remarks and behavior; most White women voted for Trump. Democrats illuminated Trump's fat cat status, use of illegal immigrant labor and history of cheating his workers and contractors; much of the industrial Midwest voted for Trump. And so on. I don't mean to say that the Republican Party has not become the preferred home for many white nationalists, white supremacists and other assorted people who just don't like black people one bit. It certainly has. And it's been trending that way since at least Goldwater. Trump skillfully exploited a lot of anxiety white voters had. The Democratic Party must figure out a way to make a pitch towards voters that acknowledges their fears but also appeals to their hopes. self-interest and better nature. This isn't easy. If I knew how to do that I wouldn't be here. I'd be getting paid to win elections. But I do know that just yelling racist! or sexist! or homophobic! or greedy! at everyone doesn't win their vote. These missteps indicate that the Democrats should think about why their approach failed.
What is popular in Massachusetts must be reworked for consumption in Ohio. Democrats should make more arguments about why their preferred policies are good for American citizens first and foremost. That their policies may help non-citizens or the world in general is an extra benefit but Democrats would be foolish to make that their primary selling point. Only American citizens vote in American elections. When Democrats frantically recoil from an "America First" theme like a vampire from a crucifix, they've already lost. Although things look dire for Democrats now, that can change quickly. It's not a time for despair. It's not a time to fret over "normalizing" Trump. It is a time to get more people registered to vote. It is a time to reconsider and rework messaging, focus and outreach. Or don't. Continue to say that you're here to smash the eurocentric cis-het patriarchal nationalistic transphobic misogynist ableist power structure. And continue to be surprised when you lose elections.
