It's no longer politics as usual. We can't keep doing the same thing, hoping to turn people out to vote and that they will listen to the issues and we'll keep a majority. It is time to turn the tables, throw a fit and claim back territory that has been given up which, if the minority keeps it, will lead to the loss of our democracy.
Democrats have to start taking the conservative social agenda seriously. We're not talking about a fringe of extremists. We just had an eighteen year old white supremacist plan and conduct a mass shooting in a supermarket in a predominantly black neighborhood three hours from his home because he believes white people are being "replaced" by black people, instigated by the Jews, for their own purposes. And a significant percentage of those who self identify as Republicans, 50% of them, claim they believe what he stated in his "manifesto." We can't be policy wonks, arguing the lack of virtue or idiocy of such an idea. We have to use the tools we have at hand to take any kind of political power out of the hands of people like that.
When was the last time you went to a protest at a Trump rally?
Unify Behind a Common Cause
Democrats need to stop messing around over petty issues. The Republicans are doing their dead level best to drive a wedge into the supposed gap that separates progressives from the rest of the Democratic party. There is one common cause right now and that is winning enough mid-term elections to keep the Democrats in power in Washington. We need to add three or four senate seats and maybe 15 more house seats to make it work. Whatever it takes to win in 2022 needs to be done.
Every Democratic constituency needs to turn out. There's no excuse for African Americans to hold back this time around, because they have been the constituency that has been attacked the most from the extremist right. Seven percent of the black vote stayed home in 2016. Just one percent more in three states would have made the difference in 2016. The Latino activists need to take advantage of candidates they have running on the ballot in several states, including Texas and Arizona. It's the Latino vote in Arizona that succeeded in ousting notorious bigot Joe Arpaio from the Maricopa County Sheriff's office, and in electing Mark Kelly and getting Biden Arizona's 11 electoral votes in 2020.
Get over the inflation issue. In perspective, it's just not that important. Bigger things are at stake. Democrats have some waves to ride into 2022 that have been productive gifts and should continue to be productive into election season. There's the hearings on the January 6th insurrection. There are some ways to cash in on that which should motivate a lot of votes come November. There's the fact that many Republicans are dragging their heels on aid to Ukraine, and there are Republicans who just can't bring themselves to be critical of Putin. And there's the gift that keeps on giving, the attacks on Roe v. Wade. Every single one of these issues gets favorable polling above 60%.
Go There!
I have recently discovered just how much fun it is to engage on social media and "own me some conservatives." A couple of things have resulted from doing this. One, Democrats come out of the woodwork. There have been times when I thought I was the only political liberal in a particular thread or discussion when all of a sudden, I start seeing posts picking up my themes and beating people over the head with them, figuratively, of course. There's been a sudden surge in hits on this blog, accompanied by comments which I delightfully delete, except for the few that follow my rules.
And--this may sound a bit arrogant, but I don't really care--I've discovered that a lot of Trumpies and right wing extremists do not have strong English language skills. With a minor in English and some training and experience in Journalism, it is fun to rip apart arguments not only with facts, but correcting and pointing out the horrible grammar and spelling that is common to conservatives. I'm not rude, just annoying. And it is fun to see the response and know that you achieved your objective of getting under their skin.
Republicans have taken a real liking to AM talk radio. Call-in shows are the most fun because once they engage you in conversation, they can't cut you off without looking bad. In larger markets, talk radio has devices, like 10 second delays and the ability to cut you off if they don't like where you're going. National network programs are very hard to get into, and they have tactics to cut off callers who aren't with their agenda. But some small town stations with some local talk programs, which also get political in nature, don't have either the sophisticated equipment or the ability to cut you off as quickly as they'd like. I find some small town AM radio station with a local talk show that broadcasts on line, do a little research, find out what they're talking about and call in.
Show up at school board meetings and city council meetings and when the conversation gets around to some kind of conservative social agenda issue, speak up. Follow the rules for addressing the group, but don't let that conspiracy theory or Trumpie talk go unchallenged. I've actually had a school board president, weary with the conservative jabber that goes on in their meetings, thank me for coming and for stepping up to the mike and challenging the falsehoods, lies and conspiracy theories with facts. Come prepared. If you do a little research ahead of time you can find out what cause the conservatives are harping on and gather some facts to refute whatever they say.
Vote! Straight Ticket Democrat if They Let You
In some states, they have a tactic of alternating names on the ballot so that you have to look at each name to see their political affiliation, and each line is different. Others simply let you cast a vote in one box for straight ticket Democrat. I prefer that method, since it takes just a few seconds, the outcome would be no different if I stood and marked each box, and I can make the point with the people who are either in line or who work the polls with my "Voting Democrat" button that I pull out after I vote.
It is no longer business as usual. Democrats need to change methods with the times and go head to head against the ignorance and bigotry of the right. Don't give an inch and while some Democrats may be uncomfortable with some of the tactics, remember that this is being done to preserve democracy, or the freedom to do it might not exist.
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