(Originally published March 8, 2021)
The Democratic Party likes to think that it is the party of the American people, the downtrodden and disadvantaged, the disaffected, the minorities, the women, the LGBQ. In the past, perhaps this was true. These days, the Democratic Party only represents itself. The people have been forgotten.
During the past presidential primary, none of the Democratic candidates for President spoke in a compelling, presidential manner offering a clear vision for America. Instead, they all had their ‘special” focus that was intended to differentiate themselves from the other candidates.
“Not sure how to open this beer but I have a plan for everything!”
“Free tuition, free health insurance, free the workers, socialism rules!”
“It’s not the race card – that little girl really was me!”
“Wake me up when it’s over!”
“Anybody order a young gay mayor with a side of military service!”
Thank God for Covid-19 and the blind ego of Donald J. Trump. The Democratic Party won the presidency and the Senate on sheer dumb luck with candidates of questionable ability. This will not happen again.
The Democratic Party left common sense behind a long time ago. It’s like a Studio 54 party when Studio 54 was no longer cool, where everyone is desperately doing their own thing and trying to be the center of attention but no one remembers how to dance or change the music, and none of the bathrooms work so the p**s and s**t just keeps piling up to the sound of the same monotonous beat repeating itself over and over. Really sad when you think about it, so let’s not – just party!
There is a difference between having a big tent where everyone can feel welcome and having a big rager where everyone is out of their minds. Does the Democratic Party know the difference?
It is time for the Democratic Party to sober up and focus. Is it still the party of the people, or has it become the party of the rich and the famous, the celebrities and the socialists, the artists and the anarchists, the oppressed and the obsessed? Is there still room in the big tent for normal everyday people, or is this just not woke anymore?
How did the Democratic Party become the apologist for high-tech billionaires, the Chinese, the illegal immigrant hordes, the rioters and looters, the end-of-days fanatics?
Consider who the Democratic Party has welcomed into its fold:
- Antifa anarchists;
- Black Lives Matter revolutionaries;
- Anti-capitalist socialists;
- Historical revisionists.
How exactly do these groups represent the average working American who just wants to live a decent life?
Consider some of the positions the Democratic Party has recently taken:
- Canceling infrastructure projects such as the Keystone pipeline and completion of the border wall, costing thousands of well-paying projects when the projects support energy independence and prevent the flow of drugs and unskilled labor into the country;
- Allowing the teachers unions to blackmail the country for preferential vaccine treatment while they selfishly refuse to teach our children;
- Agreeing to provide a pathway to citizenship for people who are in this country illegally when others immigrated legally, following our laws and often paying thousands of dollars for doctors and lawyers in the process;
- Welcoming undocumented, often ill, children and asylum seekers into the country and paying for their care when so many Americans are unemployed and suffering.
How exactly do these positions benefit the average working American instead of costing them money and opportunity?
The Democratic Party is letting itself be defined by the Republicans as the party that puts average Americans last and not first, the party of politically correct cancel-culture elitists, the party bought off and controlled by the special interests, the party that is anti-gun and anti-God and anti-life, the party that lets the insane run the asylum. Could it be that the Republicans are right?
The Democratic Party needs to straighten itself out.
This effort starts with recognizing that the Democratic Party has a leadership problem. Most of its most visible leaders are old-school politicians in their 60’s and 70’s, empty of ideas and vision, greedily sucking the life out of the Democratic Party. When they are gone there will be a leadership void that will be filled with angry, strident, inexperienced men and women who are closed-minded and vindictive. The Democratic Party needs experienced, reasonable, and energetic leadership that can speak with strength and compassion to the average American.
This straightening-out effort continues with focusing on the core Democratic values of social and cultural inclusion, fiscally responsible compassion for the disadvantaged, an equitable distribution of this country’s wealth among all of its citizens, and a strong defense of this country from enemies foreign and domestic.
Finally, this effort ends with claiming the moral and ethical high ground at home and abroad. No more personal insults, no more alternative facts, no more self-sacrificing policies. There must be a recognition that a great country leads the world by example and strength, not by bluster or appeasement or naïve trust.
The world is undergoing an existential change in its climate, profound regional changes in economic strengths and political alliances, and increasing geopolitical instability. Americans have spent the past several decades fighting between ourselves instead of noticing how the world has been changing around us and affecting the changes necessary to adapt and thrive.
It is not only the world that has been changing. This country has been changing as well, and not in a good way. Economic inequality, hyper-partisanship, and the domination of our politics by special interests/corporate dark money has pushed aside the best interests of the American people in favor of making the rich richer. It is no wonder that so many people are scared and angry.
Make America Great Again is the right idea, something that we should all be able to get behind. For Democrats, this needs to start with common sense and moderation, and ensuring that the rights and interests of American citizens are always being addressed first.