I take Booman’s gracious words to heart. I still think the temptation (all over the Net on Progressive sites) to restrict or denigrate unwelcome news and views has done more damage than good. We are at the same place the Republicans were, only listening to what we want to hear. But we also was poorly served by our Democratic infrastructure. So here is a quick “Why” and “What now”
Candidate matters.
History, talent on the stump, message, baggage. Sorry but that is a fact. Shutting down debate or denigrating anyone pointing those facts out does not help the Progressive Cause.
Institutional problems
The DNC failed the country by not keeping a level field so the best candidate could arise. The idea that super delegates could be sown up before the first primary vote is cast was insane. No super delegate should commit until his state has voted in the Primary. The DNC, institutionally, has to be neutral until the candidate is chosen
Party policy problems.
The shift away from working people to Wall Street may have been expedient in the 90’s,but after almost 20 years of trade deals, loosened financial regulation, free international flow of capital, and ignoring the center part of the country ; we have the map of this morning. The “Recovery” isn’t happening in most of the country and our Candidate did not address that fact effectively. The other, while being unrealistic in his promises, did. Like it or not, that is a fact. Its always, “The economy, stupid”
You cannot create a winning coalition based on the coasts, Ill. and Mich . The warning signs were there before the election and during the Primary. I wrote here about coal and Appalachia the total lack of support for HRC there as opposed to 8 yrs earlier. You have to ask why the total drop. You think votes in Eastern Ohio or Western PA would have helped?
At other sites, I was pooh- poohed as they were all sexist rednecks anyway. Coal is dead. Maybe, but the total disregard for the 100s of thousands who work those jobs, their family and relatives is just emblematic of a wider distain for hourly workers. Textile in Va and NC. Heavy Machine and auto in upper Midwest. Small town and farms in South and midWest. All WERE the backbone of the Democratic Party. All have walked away. Why? It has been the dream of some in the Party, “We can ignore most of the states if we just win the right ones. We won’t have to accommodate then, listen to their concerns or even go down there. (restaurants are bad anyway) They are all uneducated xenophobic, racist, KnowNothings and I don’t want to be around them.” Well they just handed us our head and the Progressive Cause has been set back.
Way forward.
-The DNC leadership needs to go. All of them. Replaced with people familiar with the ground in ALL 50 states. Some will be bringing unwelcome ideas to the table. Too bad. It’s an election in 50 states, not one National election.
-Emphasis should return to the curbing the power of elites and corporations; and spreading the “Recovery” to the rest of the country. The big mistake of Obama’s Admin was having Wall Street in the Treasury Dept and at the table in the White House (Clinton Adm veterans) in 2008 and 2009. Fraudsters should have been prosecuted, big banks broken up. Anti Trust brought back. Steep regulation on them. If Congress would not go along, then campaign hard on it 2010. Those are missed opportunities. There is a reason Sanders did so well with those messages. Learn from past mistakes.
-No more big donations. The Party should make a pledge, no more PAC money for candidates. No more big donors. Commit to small donations as was done with Sanders. If the candidate has the support, they will get the money. Personally, I would also commit, for state or Congressional contests; “no donations from individuals or organizations who can’t vote in the election” No out of state money. No out of district money. No special interest money. One of the most effective lines of Trump was the common sense notion that you don’t give $200,000 for a boring lunch talk. You are buying influence. Same with big donations. No one is being fooled. Maybe then the interests of the non corporate millionaires would be taken seriously.
-Campaign on the revolving door/lobbyist issue. That is another known problem. (Evan Bayh anyone?) Commit to any candidate getting Democratic Support that they won’t go into lobbying business for 5 years? Can it be enforced? No, but if you don’t deal with them in Congress later; they aren’t effective.
-If there is any money left, start working at the state level again. Rebuild from the States up, not Washington down. That has been a problem. Interests of K Street and DC bar hoppers don’t match with an out of work machinist In Wis. a coal miner in KY or a farmer in Ark.
Those are some ideas off the top of my head. There are more out there. What THIS and other Progressive sites must NOT do is blame the voter. They are always right. If Hillary lost, its because they didn’t believe her or like her or was not convinced that her policies were correct and could be implemented. Whose fault is that?
Ridge