[RD] No More Democrats Who Focus Excessively on Complaints About Donald Trump

[BvBPL]

For much of the last two years, Democrat leadership has been sorely lacking any premise other than opposing now-President Trump. Democrats have been matching the puerile with the childishness of sticking their thumbs to Trump. The effort expended to condemn Trump hasn’t gotten the Democrats very far. Obamacare hangs on by a thread. A grotesquery of a tax bill was passed. The US Department of Education is run by a woman with little more recommendation than the fact that she bought her office. They shut down government. Dodd-Frank comes down as the wall goes up.

It’s time for Democrats to change tack. It ain’t a great time to be a Democrat Who Focuses Excessively on Complaints About Donald Trump so Democrats should stop Focusing Excessively on Complaints About Donald Trump. Democrats need to stop solely playing against Trump and start advocating and advancing their own interests. Right now, Democrats seem to have a chance of retaking the House and Senate in November, based largely on the fact that they are the party opposed to Trump. Imagine how much better the Democrats’ chances would be if they added policies and principals to that quiver. Imagine how much more effective a Democratic House and Senate would be in 2019 if there was a cohesive set of goals that they party wanted to achieve that had been vetted before the citizenry in the nine months prior.

In a recent op-ed, Richard Kluger provided one way by which Democrats could present a unitary plan to the American people while at the same time vetting the bench for potential leaders. Kluger purposes a series of weekly broadcasts wherein elected Democrats talk about the shared values of the Democrats and how to achieve the goals of those values. Kluger’s concept of fifty such forums would demand that Democrats move past just talking about Trump. To fill fifty such forums, Democrats would need to talk about actual issues beyond the incompetency of the current executive. What’s more, overtime the forums may enable a new means of citizen involvement in politics by soliciting viewer responses.

There’s no doubt that Trump’s wrongheaded policies are deserving of opposition, but the American people need and want more than just an opposition party from the Democrats. We elect officials to govern, and it’s high time that the Democrats show us how they will govern. Whether that’s using Kluger’s model or something else, it’s time for Democrats to be for something more than being opposed to someone.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

It should be noted that Democrats have actually shown how they will govern, by having governed.

 

[Synobun]

Opposition to an individual is a tried and true method of swaying political favour.

I'm not sure I buy the argument that the Democrats would be more endearing if they suddenly ignored the existence of Trump.

 

[Bootstoots]

I wish they would spend more time talking about the issues, but they're doing very well in special elections with their current approach. Simple opposition to an unpopular president seems to be what is working for them right now. I don't see the case for switching to a new one.

Once they get into office, though, they'll need to do a much better job of defending their position. The only elections so far in the 21st century where they did particularly well were 2006 and 2008, where they had the easy task of opposing Bush. Then they got slaughtered downballot during Obama's time in office. This sort of approach might work well for consolidating their gains post-2020 to avoid a repeat of the Obama-era debacle.

 

[GoodEnoughForMe]

Opposition to Obama worked well for Republicans, opposition to Trump is working well, electorally, for Dems. The second he's out of office Dem motivation will decline sharply. American politics are fun.

 

[Gori the Grey]

Since it's not an either/or, I'm all for Democrats also doing the radio broadcast thingy, saying what their positions and policies would be.

And it could have a good bit of anti-Trump built into it: "Until respect for an independent judiciary was challenged, we Americans all tended to take it for granted, but going forward Ds will actively cultivate this." "Until a free press was challenged, we Americans all tended to take it for granted, but going forward Ds will actively cultivate this." Every one of T's erosions of democratic norms, you make restoring it a Democratic plank.

 

[BvBPL]

I wish they would spend more time talking about the issues, but they're doing very well in special elections with their current approach.

I don’t think many Democrats would say Conor Lamb is representative of what they want the party to be.

The work of establishing positions should start now, as it would serve both as a lead up to elections and as a means to strengthen Democratic leadership. As it stands, the Democratic whips are incredibly weak, and that weakness is harming the rest of the party. Kluger’s idea cures that by forcing Democrats to say what they and the party are for. This creates a party platform that isn’t just about occasional conventions, but that is repeated weekly. This would enable whips and other leaders to stand up for the shared ideals, rather than letting votes devolve to the individual best interests of the representatives.

 

[Zkribbler]

"Crybaby Democrats" Why are you trolling Democrats in an RD-thread?

 

[Berzerker]

I'm tired of Democrats and Republicans taking turns looting the treasury and screwing up the country

 

[Lexicus]

I'm tired of Democrats and Republicans taking turns looting the treasury and screwing up the country

Is it time for a new chancellor, Berzerker? A strong chancellor?

 

[Berzerker]

I dont believe in centralizing power or I'd already be voting for Democrats and Republicans

 

[Zkribbler]

Ironically, Berzerker comes from a state where the incompetent dogma of local officials led the state to financial ruin.

Damned if you do. Damned if you don't.

 

[Berzerker]

Why is that ironic?

 

[Zkribbler]

Because you seek to avoid the evils of centralized power, but find that decentralized power dumps you into the sane cesspit.

 

[Commodore]

Is it time for a new chancellor, Berzerker? A strong chancellor?

"In order to ensure security and continuing stability, the United States shall be reorganized into the First American Empire! (dramatic pause) For a safe and secure society."

 

[Lexicus]

Because you seek to avoid the evils of centralized power, but find that decentralized power dumps you into the sane cesspit.

What about the Kansas thing said "decentralized power" though?

 

[Arakhor]

Moderator Action: Thread title changed.

 

[Berzerker]

Because you seek to avoid the evils of centralized power, but find that decentralized power dumps you into the sane cesspit.

Kansas is run by Republicans, not by people who believe in decentralized power. Nor did I move here in pursuit of decentralized power (is there such a state?).

 

[Lexicus]

Kansas is run by Republicans, not by people who believe in decentralized power. Nor did I move here in pursuit of decentralized power (is there such a state?).

California's pretty cool

But hey look, we agree on something
Republicans don't believe in 'decentralized power.' They want to centralize and indeed monopolize power so they can exercise it on behalf of the wannabe aristocracy. They don't want a "small government," they want a government that acts like a collection agency for rich people.

 

[Berzerker]

I spent roughly half my life in California, its a good state to live in. But I spent so much of my youth moving around the country I'm just tired, I wont be around long enough to uproot one more time. But if I did, I'd be looking for a warm climate and quality golf courses