Since the 1970’s the Democratic Party has asked progressives to accept a secondary, backseat role. As the conversations has moved to the right for 40 years, right wing Republicans now dominate the vast majority of elected positions in the nation. In order to start winning again, Democrats need to cede leadership to progressives.
The rationale behind asking progressives to fall in line and accept a minority role is that our left wing would all suffer the same poor election results as George McGovern in 1972. But this philosophy ignores how right wing Republicans have successfully shifted the overton window of dominant political discourse to the far, far right over 40 years. As “centrist” Democrats (who are often more conservative than Conservative Party members in other developed nations) are now failing to inspire the turnout we need to fight back, we need a new path forward.
Why are progressives always the ones being asked to sacrifice for the supposed greater good? Why must we accept a party that continues to allow the worst military interference in other nations in the world’s history with over 1000 overseas bases and active ops (including drone strikes) in many sovereign nations? Why must progressives shut up about more new drilling going on in the last 8 years than under any previous US president? Why must we ignore the fact that more undocumented migrants have been deported in recent years than anytime before?
Why is it incumbent upon progressives to ignore how our party has grown increasingly dependent on big money from wealthy benefactors? Why must we ignore how the corporate media serves its own interests? Why should we ignore how leaders in our party are openly advocating for a corporate-written deregulated trade pact like the TPP?
Why are progressives supposed to just silently accept the militarization of police, the world’s worst incarceration rate, systemic racism, worsening police brutality, and domestic espionage? Why do we need to just accept new pipelines (especially through Native American treaty lands) and fracking? Why is it our burden to not speak out against the fact that wealth inequality has continued to get worse even during Democratic administrations?
The far right wing Republican Party now dominates the Presidency, both chambers of Congress, one party control of 33 (2/3rds) of both chambers of state legislatures, 33 (2/3rds) of governorships, and the Supreme and Federal Courts. Democrats only control 13 of the state legislatures (1/4) and 18 governorships (just over 1/3rd). And the official membership in our party has dwindled.
Republicans will of course falsely try to claim that their success in elections is due to “liberal overreach” and point to polls that indicate that more people self-identify as conservative than liberal. But on virtually every individual issue out there (trade, minimum wage, wealth inequality, regulating Wall Street, getting big money out of elections, equality, cannabis legalization, etc.), the majority of people identify with the progressive position better.
“I’ve seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign.”
Harry S. Truman May 17, 1952 to Americans for Democratic Action
trumanlibrary.org/...
Now is not the time to sweep fundamental reforms of our party under the rug. Now is not the time to blame various identity groups (like independents or white working class voters). Now is the time for Democrats to be Democrats again, for us to adopt bold progressive policies that we were known for in the New Deal era. Now is the time for bold progressive leadership on every level of the Democratic Party, from the DNC to local organizing units in all 50 states and 3000+ counties. Our alternative is to have more catastrophic election results like 2010, 2014, and 2016.