Watching the events unfold in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan and elsewhere has been an ordeal. It is so hard for me to watch as the Republicans work to destroy workers rights, womens rights, etc etc. The sad thing is that I now realize that this is a grand plan by the Republicans and I fear that it will work. The writing is on the wall, my friends. Pat Buchanan is smiling as he watches this... because he knows that the "Silent Majority" that he spoke about in 1968 is alive and well in America and that, right now, events are unfolding that could undo the Democratic Party just as it did beginning in 1968. (Read this carefully before you decide to slam me for saying it). This isn't about Mayor Daley... this is about the votes of a huge swatch of America that remains red.
We are falling for a trap...
The Democratic Party has a huge tent... we had a huge tent from FDR to Humphrey. The events of 1968 led to the destruction of that coalition and, in my humble opinion, the events of late could certainly lead us to a similar result. Here is why:
- A great many Americans didn't vote in the last election.
- A majority of Americans don't live in a city.
- A majority of Americans have never been a Union member.
- A great many of Americans still have racial distrust.
- Most of Americans are concerned about the economy and jobs.
- A great many of Americans are Christians who are told by their clergy that 'conservatives' are "God's People".
- A majority of Americans form their opinions from their friends opinions. We are NOT a nation of leaders.
- A majority of Americans don't like conflict and live their lives "going with the flow".
- A majority of Americans live in a virtual box and only get their news from headlines or "water cooler" conversations.
- A majority of Americans have bought into the meme that "Liberal" is bad and "Conservative" is good. That is why they won't admit they are liberal and say they are "Independent" instead.
- A majority of Americans think that they owe their boss something more than labor because he/she/it pays them
If you think that Barack Obama was elected President because of his awesomeness... you are mistaken. Barack Obama was elected President because John McCain and Sarah Palin lost their ability to connect with the majority of voters because they LIED and played politics too much.
If you think that people will reelect Barack Obama because of his awesomeness again... you probably have a surprise coming... the great majority of people that elected him the first time are not happy with the results. He really did become the lesser of 2 evils. He ISN'T standing up for the middle class and he has been a lap dog for the Republicans... ESPECIALLY on the Health Care Bill. There... I said it. Before you get your panties in a knot... I worked on his campaign and will work on it again because he is the lesser of 2 evils. In the context of 1968, he is no Bobby Kennedy. I am not the only Democrat to feel this way and you know it to be true.
In 1968, the majority of the country couldn't relate to the protests by students and the racial discrimination riots. The Republicans used that to push public opinion against the Democrats and, in the same vein, I see that they are attempting to do the same thing now. Politics is all about relating with the voter. The protests over Public Unions is a loser. It will fire up the Democratic base... but I see that the Republicans will use those protests against us in the future. They are already painting it that way and I suspect that it will work. They have a powerful argument in the fact that Federal Employees don't have collective bargaining rights and the majority of red states are "right to work" states (such as North Carolina where I live).
There is already press movement to paint workers rights as bad for employment.
» Michigan 10.0 study: Right-to-work tradeoff is more jobs for lower pay
» Bill O'Reilly says unemployment is lower in 'right-to-work' states
» Time to Tackle Right to Work
» The Real Issue in the Government Worker Union Battle
and on and on...
When the average person in America looks at what is happening in Wisconsin... they don't think to themselves "This is an attack on me!". They don't consider the fact that Public Workers jobs are threatened or care that much about it. It doesn't hit them where it hurts. That is a problem.
If you look at the Culture War that the Republicans are waging... on issue after issue they are appealing to that silent majority that I spoke of earlier. The Tea Party was just the beginning. As Democrats, we need to stop playing reactionaries and go on the offense... but I am doubtful that will happen in my lifetime. On issue after issue after issue our "leaders" roll over and compromise. Where are our "leaders"? Do we even have any leaders? When is the last time they were doing anything close to the movement that the Koch Brothers started? Where are OUR BALLS? They are tucked along with our tails. How the hell do you come away from 2008 and within a year or two start acting like we are acting? Guess what! The Republicans are playing hardball... we are playing fair. Guess what! We will lose unless we can start playing to win. Let's stop playing on the Republicans turf and start making them play on ours. I wish I couldn't say this... but it may already be too late.
Please... take a few minutes... breathe deeply... think about what I am saying before you comment. I am 100% FOR workers rights and fully support Unions.