The Democrats lost because of that for which the Democratic Party does not stand. While I believe that things can get much worse much quicker under Republican rule, people in general, don't have faith in either party. But what if there were an alternative? The answer is below the squiggle.
Imagine a political party whose foundational belief is that all people are created equal and possess the same inalienable rights among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What would such a political party favor?
1. No large campaign contributions from single donors. No campaign contributions from special interest groups.
2. No personal campaign attack ads against competing parties.
3. No misrepresentation of the truth about political issues. Dealing with issues rationally and always with the aim of protecting individual rights and the Common Good.
4. A constitutional amendment that would give the federal government the duty, the power and the authority to protect all citizens' individual rights and their access to the benefits of the Common Good, if and when the states fail to do this.
5. A job for every single adult citizen willing and able to work. A job that would pay at least a healthful living wage. A healthful living wage is one that affords a healthful lifestyle.
6. The right to health for all earners and for those unable to work. This involves not being unnecessarily exposed to toxins, allergens and pathogens; having pure, hot running water; no sub-quality housing; enough good, GMO-free food.
7. An end to government financial support of large industries, corporations and banks. No more government subsidies, tax breaks, tax loopholes, etc.
8. Eliminating all other wasteful government spending.
9. Not raising middle class income tax but raising enough revenue to pay off the National Debt and to run the Federal Government debt-free by increasing income tax rates for the highest 1% earners.
10. Encouraging the stabilization of population growth in the United States.
(For more information on the above see the third post of www.t-partyfailure.blogspot.com.)
This political party would not appeal to special interests including the Religious Right, Organized Crime, white supremacists, and abusers of all kinds. If its candidates could be elected by all those fair-minded voters who still believe in the principle of "Liberty and Justice for ALL", there would still be hope for this country. If the majority of voters in this country are no longer fair-minded, then there is no hope for a peaceful solution to social and economic injustice.
I don't possess the knowledge nor the wisdom to determine if the Democratic Party could metamorphose into this new party or if it would be more efficient to just build a new third party from scratch. I ask the readers of Daily Kos to say what they think would be better.