[Note: Send this to your friends who need convincing...]
Are you a disgruntled progressive who thinks Barack let you down? Are you convinced that all politics is vile and all politicians venal? Do you believe your vote doesn’t matter and elections today are sold to the highest bidder?
It’s time to wipe that cynical sneer off your face. 2016 will be the most important election in your lifetime. Its result will dictate the fate of our economy, environment, women’s rights, workers’ rights, human rights, civil rights, affordable healthcare, the social safety net, our children’s future, the Supreme Court, even the fate of world peace. And that’s no exaggeration.
So, you can’t just take your ball and go home. Here are three things the world needs you to do during the next 18 months.
1) Work your ass off to ensure we have a Democratic president. Yes, we hate the whole dynasty thing. Yes, we don’t like some of the things Bill Clinton did as president (beyond his personal misbehavior). Yes, we worry about Hillary’s ties to Wall Street. But let’s not take our eyes off the target. Any Democrat is better than any Republican. Furthermore, if we don’t have a Democratic senate (see #2), it’s absolutely crucial that we have a Democratic president.
Voters who deserted Al Gore for Ralph Nader: pay attention! Maybe our political system is out of whack. Maybe the two-party system is stupid. Whatever you believe, there is nothing more stupid than ignoring the rules of the game. And in this game, it’s winner take all. This is no time to be apathetic or contrarian. Learn. To. Love. Hillary. (Besides, there’s actually lots to love.)
2) Work your ass off to make sure we have a progressive Democratic Senate. Seven Democratic senators are up for re-election and three are retiring. But on the Republican side, there are 23—yes, 23!—senators up for re-election and one retiring. While some of those Republicans seeking re-election have safe seats, others do not. Here is a huge opportunity.
If we can add more true progressives to the senate, President HRC will be forced to lean leftward, or perhaps we should say that her more liberal tendencies will be encouraged to come to the fore. We already have a strong group of progressives in the senate. Let’s add to their number and give them an even more powerful voice.
3) Work your ass off to elect progressives to state and local offices. Don’t just fixate on the top of the ticket. We need to rid our state legislatures and governors’ offices of right wing blowhards who have amply demonstrated that they and their corporate-dictated, personally-invasive, family-unfriendly, racially divisive policies are ruinous.
Today, 30 state legislatures are held by Republicans; only 11 are Democratic (nine are split). There are 31 Republican governors and only 18 Democrats (and one Independent). If we want the field of future Democratic leaders to flourish, we need to plant seeds in that garden now.
Most of all, don’t let your idea of a perfect world ruin your ability to work for a better one. Accept what is and start from there. Seek peace, love, and joy in your life; look for ways to bring happiness to others and yourself. But also take your responsibility as a citizen of democracy seriously. This time around, it really is up to you.