I’m done trying to convince friends, acquaintances, and strangers to vote for Democrats. Instead, I’m going to try to convince them to vote.
The Republicans who turn out every mid-term election to give us a sound thumping on our heads don’t turn out because they want to repeal Obamacare, or because they’re worried about immigrants and homosexuals. Yes, those things might be on their minds when they vote, but that’s not why they turn out. They show up at the polls because it’s habit. It’s routine. Voting is an ingrained part of their experience of being an American citizen.
Even though I detest the way they cast their ballots, I admire these Republicans for their civic virtue and participation in the democratic process.
Liberals, on the other hand, have a tendency to be fair-weather voters. They love the idea of making history by electing groundbreaking candidates. They joined the bandwagon that put Obama in the White House, and I suspect they’ll happily jump aboard the Clinton Express in two years. But too few of them are interested in the nuts and bolts of basic governance.
Extolling progressive policy ideas and demonizing extremist Republicans in Congress is not going to build the Democratic base. Our voters are already out there; we just need them learn to love the process of participatory democracy. We need to habituate them to voting in every election.
In 2016, I’m going to phone bank and canvass more fiercely than I have in any previous election. But I’m no longer going to give half-hearted, scripted pitches about candidates that I barely know. Instead, I’m going to appeal to peoples’ patriotism. I’m going to share my passion for the basic ideals of personal enfranchisement. I want them to develop the same swelling of pride in being an American that I feel every time I’m able to say this: