Russia is a critical story. But it’s not the story that affects America's dinner table, health, or financial well-being. Many of us in the liberal intelligentsia love the intricacies of this story. After all, who would believe that the Republican leadership would be so soft on their patriotism that they're willing to put their heads in the sand and play dumb?
Still, it would do progressives well to remember a few realities: 52 percent of white women and 81 percent of white evangelicals voted for the man who spoke about violating women, grabbing them by their genitals, and imposing his physicality on them as he disregarded their humanity.
The Trump voter knew that Trump had some relationship with the Russians. In fact, Fox News and Republicans were praising Vladimir Putin as a better leader than President Obama. The Trump voter saw a candidate who refused to criticize Putin, regardless of whatever vile act he committed.
Donald Trump swindled Trump University students. He stiffed vendors, employees, and much more. The Trump voter heard all of that. But a large percentage of Americans have so had it with the establishment wings of both parties that enough of them stayed home or voted for Trump and gave him an electoral win.
Trump never had stellar poll numbers. But he did not need to be popular: he just needed the votes in the right places to win, and he got them.
In watching the hyperventilation on Russia, it is clear that progressives are repeating the same mistakes of the last several elections that have decimated the Democratic bench throughout the states and in the federal government. The people's party, the Democrats, are out of step with the people.
Nothing in the Russia story will improve the personal economies of working-class Americans. It will not give them good health care. It will not rebuild infrastructure to provide jobs. It will not educate our children. So while working-class America continues to suffer from subpar wages, while they continue to see their health care costs rise, they hear a narrative that's anathema to their reality. The liberal intelligentsia, the Democratic establishment, is concentrating on a subject that will do absolutely nothing to make their lives better while at the same time giving President Charlatan an excuse for his inability to accomplish anything for the working class.
No one is asking that we ignore the Russia story. In fact, taking it off of the front burner as folks build a substantive, evidence-based case would be much more effective. Think of how impactful a breaking story would be—but one that is well-developed, where the Trump family's financial entanglements and collusion with Russia emerge with clarity. It would be much more effective than the daily Russian repetitiousness which causes everyone but the political junkies to switch to the Food Network, Discovery Channel, ESPN, or some other station to break said monotony.
So what should the progressive intelligentsia expend its resources on? Education, for starters—but in a manner that is palatable to working-class America. Trump’s three most disruptive policies—Trumpcare, tax cuts, and immigration—can be tied into a perfect economic narrative that exposes Republicans for the charlatans that they are.
Instead of spending time repeating the same old Russia story, journalists should go to every industrialized country and do reports about real people interacting with their health care systems, illustrating pricing and outcomes. Go to highly-taxed industrialized countries and talk to working-class people who can describe the social benefits they receive from their government. Do the mathematical analysis that shows when Americans include their insurance costs, child care expenses, elderly care costs, and other expenses absorbed by the state, how much more efficient it is than some invisible source capturing some unearned profit. The shortage of farm workers created by Trump's xenophobic stance will ensure higher prices for our produce and other farm goods.
Most of us in the progressive intelligentsia know there is a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats, since the latter truly believe in the Democratic platform. The problem is that we are governed within a thin center that minimizes the differences, so many in the working class see a convergence into the establishment—with little distinction between the parties.
Many of us are hesitant to engage those who chose Trump, simply because we know how flawed they are. A few weeks ago I wrote the following, and I hope many more will heed it.
Many Americans are racists. Some are homophobes. Too many are sexists. A growing number are xenophobic. Misogyny still reigns. Americans are humans with all the frailty humanity brings. We will not fix these defect within our lifetime.
We can break the backs of the Republicans if we stop striving toward an unachievable purity and instead work on economic, health, and other commonalities while refusing to allow our human defects to stop all progress. It can be done.
Here is an aside that liberals should note: I’ve been to many Netroots conventions and a couple of tea party conferences. This black Caribbean Latino with a Panamanian accent was treated better at the tea party conference than at Netroots when outside of my Daily Kos clique. In fact, I wrote about one shocking experience at Netroots Nation 2015 that is worth a read.
Yes, of course the tea party was likely trying to make a point with me, but that is my point. Like them, we can suppress our bad urges when we want to accomplish a goal.
Liberals will do well to read the Politico piece titled "Why Liberals Aren’t as Tolerant as They Think,” which may open the eyes of those willing to self-examine. It's something we can work on within our local progressive groups.
If we progressives don't change our game now, we will have squandered the opportunity to take over the House and the Senate in 2018 and the White House in 2020. Republicans care less about losing Trump than we do. They will be happy with President Pence and the semblance of a Republican ultra-conservative rebirth.
And so far, they’re selling a bad product much better than we are able to sell a good one.