Like many of us, I’m shocked by the degree of increasing polarization which has occurred in America. When I was a young boy, in the decade after World War II, this would have been impossible to even imagine. Of course, Trump did not begin this process, it has been developing for decades, and may have begun during those same post war years, during the rise of the Civil Rights movement, and the crushing of left wing groups and independent unions in the early 1950s. It was necessary to create the public impression that left movements for socialism and militant trade unionism was un-American and directed by foreign or Russian sources. In more recent times, our fears have been directed towards the poor and people of color in America, non-white immigrants, and Muslims and the mostly Muslim peoples of the Middle East. And most recently, towards “liberals” and “democrats” as well.
It is within this charged political climate that I’m advancing some critical areas for any serious Democratic presidential candidate to explore and would like to see them included in their stump speeches. Chief among them is to counter the impression that the general public has been fed by Republicans and Trump that, depending on their party affiliation, a president will be “for them” or “against them.” In this way, it precludes any real consideration of what is being said or done by the politicians in both parties. Many voters are tending more and more to look ONLY at the political party when voting, and have little expectation that anything of consequence will be done by them.
Trumps strategy is one of diversion and out of the closet racism. And he controls the media by launching an assault on the Republic or some individual or group he despises on an almost a daily basis. Many voters already tend to perceive the Republican Party as a “white people’s party” and the Democratic Party as a party for “liberals” and minorities. Remember that the Republicans attacked the Affordable Care Act by calling it “Obamacare” every chance they got. And misinforming whites that it was a measure only for blacks.
So what does all this mean for Democratic candidates? It means they must find a way to credibly counter this narrative. Now I’m no speech writer, but nevertheless I’ll give it a try. What I would emphasize every chance I get, is that:
“I will be a president of ALL Americans. Including those who do not agree with me on some issues. Whether you are a struggling poor white that needs assistance, or a struggling poor black. Regardless of your political or social views. Or political Party. Or whether you voted for me or not. It will be my responsibility to make your life better in any way I can. If you are a struggling poor or middle class white or black, it is my responsibility to see that you have health care and a fair tax rate. If you are in need of health care, it will be my responsibility to see that this will be provided in a system of health care that ALL Americans can afford. And I will not accept the notion that “We can’t afford to do this.” Or that we can’t solve the problems of climate change/global warming, or deny that there is a serious crisis developing that the entire planet faces. And I will not single out citizens and call them by insulting nicknames or mock them on Twitter.”
None of this precludes more detailed proposals being made in these areas, but right now, given the stranglehold that right wing and corporate interests have over media coverage, the candidates need to get people’s attention and get them listening to what they say. Scary as it is, just watch the major media coverage in places great and small. They don’t get to see or hear or consider the damage Trump and company is doing. Outside of some of the major cities, you get the Republican perspective on everything. Most people in their orbit will never read a publication like DailyKos or watch MSNBC.
I do think that some of the candidates have already fallen into the polarization trap set by Trump. And given the dirty tricks Trump has under his sleeve, every vote counts. He cannot afford to lose even 5% percent of his base supporters. And any Democratic candidate must exceed what Hillary got in the last election, as I suspect there will be a record turnout.