David Sirota's essay in the Jan. 3 issue of The Nation highlighted an interesting paradox. On many important policy questions, sizeable majorities of Americans side with Democrats, yet the party does not seem able to muster those majorities at the voting booth. The question is, what are the Democrats missing? What are Democrats failing to offer voters?
While Democrats do have many strengths when it come to individual policies, they are losing out politically because they fail to connect with most voters on a far more fundamental level, even though many Democrats, especially progressives, have much in common with many of those who voted for George W. Bush on Nov. 2.
Most progressive Democrats I know believe that American culture is deeply troubled. So much that once was good or meaningful in American life has been abandoned in favor of disposable goods and equally disposable ethics. We're no longer asked to be citizens, merely consumers. As a nation, we exhibit very little respect for the truth or humility. We abuse our environment in much the same way as we abuse ourselves.
It should come as no surprise that our athletes use steroids, our CEOs are corrupt, and our political leaders lie to us as though we are children. They are merely reflections of our society.
Many are quick to blame the media, especially television, which certainly qualifies as a cesspool for the most part. But television and popular culture is just part- albeit an important part- of a larger cultural phenomenon that has demeaned us and left many Americans angry and looking for answers.
In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, when Americans longed to be asked to do their part in some way, any way, we were literally told by our president to go shopping. As if needless consumption is the very essence and meaning of life as an American. We had to shop to prove the terrorists hadn't changed us... hadn't "won." It's perverse.
My point is this: religious conservatives, and even many non-religious conservatives, share this point of view in important ways. I am convinced that many of those who have turned to conservative religion in recent years have done so because they sense the same thing that many of us on the left do, that the "American way of life" is devoid of significance and meaning. This is as fundamental an issue as there can be in our society, one which contributes to much of the anger that is so prevalent in America today. Religious conservatives understand this void in the lives of people, and they offer a diagnosis and a solution.
Of course their diagnosis is only partially correct, and their solution is a false one. But when people are desperate for answers, they'll listen to damn near anyone who says he or she understands their fears and concerns. Bush talked to these people, and for the most part they chose to follow him, more by default than anything.
On this fundamental issue, the secular left offers no diagnosis nor solutions. Democratic leaders hope they can reach these people by talking in religious language, but this is likely to be insufficient because religion in this case is merely something many have turned to in desperation when nothing else is available. You either buy in to our destructive culture or you drop out. But where do you drop to? Some find solace and meaning in small sub-cultures, but for many Americans, conservative religion offers the answers and connectedness they're looking for. Mainstream, liberal denominations continue to lose members because they exist largely within, and without challenging, the mainstream culture, which more and more Americans are rejecting. Conservative religions vehemently reject mainstream culture, and continue to attract more and more followers.
The problem is that conservative religious leaders tell their followers that our culture's problems stem from liberal values that exhiibit tolerance for gays, abortion, and the products of Hollywood.And as they attract more and more followers, and continue to deploy the faithful on election day, we will continue to lose elections if we are seen as siding with these "liberal" forces.
This is not to suggest we support their ideas- we should strongly oppose them. But success won't be possible unless the left can offer a diagnosis and an agenda that addresses the shared concerns many of us have about American culture and its destructive influence on all of our spirits.
Listen to the Republicans. They constantly critique American culture, because to their side, American culture is synonymous with liberals. While many progressives agree that our culture is increasingly vulgar and debased, you almost never hear a Democratic candidate talk about it. It's no surprise then that people fall victim to Republican analysis of the problem...it's the only analysis they hear. Until the Democrats develop a meaningful, alternative critique, people will continue to put Republicans in power.
We need to provide a fundamental alternative that talks about rebuilding the American spirit by valuing people. We need to talk about not just the lack of health care access for many families, but about why so many of us don't feel healthy. In many cases, it's our spiritual health that is suffering the most.
Religious conservatives tell us our spiritual health is declining because of gay marriage, among other ills. We need to counter that by demonstrating that providing equal rights to gays doesn't destroy our culture, it's part of rebuilding a culture that truly values people, by allowing them to reach the highest level of fulfillment they can achieve. All that gays are seeking is the right to express devotion and love in a way that society values. That society doesn't view that as a good thing is a sign of how troubled we really are. When Democrats can stand up and say this, we will see real change.
We need to address fundamental issues of our economy. We have been sold a free market paradigm that labels us all as consumers, that tells us the more we consume, the happier we will be. We are told simultaneously that billions of individual economic decisions, based on self-interest and greed, represent the best means of advancing human happiness and economic well-being. I'm convinced most Americans understand the lunacy of this paradigm, but feel powerless to address the emptiness and lack of connectedness that such a system engenders. Yet Democrats are loathe to offer any critique of our economic order. In fact, many are vocal purveyors of the free market faith.
Polls consistently show that most Americans see corporations as rapacious, yet they vote for Republicans even though they believe that the GOP cares more about CEOs than average people according to the same polls. Democrats must begin to seriously critique our economic structure, not just in terms of earnings and taxes, but in how the growing inequality undermines the structure and morality of our society and leaves too many of us feeling hopeless about the future. People who fear a life of permanent serfdom to the likes of WalMart will respond in desperation to anyone who offers salvation or an easy scapegoat. We need to make sure they have something other than the ravings of Pat Robertson or James Dobson to turn to.
We need to talk about the importance of families and show we're serious about making fundamental change to make it easier for families to stay together. Families aren't breaking up because a lesbian couple in San Franciso is allowed to wed, but because economic problems place too much strain on our relationships. Solutions must go well beyond another tax credit.
In some respects, Democrats have made such arguments for years. But too often, the Democratic analysis is too piecemeal. Kerry had a plan for health care, a plan for taxes, a
plan for this, and a plan for that. What he didn't have was a fundamental guiding philosophy that put it all together in a cohesive package that addressed what is really ailing us. Americans will support a leader who believes America should really stand for something important and high-minded. If the Democrats can find a way to really speak from the heart about why so many Americans feel so angry and so empty, and offer a credible and meaningful alternative to the false solutions offered by right-wing religion, the Democrats will once again return to the majority.
I'll be offering some ideas in the days to come about how we might do this, but I'm sure Kos readers have plenty of ideas of their own. I'll be eager to see your suggestions.