As purported defenders of the middle and working classes, as designated mitigators of the excesses of capitalism, the Democrats have fallen, and seem unlikely to get up. With the very notable exception of Bernie Sanders, the Democrats' brand since the Bill Clinton era has been, "We're not as bad as those other guys."
And while the Millennials came out for Obama and his message of hope and change, they are not as willing as older folks to once again settle for the lesser evil. They are waiting for the greater good, and will stay home unless one appears. (Of course, Trump may impose such a clear and present danger that enough people will say enough to the Republican Party and finally drive a stake through their heartlessness.)
So aside from the prospect of Donald Trump single-handedly destroying the Republican Party, where IS the hope?
From Identity Issues to Identical Issues
If the Republicans have devolved into the party of selfish-righteousness the Democrats have become the party of selfless helplessness -- apparently well meaning but inept at courageously standing up for any principles (or perhaps even having any principles at all). The Democrats' idea of "taking a stand" is refusing to call Islamic extremists Islamic extremists. (I have long believed that political correctness dating back to the late 1970s and early 1980s is how "the right got right and the left got left." But that's another blog post.) Their political strategy has been to focus on cultural issues and "identity issues" and ignore the big fat elephant (and donkey) in the living room -- the American empire, the corporate state, and pay-to-play government.
The great potential of the Bernie Sanders campaign is to shift the focus from identity issues to identical issues -- issues like climate change, clean air, water and food, and economic "thrival" that impact each and all of us, regardless of gender, skin color, religion and the political tribe we identify with. That's why I am hearing from Tea Party Republicans who will vote for Bernie, as they recognize that none of the available Republican candidates are free enough from the power of money to truly be populists. They know the Republican establishment will never enact the kind of tax reform that will prevent the wealthiest from dodging taxes (see this article in the New York Times this week).
So ... next time we hear the Trump blaring forth simplistic misunderstanding, willful ignorance, and demagoguery (pointing fingers at "dem, dem, dem" and never "us") let's take it as the clarion call to gather the 65% or 75% or 80% of us who want government of, by and for the people where the government does OUR bidding and not the bidding of the highest bidder. And next time we hear "oh, Bernie can't win", let's remind ourselves that really Bernie can't lose, because a sleeping giant -- aka "We the People" -- has been awakened.
And as Swami tells us, either we will have an awakening -- or we will have a wake.
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