by TJ Taub
Our politics have degenerated and warped into two views.
- “Republican” bottom line is ‘Dems are evil, we’re here to save you’.
- “Democrat” bottom line is ‘We’re not them, send money’.
Dem communications must change from five words to describing how various policies and practices got us here, and the fundamental actions required to survive this nightmare and rebuild our democracy.
If you cannot step back and see how Dems have sidestepped long-term political implications of Republican actions, you’re drinking the Kool-Aid. Neither party is what they used to be. Republican messaging and direction over four-plus decades has been focused and consistent. Unfortunately, Dem messaging is scattershot, lacking focus and consistency, its impact effective as gusts of dust. It continually fails to cite history and facts to challenge distortions and lies. It isn’t educating, connecting and energizing voters to support distinct goals with specific objectives for desired outcomes. The Party isn’t asking you to support a platform - just money to buy an emotional reaction.
A Platform Must Contain Two Things: Goals and Objectives
Goals describe a fundamental direction – such as protecting/respecting our planet and the biodiversity that sustains us. Objectives are the specific steps required to reach that Goal, which must include descriptions of issues/practices to be addressed, plus the essential actions critical for progress towards that Goal. Objectives, lacking reasons for inclusion, relegate decision-making to ‘trust me’ statements and emotion. That’s what got us here today, and why Dems are winning elections due significantly to swing and frequently apathetic voters – Emotions - not a platform, or facts, or a framework of plans.
Reasons for each Objective are also necessary to illustrate how many current policies and practices benefit a preferred few while devaluing the people who make our lives work every day - teachers, food and related workers, farmers and agricultural workers, nurses, technicians, police and fire personnel, construction and transportation workers, manufacturing and retail workers, forest service and parks workers, child minders, electricians, plumbers, automotive related workers, and so very many more.
Three Examples
Goal: Protecting Consumers. Objectives addressing dangers of monopolies - fewer options, higher prices, excessive power; protection and support for small business to rebuild their economic contribution, and provide options in choices, price competition and true customer service; the need for and benefits of consumer advocacy in retail, health, finance, etc.; for particular industries such as health care, limit size/power/profit margins and leave treatment decisions with medical personnel vs. accountants; protect small farms and related services from the factory farms that drive them out of business, subject millions of animals in single locations to horrible treatment, where difficulty in spotting/treating problems result in mass animal deaths, unhealthy products, unintended consequences such as antibiotics passed to consumers; resist privatization of government revenue streams including the post office and social security. Objectives designed to prioritize diverse consumer needs and safety over corporate profit. A balance is absolutely doable.
Goal: Teaching about governments and how OUR government is supposed to work. A thriving democracy is based on knowledge, citizen participation, and cooperation/compromise to serve the people, not The Company or a select wealthy few. Objectives would prioritize government/civics/history in our education system; illustrate how compromise is not capitulation; restore voting rights threatened by alleged massive voter fraud despite decades of studies showing miniscule numbers of offences; rebuild trust by teaching how to evaluate information sources and distinguish fact from opinion.
Goal: Protecting our air, water, land, plants/animals and their habitats from companies that, without regulation, freely prioritize profit over people and the planet. Objectives would curb negligent dumping tons of pollution, ravaging millions of acres of land and water, plants/animals/habitats, and curb unchecked drives for development; confront planned obsolescence – for example major appliances and Kindles both sold with one-year manufacturer warranties; prioritize sustainability and address the irresponsible use of finite resources as though they’re infinite instead of building affordably repairable, reusable products.
Why It Matters
Part of the human condition is greed - by some people and institutions - for power and wealth. History repeatedly shows us greed will never disappear. We must always be vigilant in protecting the fundamental principles of our democracy, including how our knowledge, thinking and understanding have grown in 250 years, if we are to regain and sustain our democracy.
Trump is not a brilliant man – he acts like an unconstrained little boy, playing games where he’s the sole and ultimate architect and decider. Corporations are not people, but Republicans gave us Citizens United (CU) and corporate influence in politics exploded. Dems wanted money too, so disregarded CU’s danger. For years Dems have failed to highlight, protect and support achievements protecting people and our planet. Even today, the Party remains largely silent. While Dems ignored the small steps, Republicans built the foundation, McConnell set the stage, Trump opened the door to people who knew how to use him as a tool for their own ends - from Putin and Netanyahu, to OMB Director and key architect/writer of Plan 2025 Russell Vought, to this country’s ultra-wealthy.
DEMOCRATS - WHAT IS YOUR PLATFORM???
