Greetings!
As Karl Rove was spinning the 2012 Republican collapse, FOX’s Megyn Kelly famously asked “Is this just math that you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better, or is this real?” As the Dems try to spin their own humiliating 2014 rout, I have the same question. Democratic candidates were crushed in races around the country so the Democratic Party has little, if anything, to “feel better” about. But for non-partisan members of the reality-based community, there is a glimmer of hope. When given the opportunity to vote on issues through initiatives, people resoundingly voted for rational policies that could really impact their lives for the better. The question now is will either party use these results to shape policy, or will they just remain focused on serving their corporate masters?
Look at the schizophrenic election results… disgust with the direction of the country let the Republicans win by saying “I’m not Obama” without any meaningful policies. Exit polls say more than a third of people who voted for Republican House candidates said they were unhappy with the Republican Congressional leaders, yet they still voted for an even more right-leaning Congress. Oregon, Alaska, and Washington DC legalized pot, and though legalization failed in Florida it still got 57% of the vote. Alaska’s minimum-wage passed with 69% of the vote AND they legalized pot, but Democratic Senator Mark Begich still lost. In six states and three cities, minimum wage laws passed. Arkansas raised the minimum wage with 65% of the vote but elected a senator who’s against it. Pro-choice Colorado voters elected a senator who supports a “personhood” bill. A majority of voters say they want a way for immigrants to stay in the country even if they’re here illegally, the opposite of most of the newly elected senators. Two-thirds of voters said the economy favors the wealthy, yet they overwhelmingly elected candidates who back more tax cuts for the 1%, oppose minimum wage increases, and want to repeal ObamaCare. And the examples go on.
Why did all these traditionally Democratic issues win while the Dems themselves lost? Well, the Republicans ran a brutally efficient campaign and there was a little mid-term political voodoo, but the biggest factor was so few of the Democratic candidates actually ran as Democrats. Despite the sustained popularity and interest surrounding Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Democratic analysts don’t credit it because they don’t have the courage of their (or anyone else’s) convictions. Their 2014 loss won’t be blamed on vacuous candidates without the spine to fight for principle; it will be blamed on Democrats being “too liberal”. Following the Clinton playbook, Democrats will abandon people and principle for the sweet milk of money from corporate teats, and an increasingly disgusted electorate will again be faced with a choice between Republican and Republican Lite. And the Democrats will wonder, again, why no one likes them.
I care about the issues neither the Democratic or Republican party will risk their corporate masters’ money to support. While some 2014 midterms were decided by as few as 20% of the electorate, I believe real, stable majorities can be formed around sane environmental policies, fair taxes on wealth and corporations, investment in our own country, solid primary education and affordable college tuition, retirement security, living-wage jobs, accountability for corporate criminals, empowered workers, realistic trade policies, investment in new energy, and a transparent and responsible government that’s not controlled by money. The silver lining? As more people realize how attainable these things actually are, they’ll realize the main obstacle has been the pathetic charlatans they’ve been electing. My hope is that the incongruence of results made obvious by this last election could unmask this fallacious left/right dichotomy, and that one day a political party will actually form around the issues that matter to we, the people.
Take care and make a great day,
