Recently, when the pendulum seems to be swinging in their direction, the Democrats have found some way to screw up. Will it happen in this November’s election and again in 2020? During the Obama administration, the Democrats completely neglected many of their state organizations, allowing the Republicans to take control of the governorships and state legislatures of a large majority of states at various times. Because the GOP was in power in these states, it allowed them to gerrymander the congressional and legislative districts after the census and to work out voter suppression schemes, many of which remain in place. Obama, the community organizer, did little to organize any resistance to the Republican activities which were at least partially responsible for Trump’s victory.
Trump was a vulnerable candidate and by anointing Hillary as his opponent, the Democrats lost a chance to hold onto the White House. Aside from her ethical problems, her ties to Wall Street, and her disrespecting voters with her deplorables comment, she was a terrible campaigner. Her ties to her ethically challenged husband also did not help her. And the fact that the voting was rigged in her favor against Bernie Sanders by the Democratic establishment, the national committees and the super-delegates were also not helpful for Hillary in the general election.
The largest bloc of voters in America are moderates, centrists and independents, rather than Democrats and Republicans according to polls over the last several years. The rise of the radical left in the Democratic Party with their calls for impeachment of Trump and Kavanaugh will not aid the Democrats in their quest for control of the House and Senate in the coming election unless they control their rhetoric. The House may still be won but the Senate is much less likely because of these extremists who do not appeal to the nation’s centrists. Winning the Senate would have been a stretch anyway, but the far left radicals make it much more difficult.
The question for 2020 is who the Democratic presidential candidate will be. It appears that numerous men and women will be in the race early, confusing the electorate and wasting Democratic campaign funding. As the proverb goes, ‘too many cooks spoil the broth.’ The party needs a strong candidate to rally around who can stand toe to toe with Trump and attract middle American voters. There is no one yet who stands out from the pack. In addition to politicians, it is probable that some businessmen and entertainers will enter the fray, perceiving themselves as the saviors of America.
Back to 2018- the Democrats have not done themselves any favors by focusing to such a large degree on Trump. The campaigns should have concentrated on the problems with health care and pre-existing conditions, the deficits and national debt brought on by the Republicans, and with local issues. Dealing with Trump can take place after the election and perhaps after the Mueller report is released. The Democrats cannot do anything about Trump and the state of the country unless they are elected. Hopefully, they won’t screw this one up.
Resurrecting Democracy
www.robertlevinebooks.com
Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020