Sam Smith - I have come to realize that my view of elections and activism are not quite the liberal norm.My problem in part is that I was introduced to politics in places like Philadelphia and Boston when politics and virtue had little to do with each other. And although I became a strong activist I have retained the realization that most politicians are not activists but reactivists. The real change takes place between elections and the pols just react to it. I think of elections as a report card. How much progress have progressives made this term?
And it's a choice of battlefields. Which candidate will make it easiest to accomplish what you seek? Clearly Trump was not the right choice last time. But even being a Green Party member, I didn't want to vote for Jill Stein as it would either have been irrelevant or an aid to Trump. So, despite my long time disdain for her I voted for Hillary Clinton. I wanted to fight Democrats, not Trumpists.
Now a new election puzzle presents itself. There is a fine collection of Democratic candidates. And even though I deeply admire Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren and am kind of fascinated by Steve Bulloch and Tim Ryan, I can't ignore the fact that, according to the polls, Joe Biden would beat Trump in five non-blue states, while Sanders would only succeed in two and no one else would win any.
I have no affection for Biden, except for kicking Trump out of office. And if Biden is not only the most popular among Democrats but the most likely to beat Trump, I can live with yet another president in the White House for whom I have little enthusiasm. And the fact that Biden has improved his view on several matters over time strikes me, in contrast to many liberals, as an asset.
This can change in the coming months and if it does I will, too. But for the moment, I am not afraid of Joe Biden. I'm not advocating him, just saying I can live with him.
One of the problems with liberals is that they don't do enough math. For example they represent only about 26% of the voting population compared with 36% who are conservative. To win the White House, like it or not, they have to get the votes of a good many of the 38% of voters who aren't either.
This doesn't mean you have to betray your cause, just expand or ease up on it a bit. Like allowing union members to hold on to the health care plans they enjoy while pushing for Medicare for all who want it. Like paying more attention to farmers and small business. Like addressing the perceived needs of the voters you need. By seeking issues that appeal to multiple identities.
It worked for FDR and LBJ - the only presidents in the past century to pass truly significant progressive legislation. It can work again.
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The problem is that "liberals" get all fired up when a Republican is in the oval office, but the moment a democrat gets there "liberals" seem to fade into complacency thinking if the prez is a democrat they don't need to do any more. Obama was a great example of this.
Obama did loads of crappy stuff, like making the ACA a giant give away to insurance companies who deny claims and ration care in a way that regularly kills, for example. He got away with it because "liberals" seemed to think Obama didn't need his feet held to the fire when the pressure should have been doubled and tripled on Obama to do better for "we the people." Biden would be more of the same.
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