Is all political news bad these days?

Robert Berg -  At the risk of being classified as Panglossian, I thought it would be useful to count up some good news lest we think every political trend has gone terminally negative and that we should just hole up in our mental bomb shelters. 

First on my Good News list is that Trump has a weak hand:

o  He has antagonized almost all major Republican leaders, uppermost Mitch McConnel and Mike Pence.  This will limit funding from sources close to those guys;

o  He now defends vaccinations, which is alienating some of his closest supporters;

o  His legal troubles are clearly piling up (thank you New York and Georgia, January 6 Committee and DOJ) and it will be easier to make a case with conscientious taxpayers and the great bulk of decent citizens that criminal behavior is a disqualifier for public office.

o  It is only a matter of time until someone makes a popularly understood case that his willful neglect of Covid cost over 100,000 lives. 

The Republicans are less unified.

o  The far right groups are feuding with each other.

o  “Q” has disappeared leaving his folks adrift.

o  Clearly the DOJ is aiming to weaken major militant groups.

o  Stone and Bannon are fighting with each other.

o  Some of the key broadcasters supporting Trump are jumping ship or (like Alex Jones) are getting serious legal fines arising from defamation suits.

Voting rights and rules are a mixed picture.

o  So far, Redistricting gains and losses for both parties are pretty even.  (But future redistricting looks more positive for the Republicans, so voting rights legislation is still vital.)

o While a number of states have enacted restrictions on voting that are a real threat, a number of “blue” states have expanded voting rights.

 Republicans, having been transformed into the party defending Mob Rule,  “winning” by cheating, and serving the interests of the rich, are risking aversion from the great center of politics which values decency and playing by the rules.

 Maybe the most encouraging fact for Democrats is that youth aren’t buying what’s on sale from the Republicans. In exit polling from the last presidential election 60% of voters aged 18-29 backed Biden. And this despite the fact that leaders of the Democratic Party are older than any past Party leadership in memory.  Axios, quoting John Della Volpe, polling director at Harvard’s Kennedy School, just reported that youth turnout in 2020 was higher than ever, and that Occupy Wall Street, Trump, Parkland, George Floyd and Thunberg all have shifted young voters to be more active and liberal. Thus Gen Z, the largest generation in US history (alas, only a part of which is of voting age) is gradually replacing a less liberal Gen X.  Here is the kicker: only 53% of citizens aged 18-29 voted in 2020, meaning that there is a huge potential voting pool of youth yet untapped who are expected to lean heavily towards more progressive candidates.

 Democrats have a much more solid case if only they learn to sell it.  It is the party of worker’s rights, children’s well-being, civil rights, women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, environmentally sound standards, greatly expanded health insurance, and with a whole lot of young progressives energized for future roles. The infrastructure bill alone will be an historic positive change for rural America, and if the main components of Build Back Better are passed, it will be like the New Deal for Red States.

All this and more indicates that the game is far from over in America.  The long term trend of progress has many ups and downs, but clearly has the ability to be positive over the medium and longer terms.  It is far, far too early to throw in the towel.  It really is timely to be smarter and to build the base. And finding ways to link those of us who are alumni of the 18-29 group with those who are in it would seem one among many useful ways to move forward.

              Bottom line: Don’t quit. Double down