Democrats Have to Stop Bending
To accommodate the demands of the right wing GOP refugees and old school party centrists
Hello, Friend,
Although I absofreakinglutely believe there is room for everyone in the resistance and a variety of views only serves to strengthen us, I do not believe that the Democratic Party has to keep shifting their values to accommodate those on the right side of the political equation. As the number of Never Trumpers grows with exiles from the GOP, many of them creating content here on Substack, they are becoming increasingly demanding. If you’ve spent decades voting Republican, I think it’s time to take stock of your values and be honest with yourself about the role you’ve played in bringing us to this moment.
This isn’t just a Donald Trump thing, this is a GOP thing. It’s decades of rotten policy and a concerted effort to erode and co-opt our government. Reaganomics, the end of the Fairness Doctrine and Fox ‘News’, rampant gerrymandering and voter suppression, Citizen’s United, the Federalist Society, Newt Gingrich, Grover Norquist, McConnell’s gleeful cock blocking of legislation and judicial nominees along with his shameless theft of multiple Supreme Court seats, The Heritage Foundation, the endless kowtowing to corporate donors, lobbyists, and the NRA, turning a blind eye to the Russian propaganda and infiltration of the party, the refusal to impeach the Orange Menace after January 6th, the flim-flam-thank you ma’am Roger Stone led blatant theft of the Bush/Gore election, Iran-Contra, the Iraq War…every refusal to respect the rule of law, every bending of the truth to manipulate the voters, all of it has led us here.
This isn’t an accident, we are here by design.
What the right wing republican refugees might want to do is take some time to reflect on why so much of the shit the GOP has done for decades was fine with them until the Wizard of Id showed up, pulled back the curtain, and revealed the ugly truth. “Kinder gentler” racism, classism, sexism, Xenophobia, and homophobia are still total bullshit. Bending voting rules because you can’t win without cheating is theft. Reversing established law in Roe v. Wade after swearing under oath that would not happen is perjury. Meddling in the democratic governments of other countries to establish dictatorships that result in desperate refugees, dangerous gangs, and deadly terrorists is toxic policy come home to roost. Wars based on lies are travesties…and on and on and on it goes.
It’s not the Democrats that need to shift to the center, they’ve been doing that for decades. Why should we move towards a less inclusive, less expansive, less equitable, less compassionate, less hopeful future to accommodate the folks who brought us Trump, twice? I want them to sit in their discomfort and bend as far as they need to bend to realize they are culpable and they owe us an apology for what they did to our country under the guise of ‘fiscal responsibility.’ This is a lie they tell themselves, because it is a fact that the economy does better under Democrats. We’re tired of cleaning up their messes, they need to atone or they can go sit in the corner, STFU, think about what they’ve done, and pout.
Yes, that’s how I really feel.
While I’m here, I’d like to address the old school Democratic strategists and ineffective party leaders who refuse to step aside and pass the torch, and the Vichy Dem centrists who seem to think they have all the answers. Ya don’t. You’re out of touch and out of time. We’re out of patience. You accept money from the same corporate donors, cater to their demands, fail to hold the GOP to account over and over again, ignore the pleas of the voters, pontificate and bloviate about the imaginary ‘culture issues’ and ‘wokeness’ talking points whipped up by the folks on the right, and insist that progressives need to grow up. Do we, though? How has that center right, middle of the road, Republican light approach worked out for the American public so far?
Caring about people and their basic human rights is the right thing to do. Suggesting we toss entire segments of our population to the wolves because you lack the intestinal fortitude to speak truth to power is no longer acceptable. Rise to the occasion or we will be replacing you with people who will. You did nothing when you had the opportunity to secure voting rights. You stayed silent when it was clear there was rampant voter suppression and possible election tampering because you were more worried about optics than following the oath you took when you took office. You’ve lost touch with the needs of the people you’re supposed to serve. Your half assed performative gestures are pathetic. Read the room, look at who is getting traction, and be honest, you are not meeting this moment with the appropriate level of gravitas.
Take a cue from Bernie, AOC, Jasmine Crocket, Cory Booker, Jamie Raskin, Maxwell Frost, Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen…and every other progressive Democrat out there speaking to the people.
It’s not entirely an age thing and I’m no spring chicken, but many of you are hanging on to power for far too long. We need term limits. We need voting rights legislation. We need the ERA passed and codified along with Roe and Civil Rights and LGBTQ+ rights. We need to affirm and expand DEI. We need to get rid of Super PACs, lobbyists, and Citizens United. We need to invest in education and job training to lift people out of poverty. We need to stand up to Big Pharma and the for profit Medical establishment and figure out how to have affordable single payer healthcare for every American citizen. We need to tax the rich and corporations so they pay their fair share. We need to bust the trusts and regulate the out of control Tech Bros. We need swift and decisive action on Climate Change. We need a coherent, cohesive, expansive, people focused plan, a NEW New Deal to save our republic and rebuild it into a government that truly is of, by, and for the people. Of course we need a variety of perspectives, willingness to compromise, and hearty debate, but we also need to stop doing the things we have always done and expecting different results.
For fuck’s sake, put on your big people panties and let’s get to saving this republic. Let fresh perspectives and new leaders emerge and usher in a brighter future, for everyone.
If you can’t get with that program, then you need to get the hell out of the way.
I recently mentioned the idea of a May Day May 1st Online protest. It turns out there are live protests already scheduled nationwide for May Day from the 1-3rd of May through Indivisible and 50501. For those of us who can’t attend in person, I think participating online through posting what you feel called to post in protest is still an excellent idea. We are the people, it’s our protest, and I suggest we do it in the way that feels right for us, whatever that means. #mayday!
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Exactly.
As always you hit it right on the head, every word, so much wisdom. I agree with all of it...keep doing you....✨️✨️♥️