In order to have any hopes of winning back the house, the senate, and eventually the White House, Democrats have to have a strong manifesto to run on. They cannot continue to simply be the anti-Trump party. As we have seen with Hillary Clinton and Jon Ossoff, that doesn’t work. When they go low, going high does not work either. The Democrats must provide a robust and unapologetically progressive platform and offer a clear alternative in order to secure electoral victories. This begins first by not ignoring progressive candidates running for office. James Thompson and Rob Quist would have both benefitted greatly and may have easily won had the DNC and DCCC lifted a finger to help them. The DCCC’s job is to help elect Democrats and they completely ignored both candidates. The Democratic party must expand its base, not shrink it. That means opening up to and allying with the Greens, independents, and Democratic Socialists.
Beyond that, the Democrats have to provide a strong alternative to the Republican platform. No longer can Democrats continue to be the centre-right conservative party running against the hard right conservative Republican party. Given that the Democrats are already right of centre, I agree with some that they must move toward the centre. But that would mean moving to the left, not further to the right.
In addition to the already strong stances Democrats have on LGBT rights, women’s reproductive and health rights, and issues pertaining specifically to minorities, all of which should be strengthened even more, Democrats must adopt and run on the following positions in order to provide a clear alternative to Donald Trump, Paul Ryan, and Mitch McConnell in order to secure victories in 2018 and 2020:
• The implementation of a Universal Healthcare system modelled after either the UK or Australia. This means a federally funded healthcare programme that is free to all citizens at the point of use.
• Raising taxes on the richest 10% and especially the top 5%. The creation of a 45% and 50% tax rate along with the closing of all tax loopholes for individuals and corporations.
• Abolish tuition fees for public university students as well as investing in public primary and secondary education as well as free Pre-K schooling.
• Guaranteed paid time off, maternity/paternity leave for all workers. The right for all workers to have access to a Labour Union. Allowing employees the right of first refusal when the company they work for is for sale. Banning all unpaid internships and increasing apprenticeships.
• Elimination of all corporate money in politics. Outlaw any and all PACs and overturn Citizens United.
• Ending corporate welfare, enforcing strict anti-trust laws, and the reinstating of the Glass-Steagall act of 1932.
• A strong infrastructure bill to invest in our communities and repair our roads and bridges.
• Reforming the criminal justice system by ending mandatory minimums, reinstating voting rights to ex-felons, decriminalising or legalisation of medical and recreational marijuana. Implement and strongly enforce sweeping reforms to our police forces to reduce the number of unarmed and innocent (black) people murdered by police officers.
• Invest in renewable energy to preserve and sustain our environment, create new jobs, and help curb the effects of climate change. Move completely away from fossil fuels.
• Build new affordable housing structures, index the federal minimum wage to inflation, and provide each citizen with a universal basic income.
By adopting some, most, or all of this will make the Democrats once again the party of workers and re-establish the New Deal coalition. The working class is largely composed of minorities and according to the Economic Policy Institute, by 2032, minorities will be the majority of the working class. Minorities will benefit most from; medicare for all, free college, a living wage, and criminal justice reform. By supporting and strengthening the working class, we are also supporting and strengthening minority communities as we prepare for a country with no majority race by 2055. The idea that it’s the White Working Class vs Minority communities and women is a false dichotomy. Women and minorities are the working class.
By adopting these proposals, Democrats will provide a clear alternative to the Republicans. 60% of Americans support medicare for all. 63% support indexing minimum wage to inflation. 73% support raising taxes on the rich. 62% support tuition free college. Being unapologetically progressive and providing a strong alternative to the Republicans is the only way forward for Democrats. Any call for running to the “centre” is simply a call to be more conservative and be Republican-lite and is unacceptable.
The Max Blog 