An American Political Agenda for 2018 and 2020: Six Suggestions for the Upcoming Election Cycles

Recently we revealed a fissure between us we promised we’d explore further.  We offered six ideas we’d hope congressional and presidential candidates emphasize during the 2018 and 2020 election cycles, what we called an “American Message of Democracy.”  Rob and Henry contend our ideas should form the core of the Democratic Party’s campaign to regain control of Congress and take back the White House.  Woodson argued for challenging Republicans to carry the same message. Today, we make good on our pledge to examine this disagreement in more depth.

Rob believes zero chance exists today’s Republican Party will adopt our ideas.  He thinks cultivating Republicans amounts to a pipe dream, with the time better spent on framing and refining the Democratic message.  Henry essentially sides with Rob but sees merit in Woodson’s aspirations.  He willingly leaves Woodson’s hope lingering as an appeal to the better nature of men and women in the major political parties

The Six 
We offered six suggestions we hope candidates will emphasize in the upcoming election cycles:  (1) restoring Presidential dignity, (2) healing the racial and cultural fractures of the Trump era, (3) addressing income inequality, (4) promoting a common sense foreign policy, (5) pushing a vibrant domestic agenda, and (6) advocating social justice.  When Rob and Henry look at The Six, they see little chance the current-day Republican Party will sign on. Woodson acknowledges Republican hostility, but points to individual Republicans who might change the party’s direction. He cites the three GOP Senators - John McCain of Arizona, Susan Collins of Maine, and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska - who voted with Democrats to prevent repeal of the Affordable Care Act as examples of  Republican willingness to put national well-being above party doctrine.  Arizona Senator Jeff Flake, in his book Conscience of a Conservative, spoke out against the Trump administration’s erratic behavior.  Ohio Governor John Kasich’s work with Colorado’s Democratic Governor, John Hickenlooper, merits high praise.  These signs, Woodson argues, offer hope Republicans aren’t hopeless.

Presidential Dignity 
At first blush this seems easy. Of course Republicans want a President committed to dignity and civility.  But, Trump’s first eight months in office demonstrate they do not want it enough to risk giving up power.  Instead of calling out his bad behavior, some of it likely illegal, most Republicans have enabled Trump by offering excuses or remaining silent. Woodson argues that Lindsey Graham, McCain, and Flake have spoken out forcefully against some of Trump’s excesses.  He also reminds us that Democrats excused Bill Clinton’s bad acts in the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Healing Fractures/Fighting for Social Justice 
These go together because they involve similar concerns. Republicans have stood by, sometimes silently, sometimes in only tepid opposition, while Trump attacked racial and ethnic groups and equated those protesting racial injustice with neo-Nazis and white supremacists. Republicans are not leading the charge for reforming the criminal justice system.  Meanwhile Trump’s Attorney General re-militarizes police forces and reduces civil rights enforcement.  If Republicans wanted a social justice agenda, wouldn’t their state and congressional leaders offer and fight for legislation that would reduce mass incarceration and lead the court battle against Trump’s Muslim ban?  Woodson also calls out Trump’s Attorney General, but reminds that Democrats went along with the Clinton-era “get tough on crime” legislation that first produced mass incarceration of African American men and corresponding damage to the black family.

Income Inequality 
America’s income inequality problem stems from globalization, loss of manufacturing jobs, the tax code, and other things.  Rob and Henry argue Republican policies exaggerate the problem, not solve it. Republicans oppose many training programs that would help workers better cope with globalization.  They fight increasing the federal minimum wage and enact state laws against minimum wage increases mandated by municipalities. They back corporate tax policies that encourage U.S. companies to outsource jobs overseas.  Republican support for tax cuts for the rich has been virtually unanimous.  Woodson, however, notes that income inequality worsened during Obama years, so Democrats must also bear some of the blame for the rigged economy.

Consistent, Common Sense Foreign Policy   
As with Presidential dignity this seems a no-brainer. Of course, Republicans want a consistent, common sense foreign policy. The Republican foreign policy establishment certainly does.  The GOP has, however, allowed the nut faction to take over the party and done precious little to take it back.  Rob and Henry will believe Republicans want such a foreign policy when they ditch the people now in Trump’s ear telling him to reduce the America’s commitment to NATO, saber rattling represents the most effective way of dealing with North Korea, and Russia is our new best buddy. Woodson offers no quarrel with Rob and Henry on this point.

Vibrant Domestic Agenda  
Other than the three GOP senators who voted not to throw 20 million Americans off the health insurance rolls, Rob and Henry ask what evidence exists Republicans will help improve health care?  What evidence demonstrates Republicans will support environmental policies that fight climate change when so many deny the scientific consensus on climate change?  What evidence exists Congressional Republicans will resist the nationalist howls in their base for deporting millions of undocumented immigrants and their children, many of whom have no connection to any country other than the United States? Woodson does not take issue on this point, only reminding Rob and Henry that Democrats bear some blame for many domestic ills the country faces.

Rob sees no chance Republicans will join our agenda.  Henry hopes he’s wrong, but sees no movement by Republicans that supports his longing.  Woodson trusts neither party to act responsibly, absent watchdog monitoring by people who care more about the country than party. What do you think?

       

                                       

An American Message in Democracy

This post should remove all doubt. The three of us do not think alike.  It showcases an intense argument about how the American political system should respond to the Trump presidency.  One of us, Woodson, hopes for a bipartisan approach that brings back agreement between men and women of good will in both major political parties on broad national goals and objectives.  Despite disagreements over strategies and approaches, they worked together on things like civil rights, building the Interstate Highway System, and post-World War II foreign policy.  Two of us, Rob most vehemently and Henry with a more restrained and gentlemanly tip of his cap to his notion of “reality,” argue that only revival of the Democratic Party can return the nation to sanity.  This piece begins our exploration of that divide.            

Since well before the 2016 election, we’ve made clear our misgivings about Donald Trump.  Our concerns have grown into an urgent cry for his removal from office.  We aren’t alone, but we understand ridding America of Trump requires more than doubling down on his pathology.  Despite possibilities Trump will (a) resign, (b) get impeached, or (c) lose to a Republican primary challenger, the best way to get rid of him most likely resides in a Democratic win in 2020.

We’re not sure who the parties will nominate for President in three years and we aren’t preoccupied with that now.  We are, however, very much interested in changing the political discourse and setting America on a different path. Whoever participates in that endeavor must develop an effective political message.  We don’t see enough effort being made toward that now. 

Given the difficulty, we understand one blog piece won’t state an effective American message for the coming election cycles.  That’s a process requiring many minds and much discussion.  We do, however, think we know the central issues such a message must address.  The work of the next 8-10 months resides in packaging and refining these concerns into a coherent message that speaks to voters who want an America that creates opportunities for all its citizens.  Trump’s rock bottom approval ratings indicate the presence of a receptive audience, but meaningless platitudes aren’t enough.

So, what must the message speak to? Six distinct, but sometimes interrelated concerns, we think:

(1) Restoring the Dignity of the Office of President of the United States 
George W. Bush won in 2000 on this theme.  His issue was Bill Clinton’s sexual escapades and it wasn’t fair to tar the strait-laced Al Gore with that brush, but it worked.  Trump’s indignities are much more serious, but the point is the same.  We need a president who conducts himself or herself with dignity, civility, and competence.

(2) Healing the Fractures Caused by Trump’s Attempts to Legitimize Some and Delegitimize Others  
The next President needs to revisit and reaffirm the idea of the American “melting pot” with an emphasis on the legitimacy of all cultures, religions, languages, and nationalities.  We remain a nation of immigrants and we should celebrate, not curse, our differences.

(3) Addressing Income Inequality and Economic Dislocation Caused by Globalization
No President can change economic trends that favor the better educated, but America can train people for new, plentiful jobs.  Instead of trying to bring back an economy that’s not coming back, we can implement policies and create incentives that give people a chance in the existing economy and the emerging economy.  Tax policy should neither dramatically cut taxes for the wealthy (as Trump apparently wants to) nor soak the rich. 

(4) Implementing a Consistent Foreign Policy Based on Democratic Ideals and Common Sense, not Bluster  
Our foreign policy must emphasize cooperation with and support for our allies, not narrow-minded nationalism.  America didn’t become the leader of the free world by doing that and we can’t keep that position this way.  We need a fully staffed State Department that advances our diplomatic interests, while our robust military backs it up, not the reverse.   

(5) Offering a Vibrant, Responsible Domestic Agenda  
The debate over proposed repeal of the Affordable Care Act demonstrated Americans want government supported health care. The nation’s leadership should build on that momentum with concrete plans to improve the ACA by covering more people and lowering costs.  Similarly, resistance to Trump’s immigration and environmental policies shows a constituency exists for progressive ideas in those areas.

(6) Fighting for an Inclusive Social Justice Agenda 
Trump’s race baiting and blatant appeals to white nationalism create an opportunity to involve decent minded white moderates and conservatives not normally attracted to social justice campaigns. This means dialog with liberal and conservative voices on achieving criminal justice reform and ending mass incarceration for trivial drug offenses.  Needless to say, America should retain its commitment to women’s reproductive rights and its concern for children, while expanding educational opportunity at all levels of the system.   

All of us believe this represents a starting place for a sober discussion.  We disagree, however, that one side will ever engage in trying to achieve these objectives.  Woodson argues that we have presented American goals both parties should buy into and promote.  Rob, especially, and Henry see that as fantasy. They argue the present day Republican Party has become institutionally incapable of adopting the agenda we’ve laid out.  Enacting and implementing such an agenda, or anything like it, requires electing Democrats at all levels of government.  That may represent a sad state of affairs, but everyone has to be somewhere, and that’s where Rob and Henry think we are.

We’re going to dig into this in the coming weeks and months. Please join us. We’d love to know what you think.