Place Democrats end to end and likely they all point in different directions. Identity Politics is not a method of aligning political and social goals. Their weakness is that most Democrats are a one-trick pony. Take, for example, abortion. What percentage of voters "really" care about abortion to the extent it consumes their day? Unisex toilets: are these a consuming issue for most Americans? A woman for president. I see so many people that still gripe about the Hillary loss as if she carried a great message that we all ignored. NO! Message was not an issue, it was a lack of message that did her in. She just didn't get it. News Flash to Hillary!! "What Happened?" You lost, that's what happened. You never sent a message to me that made it appear that you cared about me. I think you assumed it was your turn, and that is what you cared about. I voted for you, holding my nose, because the alternative was so frightening. It is time for the Democrats to make a U (you) turn and start talking to the American people.
"I feel your pain," said Bill Clinton. It was one of the great lines in all political history. He won! Clinton was a master of the "You". Most charter schools, "don't take the hardest-to-teach kids, or, if they do, they don't keep them," Hillary Clinton said at a South Carolina forum. Identity Politics at its best. I bet that dug deep down into most of your souls; it did not speak to me. She Lost! One election, I believe, was won by a simple phrase. It was when Ronald Reagan said, "Are "you" better off than you were four years ago?" He had every American, just a few days before defeating Jimmy Carter, asking themselves that very question. He Won! The word "You" said by any candidate translates into the word "Me" to each listener. That said; the word "You" in a negative context can translate very badly to "me". "I don't know how much God has to do to get the attention of the politicians. We've had an earthquake; we've had a hurricane. Are "you" going to start listening to "me" here?" Michele Bachmann. She lost!
Democrats need to get off their one-trick ponies and start campaigning to the masses. Democrats! You need to start telling me that "my" Social Security is safe. That "my" taxes will go down while a tiny minority will have theirs increased. The Republicans cannot call that out since you will be talking to me. You need to tell me how my life, and the lives of all Americans, will be better from wages to full employment. That "my" life will change for the better under Democratic control. Tell "me" why I do not have to worry that my medical bills will no longer threaten to bankrupt me, or that all medical facilities "MUST" treat me the same as our rich neighbors. Every American that is in the middle class is concerned about these and other such issues. Do your research and speak to us all, not just a few.
The only time I care about campaign reform, let me see..., NEVER! That is because the right message will defeat big money every time. Make me believe you. If I feel you care about me then I will care about you. Put a vision in my head about how much better "my" life can be simply because you care.
Talking to my son today he told me that Democrats can't even recognize identity politics when it slaps them in the face. For example: "I am voting for Mary Jo because she believes we need more women in positions of power." That may be a true statement, but it may not reflect the "concerns" of most Americans. When McDonalds says they are "America's Best First Job" and half the people working there are 30 or older, women and men trying to feed their families on three jobs, you have been given a golden "You" moment.
Get a clue Democrats; we lost control of all three branches of government. We lost the Presidency to Donald Trump of all people. Our Democratic candidates and incumbents have forgotten the word "You!" You must consider the fact that voters cannot hear the word "me" without it.
There is an old saw: "Democrats fall in love, Republicans fall in line." Why do voters buy this strategy, which ignores them (because they are not at the head of that line, Charles Koch is)? They buy this because we "ARE" a bunch of "snowflakes." But, one snowflake can be the beginning of a great blizzard. We can show the Republicans what a blizzard looks like. I am not saying we leave those of special interest behind, but we damn well better sharpen our message.
We have reached that crossroad where we both get tough, and fight for the typical American looking desperately to translate our "You" into their "Me", or we lose the America we love!
