Despite being led by one of the most erratic and least popular presidents in modern history, the Trumpian Republican Party dominates U.S. politics.
One of the main reasons for this awful state of affairs is that the opposition party -- which calls itself "Democratic" -- is led by vacillating, corporate-oriented politicians who seem to have one firm principle: that the party's progressive base must be repeatedly insulted, repressed and denied a major role in democratic decision-making.
The latest slap in the face to the Democratic Party's base came Friday when the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee -- behind closed doors -- reversed its ban on accepting political donations from fossil fuel companies. That ban had lasted a mere two months before the ridiculous flip-flop.
Did "Democratic" Party leaders democratically survey the party's base before toadying to oil, gas and coal company donors? Did the leadership consult environmental groups who so loyally support Democrats in election after election?
No and no.
In the face of an energized activist base crying out for a party that will put forward bold social/economic and environmental proposals, the Democratic leadership dithers and grovels for donations from the Republican-allied fossil fuel industry that threatens our planet's future.
A co-founder of the climate action group 350.org concluded: "This sort of spineless corporate pandering is why Democrats keep losing."
Even in the face of a horrific menace like Trump, efforts to defeat the right at the polls are undermined by a Democratic leadership lacking in vision, values, and commitment to democracy.
Which is why an alliance of progressive activists will be setting up informational picket lines when the full Democratic National Committee begins its three-day meeting in Chicago on August 23. The alliance, led by groups such as RootsAction.org and Progressive Democrats of America, is supporting vital reforms to democratize the party.
One reform to be debated in Chicago -- one that activists believe is winnable -- harks back to the calamitous Democratic loss to Trump in 2016. The reform would restrict the undemocratic voting power of "superdelegates": party insiders who have exerted an outsized influence in choosing the presidential nominee. (By the end of 2015, before a single Democratic voter had participated in any state primary or caucus, Hillary Clinton was the prohibitive favorite for the nomination thanks to her support from most of the 712 Democratic superdelegates.)
Besides the superdelegate problem, activists also want Democratic Party finances to be more transparent -- more urgent now that the DNC has done a backflip on fossil fuel donations.
It's bad enough that our country's governing party denies climate science while believing Exxon and Chevron are persons.
It makes matters much worse when the opposition party's leadership wants donations from Mr. Exxon and Ms. Chevron while tacitly denying that climate science demands drastic action -- way far beyond the wishes of those donors.
This country needs a serious opposition party that can defeat both corporate power and the GOP. Only democratic participation by the grassroots will make possible that kind of a winning party.
Jeff Cohen co-founded RootsAction.org, which is coordinating an informational picket at the Chicago DNC meeting. He was an editor of "Autopsy: The Democratic Party in Crisis."
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