John,
Democrats need to grow a spine!
I’ve been around politics for 50 years. I’ve witnessed this again and again: Milquetoast Democrats lose to Republicans, have an existential crisis, and then claim it’s time to “move to the center.”
When Humphrey lost to Nixon, Democrats said it was time to move to the center. When Carter lost to Reagan? Move to the center! When Mondale lost to Reagan, when Dukakis lost to Bush, when Democrats got walloped in the 1994 midterms? All we heard was, Democrats need to move to the center, center, center!
But where’s the “center” anymore between Democrats and Republicans? Halfway between truth and lies? Between democracy and oligarchy? Between freedom and fascism?
Check out this week’s video to see what the Democrats have actually lost each time they turned to the so-called “center,” and failed to fight the forces that ultimately led us to Donald Trump! Then share it with your friends and help the party grow its spine!
Each move to the so-called “center” lost Democrats chances to fight against widening inequality, economic insecurity, and the unchecked power of corporations and the rich. Now in the age of Trump, this is no time for retreat, compromise, or “Republican Lite”!
Democrats must oppose the cruel MAGA agenda of deporting millions of undocumented immigrants. They must defend LGBTQ+ people from attacks. They must stand on the side of reproductive freedom.
Democrats must call out the oligarchs who are buying up media platforms and turning them into rightwing cesspools. They must call out the billionaires making gigantic campaign contributions in exchange for tax cuts and rollbacks of protections. And they must stop drinking from the corporate money trough themselves, and get Big Money out of American politics.
And Democrats must listen to the millions of people who are crying out for the status quo to be shaken up on their behalf. Now is the time for Democrats to return to their core values: To comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.
Strengthen safety nets. Take on corporate greed. Make the super-rich pay their fair share. Fight for unions. And shepherd an economy where profits are shared with the workers who make them possible.
Watch the video, and join the fight based on your true values.
Because there is no center between a government of oligarchs – and a government of the people.
Robert Reich
Inequality Media Civic Action
