A Few Things Democrats Need To Accept To Beat #45 In 2020
This election has energized voters. Democrats have resulted in tripping in the worst ways as they want #45 out of office so badly. Hysterics and insults among people with conflicting ideas have become a daily event. Economists and Representatives of nonpartisan organizations have made statements revealing more about their personal views than their organizational mission.
For a variety of reasons everyone has strong opinions about candidates and what will happen if a candidate they dislike gets elected. Some say, "Everyone has a past" dismissing negative facts about their candidate while accepting false information as fact about candidates they do not prefer. We criticized people that did not vote in 2016 but aren’t respecting new, young and energized voters who choose a candidate we don’t like. Somehow we have forgotten in the midst of mayhem and discord, #45 wins. The Russian disinformation campaign worked in 2016 and could succeed in 2020 because Dems have been acting irrationally resistant to options they do not prefer. Putin wants the US in chaos so Americans will lose faith and trust in our only system for elections and every other established system of government. Unlike 2016, #45’s campaign coffers in 2020 will pass President Obama’s by exceeding a record one billion dollars. Facebook has refused to take down campaign ads with false information leaving #GOP campaigns free reign to malign Democrats every way possible. Face it: If all goes well, many of us will be choosing between two candidates that are not our first preference (mine was Sen. Kamala Harris). If beating #45 is really what is most important, let’s all remember:
1. The US Election System Counts Votes, Delegates And Electoral College Results.
--Your vote is equally as important as a racist’s vote, a sexist’s vote, a millionaire’s vote or a corporate CEO’s vote. Registering and voting is the most effective way to communicate your preferences.
--Booing and criticizing opposing opinions and approaches is counter productive and divides the loyal base of voters. We can share facts and opinions without demeaning each other or the candidates.
2. The Most Important Characteristic Of A Good President Is The Ability To Inspire And Influence Others.
--Like it or not, right now the enthusiasm and passion is behind Bernie Sanders. No other canndidate has the genuine youth and enthusiasm of infrequent voters his supporters display.
3. No President Succeeded At Doing Everything He Wanted.
--I’m sure President Obama wanted to do more but Mitch McConnell, a Republican Senate and sometimes people in his own party would never negotiate honestly with him resulting in a frustrated and disappointed voter base.
4. If You Live In A State That Dems Could Flip A Senate Seat (Or The Whole State) From Red To Blue, Your Decision To Vote Is More Critical Than Who Becomes The Eventual Nominee.
--This Republican Party is different from the one that would negotiate behind the scenes and make deals. If you think one Democratic candidate will get more cooperation over another from Republicans, you have forgotten their actual words and acts over the last 20 years. He who has the majority sets the rules and has the power.
5. People Are Not Stupid But Their Logic May Not Add Up And They May Be Uninformed. Sharing Facts Helps Everyone.
--More than any other time in history we have to analyze the information offered as fact and/or truth.
The saying, "Yo mouth ain’t no prayer book" is alive and well when it comes to discussing what is factual in politics. Whether it comes from network news, cable, social media, internet websites or even smart, well-connected friends, we must exercise critical thinking and consider the position of the entity offering information. Call it healthy skepticism but in this day and age very few news sources offer 100% truth. Anchors and moderators have shown their preferences or opposition to candidates more than any other time is history. Objective reporting has at times been replaced by what Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein calls lazy journalism. It is up to you to find trustworthy news sources and people.
6. Every President Had A Solid, United Movement That Helped Them Secure Their Party’s Nomination And The Presidency.
--If your candidate isn’t part of a movement, face the fact that many people don’t see things the way you do. Criticizing them makes it harder to unite in the end. You might be a voter who has to, "Hold your nose" and vote for a nominee you didn’t choose in the primary.
7. Remember The Numbers.
--In 2016 4 million registered voters (A million were Black) did not vote and Democrats won the popular vote by 3 million. #45 won 3 states (only 77k votes) that made the difference in the electoral college:
Pennsylvania: 44k
Wisconsin: 23k
Michigan: 11k
Had Philladelphia suburbs, Milwaukee and Detroit voted in 2008 or 2012 numbers, #45 would’ve been an anecdote in a larger narrative. The chaos and mayhem has caused Democratic amnesia. Maybe Trump Derangement Syndrome is real. Maybe amnesia is a symptom of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Either way numbers dont lie.
Ultimately, Democrats need to just stop, breathe, turn down the apocalyptic hysteria and encourage voting and party unity.
