Peril in 2022
The Democrats are heading toward an epic drubbing in the 2022 mid-terms, and nobody seems to have a plan to deal with it.
Yes, there are millions of progressive, young, black, Latinx, LGBTQ voters who OUGHT to understand the stakes in this election
Yes, some of the disappointment with the things Democrats didn't get done is due to Republican obstructionism, so that in essence blue voters who stay home are indeed rewarding Republicans for their obstruction.
Yes, it’s a fact that Biden got a lot of things done in his first year + in office, including a huge number of diverse and progressive judge nominations and more progressive legislation than he gets credit for.
And we have proof positive from only six years ago what happens when blue voters say “I just can’t tell the difference” between a very flawed Democratic candidate and a monster – or even closer to home, “I get so sick of people telling me I should vote for Clinton because of judges:” a durable 6-3 majority on the Supreme court which easily could have been 6-3 the other way.
And we know perfectly well what’s at stake if the GOP comes back in 2023 with, say, a 270-165 majority in the House and, say, 54-46 in the Senate: impeachments (multiple) of Biden and Harris and Garland and Christopher Wray and many others. On what grounds, you ask? Do you really think it matters to Scott Perry or Matt Gaetz? Investigations of EVERYTHING. Legislation to curb abortion, contraception and gay marriage; national voter ID law; fracking unleashed; another run at ACA? Heck, how about Medicaid? Build the wall. Deport the dreamers.
And there’s another thing we know. Or should by now. It isn’t working. Scaring voters with how much worse it would be if we weren’t there. Saying at least we’ll protect Medicare and Social Security. Judges. Election laws. Long laundry lists of all the good things we’ve done. Promises that we’ll absolutely find a way to protect abortion, save social security, restore the child tax credit, get free pre-k, and blah, blah, blah.
It's a simple fact. Biden gets no credit for the unemployment rate because of inflation. He said some good things but seems to have given up pretty quickly on the George Floyd bill, voting rights, student debt … he gets no credit for some very important legislation because the party – stupidly – made build back better the minimum standard of success. Even the imminent repeal of Roe v. Wade isn’t reason enough to vote for a Dem if you think Dem’s haven’t fought very hard to protect Roe. Spoken to a young voter about this issue lately? You’re likely to hear “They weren’t even willing to repeal the filibuster” or “They haven’t fought very hard.”
Republicans have an elevator pitch. Several of them. Cancel culture. Replacement theory. Open borders. Critical race theory. Socialism. Defund the police.
Democrats have three-page position papers. And one other thing. They have about four months to come up with a reason (young, progressive, black, Latinx, LGBTQ, …..) people should care enough to go through the hazing to vote for them. They already know what doesn't work.