Reclaiming Democratic Values, Championing the Working Class and Making America Great

Most liberals have convinced themselves the disastrous Right-Wing Tea Party policies and outright appeals to hatred and bigtory would send the American Voter fleeing away from the Republicans.

Coupling this with the inevitable march of demographics, Liberals have been blissfully congratulating themselves on their Future Ascendancy and electoral dominance.

But, the belief in Demographic Destiny is a pipe dream. In much the same way Karl Rove spoke of Republican 100-year Reich, the Democratic Party has exuded smug Hubris that all they need do is exist in order to win Elections. As Tim Donovan at Suffolk Resolves wrote, There is no Demographic Destiny.

So, despite Democratic Congressional Candidates winning more votes in 2012, in the aggregate, and the overwhelming support for Center-Left referendums in 2014, Liberals and Democrats are faced with Republican control of the US Senate and Republican dominance of the US House, State Legislatures and Governorships.

But, besides their Hubris and the cashing-in on future voters the Democratic Party's downfall also stems from the free reign the gave to the Republicans to woo the working class white male.

Now, why would the faux populism of the Republican Party appeal to working class white men? There never has been a more implacable foe of the Working Class than the Modern Republican Party.

One of the key beliefs, which I have believed as well, was that Republicans had duped Working Class Whites into voting against their Own Economic Interests. But, is that true? But, is that how the Working Class White Man and Woman sees it? The answer is obviously not.

The perception by the White Working Class is they have been betrayed by the Democratic Party and the new Platform focus on gays, blacks and women.

There is a lot of hindsight going. The PPACA (Obamacare) legislation was beneficial to white people (no caps on lifetime coverage, no pre-existing conditions, for instance) but, because the Conservative Internet Fart Bubble was allowed to frame the rhetoric as Death Panels and welfare for black people, Working Class whites don't see the Democratic Party as their Party or even their ally anymore.

While the Republicans are committed to eliminating the Social Safety net and reducing the vast majority of Americans to Wage Slavery and Corporate Bondage, the white working class sees itself ostracized, shunned and abandoned by the Democratic Party.

It's not true but, as always perception is truth. So, while it's impossible to not see that Republicans are fanatically determined to destroy the Progressive Gains of the 20th century, Working Class people are focused on the now and the immediate future.

Long-term unemployment, millions of foreclosures, crippling personal debts and bankruptcies, the evaporation of savings and retirement accounts, and the crumbling of the country;s infrastructure are taking place as billions in taxpayer subsidies, obscene profits, bonuses and compensation are doled out to the corporate overlords. - Chris Hedges, Death of the Liberal Class, pg.181

Since 2007, after George W(orst President Ever) Bush and the Republican Party crashed the economy the Democratic Party had an opportunity to pivot towards Economic Populism and reclaim the Will of the American People.

But, the Democrats have been caught by the trap laid by the Plutocracy. Unless you are a Senator like Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren it's hard to ignore that Money = Campaign = Victory.

Occupy Wall Street offered the Democratic Party another chance to pick up the mantle of Champion of the Working Class. Which is why Plutocracy moved so quickly to undermine and destroy it.

So, the Democrats did not offer any help to people struggling to pay bills, keep their house, take care of aging parents, raise kids, work longer hours and pick up extra jobs. And the White Working Class was forced to choose the least-worst candidate and they are increasingly choosing Republicans.

There is a way to reclaim the white working class and win elections, while also inhabiting the moral high ground and providing the American Voter a government they know is looking out and seeking to protect them.

Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren are the strong voices promoting Left-Wing Economic Populism. They are devoted to helping the Working Class, safeguarding the Social Safety Net and restoring the American Dream.

Senator Warren has said she is not running for President but, Bernie Sanders has stated if enough Americans, if enough of the 99%, are willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with him he will take on the Koch Brothers and the 1%.

Again there is no Demographic Destiny. If We, the People stand together we can reclaim the Democratic Values which made this Nation Great in the 20th Century.

But, We must act because as Tim Donovan wrote at Suffolk Resolves,

Whichever party first grabs the mantle of economic populism will earn the support of a rising generation fed up with the politics of the moment, a generation wholly unsympathetic to the broken, ineffectual Reagan consensus that’s still so dominant today.