Fall of 2008 was about Obama. It was the first time I had been active politically; I was raised in a religion that avoided politics. Now in my late 20’s, and free of the religion, I was attracted to Obamas message. So much made sense to me at the time. Honestly, so much of that still made sense.
So attending my first organizational meeting for the Obama campaign was exciting and new. It was a roomful of like minded people, and we were talking about messaging as we were about to make phone calls. Phone calls then were about issues, and we were told if someone wanted to talk about them, to do so. Between the conversations on universal healthcare, education funding, and extending Bush’s tax cuts, we were in heaven.
And no one hated McCain. We were far more pro-Obama than any negative stance on McCain. McCain wanted to extend tax cuts on the wealthy, keep capital gains taxes low, and was opposed to universal healthcare. Even then, we didn’t fear him. He was a veteran who served his country in multiple capacities for years.
I was so happy to be there. I felt informed, invigorated. I was still naïve when it comes to politics, but everything was so positive.
I miss those days. I miss that Democratic Party.
Soon after, I worked on a local campaign as a member of the local Democratic Town Committee. We won. And soon after that, I left the DTC to start a media company aimed at covering politics in Connecticut. I started that with the same idealism, the same belief that real coverage of issues, real research, could make a difference.
And it did. I’m glad to have impacted peoples lives. Not a day goes by that readers don’t stop and want to talk policy or ideas or a recent post.
and even since then, I still stand for the same things that I did in that room in New Haven preparing to make calls for Obama. Universal healthcare. Progressive tax rates. Education funding.
But sadly, the Democratic Party has left those ideals. We don’t talk about them anymore. Its never in the idealistic, hopeful tone that pushed Obama to the Presidency. Its never in the ‘they go low, we go high’ message pressed by Michell Obama.
Instead, everything today in the Democratic Party is a response to Donald Trump. Many will say Trump defines the Republican Party, but really, it’s the Democratic Party that’s become defined by a hatred of him. Every press release from Democrats, every public statement, every social media post begins, not with ideas, but with Trump. The Democratic Party has become the obsessed ex-girlfriend, unable to see past one man in front of them, unable to see issues, and often logic and reason.
Its funny, as Trump was loved by many Democrats in the past. Close friends with the Clintons, donors to many Democrats, etc.
But now hate.
But hate doesn’t get anyone anywhere. And even worse, its alienated many moderates, and Democrats, who simply don’t want to be defined by hatred of one man. And that threatens to cost Democrats elections for years to come.
If you point out the changes, or issues, in the Democratic Party, you will likely be called a MAGA member all over social media. You will also be hit back with the automatic “but Republicans are worse” thing that Democrats use to justify the “hate Trump” message that consumes them.
And the sad part is, while Trump is a unique sort of ass in countless ways, there are some successes, and on items that past Democrats, like Obama, worked for as well.
Objective people can see that Trump closed the border. Obama, Hillary and Bill Clinton, basically every Democrat spoke often of that need. Trump has deported many, but nowhere near as many as Obama. We pretend that ICE is some new organization and that everyone that’s come over the border are now productive members of society.
He’s gotten foreign countries to pay their fair share into NATO. I don’t see any major issues with renegotiating tariffs, something Obama wanted in many areas as well.
Do I think everything he does is right? Of course not. His rhetoric is often deplorable, and even worse, unnecessary. I have no idea why he started a trade war with Canada. I don’t understand his obsession with Biden. January 6 is very much his fault. We are still waiting for that amazing healthcare plan he was set to announce his first day in office.
And I didn’t vote for him.
But his impact is even worse: he consumes the thoughts and mind of the Democratic Party to the point that even discussing ideas in the way we did with Obama is a pipedream.
Back then, we talked about a big tent, and what messaging would work with what demographic. Today, everyone not with us is against us.
If you raise issues in the party, they deflect to “but Trump” or “but the Republicans.” There is no ability for self-reflection. There is no desire for common ground unless it’s of the ‘hate Trump’ variety.
In order to be accepted by the current Democrats, you need to agree that Trump is a fascist, Republicans are Nazi’s, and any defending of them makes you one of them.
Even now, Democrats are reading this thinking ‘but you don’t see the existential threat Trump is to Democracy.’
And you are right. You know what he has done? What conservatives have wanted to do since the beginning of our country. He appointed conservative judges to the Supreme Court, like any Republican would have done. He pushed for states rights over Federal, he lowered tax rates on the wealthy, he pulled back foreign aid, he pushed for tighter borders. The same battles Washington and Hamilton and Adams and Jefferson Kennedy and Roosevelt and Clinton had.
All issues that had been debates for centuries, well before Trump was even born. the issue with Trump are nothing new.
And for those of us that still want to talk about issues. We still want to discuss universal healthcare and progressive tax rates. We want to be able to self-reflect on our own party without being called MAGA or a traitor or a fascist.
Maybe we will get back there one day. But everyday that passes, that dream seems further and further away.
