Radical Reform is the Only Way to Save Democracy
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Thank you. Radical Reform is the Only Way to Save DemocracyDemocratic leaders are right to worry about our institutions, they are wrong to resist changing themOftentimes the topic of this newsletter is what Democrats should say — the message, the agenda, and how to get people to hear that message. Today’s post is about how some Democrats need to change their thinking to win the longer and more important war for political power. In the wake of the recent Supreme Court shitshows, a sense of anger and frustration emerged towards our Democratic leaders. Many are frustrated they let this happen and are dissatisfied with the response. The always thoughtful Perry Bacon laid out the argument in a recent column:
I am very sympathetic to Perry’s point. I agree that the response, in terms of tone, velocity, and substance, is lacking. It’s important to acknowledge that the President and Congressional leaders have limited tools to respond to the recent Court decisions. The tools they have are largely unavailable due to Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema’s peccadilloes. In the wake of millions of Americans having their rights ripped away by a rigged Court, no response would have felt satisfactory or proportionate. As someone who worked in Congressional leadership and the White House, I am perhaps overly sensitive to how difficult those jobs can be and how many conflicting equities must be balanced. In this case, Biden et al must weigh every decision against whether it will cause Manchin or Sinema to abandon negotiations or vote against a nominee. Therefore, I tend to give our party leaders a wide berth and try not to immediately assume incompetence or ambivalence. With that mouthful of caveats aside, there is one area where Democratic leaders — including President Biden — are wrong. Time and again, they brush off more aggressive responses to Republican radicalization because they want to repair the damage done by Donald Trump and restore trust in U.S. institutions. A Return to Normal is ImpossibleA recent article for CNN by Edward Isaac Dovere included the following passage:
We have heard similar arguments from other Democratic elected officials to explain their opposition to Court expansion, making Washington, D.C. a state, abolishing the Electoral College, and aggressive uses of executive authority. Democrats are correct to worry about rapidly declining trust in institutions. They are also correct to resist adopting the nationalist nihilism practiced by Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump... Keep reading with a 7-day free trialSubscribe to The Message Box to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives. A subscription gets you:
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Older messages
Why Democrats Should Embrace Court Reform
Thursday, June 30, 2022
The recent Supreme Court decisions demand a bold and aggressive response.
Roe and the Right Wing Assault on Freedom
Sunday, June 26, 2022
Overturning Roe v. Wade is just the beginning of a broader assault on personal freedom
A Unified Dem Narrative for 2022
Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Democrats need a narrative that connects the dots and raises the stakes in a very difficult environment
The Ongoing Republican Plot to Steal the Election
Friday, June 17, 2022
While the 1/6 hearings are rightly focused on Trump and 2020, we can't lose sight of what the rest of the GOP is planning for 2024
President Biden's Communications Strategy Shift
Sunday, June 12, 2022
In recent weeks, the White House has shifted their messaging approach in ways the press hasn't yet noticed, but make a lot of sense.
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