The Oncoming Storm

Twenty five years ago, when someone overseas would ask what the difference between Democrats and Republicans were, I'd answer, "they're not too different.  Actually, they're close on the political spectrum.  The main difference is Democrats feel there are some larger societal problems where the government has an obligation to help it's citizens.  Republicans feel as if giving everyone all their tax dollars back and letting them decide what services they want, regardless of how much more expensive it'd cost, is the best solution."

That was then...

Republicans today have been effectively brainwashed into thinking the Democrats are the greatest evil the planet has ever seen.  After 20 years of ridiculous comparisons to Hitler, Stalin, Communism, Fascism, Atheist theocracies, and anti-Americanism, the modern Republican has turned the Democratic Party into an amalgamation of all of them; a demon straight from Milton.  They never validate any of the allegations against their opponents, just bathe in them, basting their fears in the drippings of an irrational 'them vs. us' narrative.  It's how they validated their vote for Nazi sympathizers.

They've become controlled, implanted with Republican color glasses which prevent them from ever holding the party they vote for accountable for anything, a filter which allows them to see undeniable racism, sexism and hatred as wholesome, American values and Christian doctrine.  They blame everything bad happening to them directly on the Democrats, even when Democrats haven't been involved in their local government for three decades.  They don't think anymore, they only react as told.

The people pulling the Republican voter's strings have spent the last eight years taking what should've been a major milestone in American politics, and turning it into an incubator of the worst of society.  The election of our first non-white President was turned into a new Republican rallying cry; a whites first voting standard; a racist litmus test in which they (white male Christians in control of North America for the last 500 years) are now (somehow) the weakened victim, their rights violated by the mere suggestion of equality for all.  It's where the mantra of 'white genocide' originated; a hatred infused political message summed up in the statement, "how dare they push a black president on us poor white people!"

It's Rovian politics.  Take your enemies strength and turn it into a weakness, and turn your biggest weakness (in the case of the GOP, their undeniable racist followers) into a 'strength.'  The Democrats are partially to blame, as they looked with adoration upon President Obama, insisting they didn't need to tout the positivity of the times they were living in, that the positivity would speak for itself; that the Obama Presidency validated them, that they'd been proven right.  That was their mistake.  The Republicans were allowed to create the right's racist narrative surrounding our first non-white President, and it's evolved into a disgusting mainstream voting platform.  It explains how every Republican voter today has embraced at least one racist issue (border walls, interment camps, religious screenings).

But it goes even further, summed up perfectly by one of my regular righto callers to my radio show, Randy in Coon Rapids.  When I asked him about the woefully inadequate Ben Carson being named to the position of Housing and Urban Development, Randy said, "the best part of it was how outraged I, and the rest of the Democrats, were at the nomination," adding "I love seeing you guys so upset!"  He gave up the ghost.  The Republican's priority, when it comes to voting, is no longer 'whose governing ideology do I agree with more,' but rather 'who will the Democrats hate more?'  It's terrifying to see them cheer on such incompetence, but when the goal is not effective government, but rather rubbing their opponents faces in the mess, it's what you get.  Republicans only want to see Democrats cry.  That's what makes them feel better about themselves, and their choices.

And here's reality - our political world is NEVER going back.  Members of the Democratic Party who want to return to a simpler political time, a mythical political time, need to understand that.  A world of intense, educated political debate, with each side offering their well crafted 75 page footnoted dissertations on policies, holding to a non-existent gentleman's agreement to 'agree to disagree' when there's no consensus, is all gone.  That political time, if it ever existed, will never return, not in our current, immediate self gratification society, a society which feels persecuted when they have to watch a whole thirty second commercial before their video streams.

Republicans are pro-wrestlers.  They don't want to have a debate.  They want to kill the Democrats, or at least trick them with a fake handshake so they can throw their faces into the steel cage. They're having success because they're built for succeeding in our modern warped world, and unless the Democrats change, they're going to become extinct.

The current Republican dominated election system can be defeated, but to do so will take a herculean effort.  Here's what we need to do:

1.  Get a 2018 Democratic candidate running immediately in EVERY district in Minnesota (and nationwide).  If more than one candidate wants to run, great, but make sure they're targeting the real opponent, the Republican.  The current Republican system is based on a 10 month election cycle.  They're not prepared to campaign 24/7/365.  Yes, that's a commitment, but it's what needs to happen to win.
2. EVERY district, even districts where the Democrats only pull 10%, need to have a Democratic challenger.  If the Republicans don't have to defend a seat, that money goes to pick off Democrats in Democratic leaning seats.  Make them fight for every seat they hold.  Take nothing for granted, and do not leave any district unchallenged.
3. Stop thinking Facebook and Twitter posts are enough to win the day.  They're not.  They only give people a false feeling of accomplishment.  The only people those memes are talking to are people who primarily agree with them, so while motivating the troops is a great thing, it doesn't win over the masses.
4. Jeff Stein, an exceptional political mind in Iowa, says it best - all politics is local!  Forget about selling large ideals to the masses and focus on a Democratic message around the issues which are priorities to the local community.  Identify a winning strategy with local appeal, one that embodies Democratic principles, and run with it.
5. Get out of Democratic comfort zones and talk to the Republicans who never get approached by Democrats.  Every senior center, every agricultural meeting, every church picnic, every community event.  If Democrats are afraid to go into the lions den and preach their gospel, you're already giving up on voters.  That's no longer a luxury for the left.
6. Everywhere you go demand the Republicans stand by their election promises, or explain why they failed to deliver.  Too many Republicans never deliver for their district, and are NEVER called out on it.  Make people realize the Republican campaign promises were lies and half truths.
7. Start asking for time on every radio station which hits your district.  Start writing editorials in every newspaper in the district.  Start asking for interview time on all local television in the district.  Media outlets are usually conservative leaning, so kick open the doors and ask, politely, for equal time to talk about the issues.  If they refuse, start making sure everyone you know is aware of the unfair bias.  Applying pressure from the audience usually works.  
8. Being media diverse is important, so have an ACTIVE presence on all social media platforms, especially Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Instagram.  This give you maximum coverage in all demographics.
9. Find someone to make you a good looking webpage.  Doesn't have to be fancy, just competent and easy to navigate.
10. Expand your formats! If you want to go into longer speeches, a blog is an excellent option.  Record your blog posts and offer them as a podcast.  Record a twice a month podcast where you talk about a specific issue in the district and what you'd do to address them.  Cross promote all of this on all of your formats.
11. Stop trying to win over 2% of Republicans you pray are the difference makers.  You should be targeting the entire district.
12. There's a very distinct difference between a Moderate Democrat and Republican Light.  If you don't want to be a proud Democrat, then don't run as one. 

Democratic issues are the issues which are popular to most voters.  By embracing them, and making them your focus, you immediately bring respectability and legitimacy to your campaign.  Yes, this is going to be hard work.  It's going to be a tremendous amount of hard work, but it's what needs to be done.  It's time to put down the strongly worded memos and it's time to start body slamming them!

This is now...