Face it: Liberals are under attack
Monday's revelation that the Supreme Court will overturn abortion rights is the result of conservatives who have (once again) played the long game. Since the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, curtailing or overturning abortion rights has been a focus for conservatives who view a woman's right to choose as antithetical to the conservative agenda of control. "Letting women choose? Hell no!"
But Abortion rights are not the only target for conservatives. Civil rights, marriage equality, equal pay, gun control, environmental protections, education, access to health care, and even veteran's rights--specifically disability payments--are all things liberals have championed for decades. Not surprisingly, each of these are also rights that Republicans and conservative Democrats in Congress are hellbent on repealing, mainly by buoying the filibuster, thus eliminating the ability by Democrats to even bring issues to debate. (It is worth noting, Justice Alito, that the filibuster is not in the Constitution, either. Remember that when it comes before the Court.) It cannot be more clear: conservatives are at war with liberals.
But what are liberals to do? How can Democrats and liberals (to include Libertarians, btw) do to strengthen laws that protect equality and protection for minorities? Republicans are far too well-organized. They speak as one, vote as one, and act as one. They formulate their agendas and adhere to the small steps necessary to see those agendas through to completion. Democrats, on the other hand, seemingly cannot agree that the sky is blue. Leaders like Schumer and Pelosi are tasked with herding many disparate viewpoints and agendas in an effort to pursue the liberal agenda.
Wait. Liberal agenda? That would imply that liberals are unified on anything. Liberals cannot even agree on an economic stimulus package necessary to kick-start the nation's economy or who to vote for in a presidential election. The disagreement within is almost as hyperbolic and vitriolic as the attacks conservatives use on liberals. Want an example? "Bernie or nobody!" Supporters of Bernie Sanders, at least in conversations I had, stated flatly that if Sanders was not the democratic nominee they would refuse to vote. Look also at the progressive caucus in the House that threatened to kill President Biden's COVID economic response bill because it wasn't liberal enough. Where conservatives are in lockstep, liberals are the very definition of herding cats.
But I digress. What can liberals do to combat the assault on human rights?
Seriously, what can we do? I have my own ideas, but like anything proposed by and for liberals, I will surely draw lines of division as well as personal attacks. Despite that, here's what I believe liberals need to do:
Unify. Progressive liberals need to understand that political progress happens in inches, not miles. We cannot completely eliminate college debt and guarantee universal health care and guarantee a basic minimum income for all Americans. What we can do is chip away at college debt, regulate drug prices, and limit the amount doctors and hospitals can charge for medical procedures.
Be willing to take a punch. Democrats in name only (DINOs) gotta go. The DNC should be willing to cut loose senators like Manchin and Sinema, who consistently vote against their own party. Yes, dems will be in the minority for a while, but minority is a position the party has held for decades. It made us scrappy where being in the majority has made us lazy, arrogant, and unwilling to compromise.
Appeal to the average American. Democrats have earned the mantle of "intellectual elite." We tend to be well-educated, we tend to be urban, we tend to be white collar workers and professionals. Oregon and Colorado would be deep red if not for the major cities like Portland and Denver, as well as small cities like Eugene and Boulder.The rest of these two states are firmly conservative, rural, and blue collar. Dems need to take the diplomas off the wall. We need to appeal to Joe Average. We need to understand the hopes and dreams of rural America and explain how it is liberals who actually have their best interests at heart. Farm subsidies vs oil subsidies, anyone?
Go small. Focus on small races. School boards, city councils, mayoral races. If dog catcher is on the ballot, we need to run a candidate with a D after their name. Obama had it right with his massively-successful grassroots efforts that targeted neighbors and communities rather than populations. How did Trump win? He convinced rural America that he was just like them. He shouted the things that civilized people keep to themselves, and made it okay to be racist, misogynistic homophobes willing to resort to violence to push their beliefs. I am *not* advocating that liberals should resort to violence to achieve our goals but we do need that same fervor, and that can only come from locals in communities showing how the liberal agenda is all-inclusive.
Be loud and proud. Remember the mobs that attended Trump rallies? They left emboldened. Look around and count how many Trump flags and stickers you see, how many "the election was stolen" signs and stickers you see. Here in conservative Douglas County, Colorado, I see that stuff several times a day. How many Biden stickers do I see? None. We need to be just as loud, just as proud, and just as bold. We need to have liberal flotillas, we need to have people willing to wave blue flags and sport masks supporting democratic ideals and wear hats reminding people that America has always been great. Veterans especially should sport liberal gear. We served in the most conservative organizations the country has to offer, and we see how liberal ideals are better. "Vets for (insert democratic candidate name here)" signs should pop up on lawns and stickers. Shirts. Hats. Banners. Tattoos, whether temporary or permanent. Everywhere it can be displayed, we need to display it.
And finally, we need to activate the liberal base. America consistently has some of the lowest voter turnout of any nation in the world. Maybe we're too busy volunteering at the local farm co-op, or our candidate isn't on the ballot, or it's finals week. (Kidding.) What do republicans do? They appeal to the basic ideals of God, Guns, and Liberty, hiding the fact that deficits and the size of government balloon every time they're in power. What can liberals cling to? Freedom, equality, and unity. Republicans refuse to acknowledge the value of non-Christian voters, even those that vote republican. Democrats should appeal to the overlooked voters and expose the divisions fomented by the GOP. Republicans work to denigrate the "other," whether that be skin color, gender, or ideals. Dems need to show that everyone is welcome, everyone is important, everyone is equal. Finally, the image of dems being unable to rally around a cause must end. A candidate might not espouse the same wants and desires that you do, but that doesn't mean that candidate is worthless. A bill might not have the big leap forward that you want. It may have baby steps. Support it anyway. A little is better than nothing.