by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
There seems to be a lot of free advice circulating on social media lately about the proper course of action Democrats should take in challenging Trump in the 2020 election. I have taken a few notes and have some thoughts on the strategies for electoral success which are currently circulating.
First of all there is the "Vote Blue No Matter Who" crowd reminding Democrats to support the person that the party nominates, whether he or she was the voter's original preference or not. I buy into that if for no other reason than than the lowest, mangiest most vile Democrat anywhere on the party roster is still head and shoulders above Donald Trump or Mike Pence. Trump has set the bar so low that it would take some serious excavating equipment to get beneath it. Democrats must support the nominee of their party. To vote for a third-party candidate or not vote at all helps to insure that we will be living in Trump Hell for four more years.
That said, I do not subscribe to the notion that Democrats should remain quiet and overly polite in the run up to the convention - nor should they not be too concerned with speaking ill of any Democratic presidential wannabe. That's not who we are, and being wallflowers will be no help at all in figuring out which candidates are tough enough to take on Trump. The primary season is a trial by fire, a raucous and messy political rumble that rolls from state to state, and not a white-gloved sit-down over tea and crumpets with Pearl Mesta.
And after the candidate is chosen at the convention - what then?
One approach that is currently being proposed in some quarters is the "high road." In that model the candidate and party would ignore the outrages of Trump, as much as possible, and focus on the problems facing our nation while offering up reasoned and pragmatic solutions. Careful explanations of situations buttressed with well-crafted policies and programs that address each issue. Be the well-informed adults in the room. In one corner Trump is busy erupting like Vesuvius, and in the other corner a competent teacher is rummaging through charts and graphs explaining the looming crisis with the national debt.
Uh . . . probably not.
Others are arguing that the "high road" approach just plays into Trump's hand. Trump, the showman, knows that the media rushes to cover his every utterance and that it never misses an opportunity to quickly amplify his outrageous lies and dog whistles. While the Democrats try to "educate" their followers, Trump is whipping his into a frenzy.
Another strategy that some opinion makers are kicking around is for the Democrats to just ignore policies and programs altogether and spend the entire campaign solely focusing on Trump, calling out his lies, racist statements and actions, and examples of ignorance and incompetence as they occur. Trump relishes being the center of attention, and this strategy would keep the bright light of reason glaring sternly at him. This approach might be seen by some as the "low road," the street on which Trump lives.
A third option would be to have a strong case of policies and programs sitting on a shelf somewhere and "at the ready" when a person or group seeks details, but to keep the daily focus on Trump and his constant flow of outrages. This plan, to focus on Trump's character but to have a thorough plan for governing capable of being discussed at a moment's notice, is somewhat of a "middle road."
Donald Trump is a unique character in American politics, one who should not be taken for granted. Trump's campaign style will be, as it always has been, patently offensive to a wide swath of decent individuals. He will make racist comments, he will make sexist comments, he will spread intolerance and hatred toward immigrants, and, on a slow day, he may even mock a few disabled individuals. He will play golf while he derides others as being lazy, he will espouse "Christian" values while never setting foot inside of a church, and he will continue to profit personally off of the presidency.
Donald Trump is truly the elephant in the room, the one who cannot and should not be ignored. Yes, the Democratic candidate needs to present a decent image and be well versed in the needs and capabilities of the country, and that person must be prepared to govern competently beginning on day one of the next administration. But that person must also be ready to ready to roll in the mud and throw some punches - because Donald Trump is a creature of filth who lives in the mud - and it is from there that he will be conducting his campaign.
Donald Trump wants everything to be about him, and the election of 2020 will be about him whether the Democrats choose to recognize and fight that battle or not. Trump has defined the race, and now the Democrats must win it! And, like it or not, wrestling a hog will require getting dirty.
Citizen Journalist
There seems to be a lot of free advice circulating on social media lately about the proper course of action Democrats should take in challenging Trump in the 2020 election. I have taken a few notes and have some thoughts on the strategies for electoral success which are currently circulating.
First of all there is the "Vote Blue No Matter Who" crowd reminding Democrats to support the person that the party nominates, whether he or she was the voter's original preference or not. I buy into that if for no other reason than than the lowest, mangiest most vile Democrat anywhere on the party roster is still head and shoulders above Donald Trump or Mike Pence. Trump has set the bar so low that it would take some serious excavating equipment to get beneath it. Democrats must support the nominee of their party. To vote for a third-party candidate or not vote at all helps to insure that we will be living in Trump Hell for four more years.
That said, I do not subscribe to the notion that Democrats should remain quiet and overly polite in the run up to the convention - nor should they not be too concerned with speaking ill of any Democratic presidential wannabe. That's not who we are, and being wallflowers will be no help at all in figuring out which candidates are tough enough to take on Trump. The primary season is a trial by fire, a raucous and messy political rumble that rolls from state to state, and not a white-gloved sit-down over tea and crumpets with Pearl Mesta.
And after the candidate is chosen at the convention - what then?
One approach that is currently being proposed in some quarters is the "high road." In that model the candidate and party would ignore the outrages of Trump, as much as possible, and focus on the problems facing our nation while offering up reasoned and pragmatic solutions. Careful explanations of situations buttressed with well-crafted policies and programs that address each issue. Be the well-informed adults in the room. In one corner Trump is busy erupting like Vesuvius, and in the other corner a competent teacher is rummaging through charts and graphs explaining the looming crisis with the national debt.
Uh . . . probably not.
Others are arguing that the "high road" approach just plays into Trump's hand. Trump, the showman, knows that the media rushes to cover his every utterance and that it never misses an opportunity to quickly amplify his outrageous lies and dog whistles. While the Democrats try to "educate" their followers, Trump is whipping his into a frenzy.
Another strategy that some opinion makers are kicking around is for the Democrats to just ignore policies and programs altogether and spend the entire campaign solely focusing on Trump, calling out his lies, racist statements and actions, and examples of ignorance and incompetence as they occur. Trump relishes being the center of attention, and this strategy would keep the bright light of reason glaring sternly at him. This approach might be seen by some as the "low road," the street on which Trump lives.
A third option would be to have a strong case of policies and programs sitting on a shelf somewhere and "at the ready" when a person or group seeks details, but to keep the daily focus on Trump and his constant flow of outrages. This plan, to focus on Trump's character but to have a thorough plan for governing capable of being discussed at a moment's notice, is somewhat of a "middle road."
Donald Trump is a unique character in American politics, one who should not be taken for granted. Trump's campaign style will be, as it always has been, patently offensive to a wide swath of decent individuals. He will make racist comments, he will make sexist comments, he will spread intolerance and hatred toward immigrants, and, on a slow day, he may even mock a few disabled individuals. He will play golf while he derides others as being lazy, he will espouse "Christian" values while never setting foot inside of a church, and he will continue to profit personally off of the presidency.
Donald Trump is truly the elephant in the room, the one who cannot and should not be ignored. Yes, the Democratic candidate needs to present a decent image and be well versed in the needs and capabilities of the country, and that person must be prepared to govern competently beginning on day one of the next administration. But that person must also be ready to ready to roll in the mud and throw some punches - because Donald Trump is a creature of filth who lives in the mud - and it is from there that he will be conducting his campaign.
Donald Trump wants everything to be about him, and the election of 2020 will be about him whether the Democrats choose to recognize and fight that battle or not. Trump has defined the race, and now the Democrats must win it! And, like it or not, wrestling a hog will require getting dirty.
1 comment:
My dream debate might have an erudite, in it for the Common Good, and inspirational Democrat face off against Trump. When Trump goes low the Democratic candidate responds with something like:
“I don’t believe all Republicans are racists, like Donald Trump. But I do believe that a vile segment of American society is comprised of racists, and they have taken over the once noble Republican Party. Trump claims he is not racist, but he certainly panders to them.”
or,
“I don’t believe all Republicans are pro-Putin and pro-Russia, like Donald Trump. But I do believe that a vile segment of American society is comprised of those not loyal to the United States - while few in numbers they wield great fortunes, and they have, in part, taken over the once noble Republican Party. Trump claims Russia did not attack our elections in 2016, the FBI offers proof they did. And Congressional Republicans have done nothing but give in to Trump’s weak capitulation to Putin. Trump has not made America great, he has made her grovel to foreign powers.”
That’s the flavor I’d like to see.
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