(In no particular order)
Democrats have a chance to retake the House in 2014, as well as several state legislatures and governorships across the nation. However, they will not be able to do this without unprecedented voter turnout amongst the Democratic base: the working class, women, minorities, and Young Americans.
This is what Democrats face heading into the 2014 elections. If our people turn out, Democrats win. There are simply more of us than them, and that number is growing by the day. The problem is, our people are the least likely to turn out, and their track record in mid-term elections is woeful.
Getting these voters to turn out in an off-year election has been one of the toughest problems facing the Democratic Party. However, one of the basic rules of driving turnout and motivating these voters to show up to the polls is to establish bold policies about the issues they care about.
In that regard, Democrats have already covered a lot of ground.
For the working class, Democrats are pushing to raise the minimum wage, extend unemployment insurance, paid sick leave, and let's not forget the subsidized health care millions of low-income Americans have now thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
For women, Democrats are pushing to raise the minimum wage, address sexual assault in the military and on college campuses, defending abortion rights, and access to contraception.
For minorities, Democrats are pushing to raise the minimum wage, decriminalize marijuana, and pursuing immigration reform.
For Young Americans, Democrats are pushing to raise the minimum wage, protect the rights of the LGBT community, and ensure higher education remains affordable.
So does that mean Democrats will see these voters turn out in the numbers they need to turn 2014 into a Democratic wave?
Not necessarily. Here's why.
The Centrist Democrats and the sock puppet media who disproportionately influence party agenda and strategy do not want Democrats waging class warfare. They breathlessly warn that this is political suicide and would rather divert our attentions to less politically-volatile issues, even if it means losing some of the party's most fervent supporters.
In reality, they don't want class warfare, because they are just as dependent on the corporate oligarchy as the Republican Party. And they are willing to co-opt the party's leadership and sell out their base supporters and their ideals to maintain that dependence. Even if it spells the party's electoral defeat.
And even though Republicans are continuing to push their party further away from the general public, I don't think highlighting their numerous Rebranding Fails is necessarily enough to motivate the Democratic base to come out and vote on Election Day in the numbers that are needed. After all, we are subjected to their idiotic scandalizing, corruption, and demagoguery on a practically daily basis already. And for the most part, the Republican Party manages to hang on.
There is only one sure way to motivate the Democratic base to come out and vote in 2014:
An aggressively Progressive agenda.
In addition to the battles Democrats are currently waging, I propose Democrats adopt and/or embrace the following Progressive initiatives for the 2014 agenda, to solidify support from these stalwart Democratic base demographics:
1. An economic stimulus program that includes millions of new jobs.
2. Tax and regulate Wall Street financial piracy.
3. Support organized labor, and protect jobs from going overseas.
4. Expand Social Security, Medicaid eligibility including pursuing a public option, and strengthen the food stamp program.
5. Pass the National Popular Vote, abolish gerrymandering, and remove barriers to voter participation.
And oh yeah. If we want a Democratic wave to build this year, we need Democratic candidates in every race. Even the reddest legislative districts, the reddest Senate seats, the reddest state legislatures, and the reddest Governorships. And while we're at it, primary the Corporate Wing from the Left.
Here are my proposed 2014 political targets for the Democratic Party:
Obtain a Supermajority in the US Senate (5 seat pickup)
Win a Majority of the US House of Representatives (17 seat pickup)
Win a Majority of State Governorships (5 seat pickup)
Win Full Control of a Majority of State Legislatures (9 state pickup)
Increase Membership in the Congressional Progressive Caucus
The targets I have set are bold and ambitious; at the same time they are realistic.
Provided we can get the Democratic base voters to show up at the polls.
If we are really committed to seeing a resurgence of Democratic strength,
If we really want to see an end to destructive obstructionism, political hostage taking, and Republican wingnuttery,
Then we will embrace our liberal mantle.