Today I thought I was going to sit down and finally make an endorsement in the New Hampshire Democratic Primary. The election is only a month away, and many people have been waiting for me to endorse someone.
But I am not going to make any announcement about who I support right now.
Before I make an endorsement, we – as Democrats– seriously need to sit down and talk!
The differences between the Republican candidates and the Democrats are astounding. The two parties could not be further apart. Republican presidential candidates are attacking women, attacking immigrants, attacking members of the LBGT community, and the list goes on and on. There are massive amounts of money being “invested” in this election by corporations and dark money organizations that are trying to undermine workers’ rights.
The Republican candidates in this election are trying to take our country in the completely wrong direction.
Working families have been badly hurt, during the past few decades. We have to ensure that the Republicans do not win the White House.
I’m a Democrat, and we have our own problems right now. This primary has become the most divisive I have ever seen. Never before have I seen infighting between Democrats as I am seeing now.
My Facebook feed is full of supporters vocally showing their support for their chosen candidate. That is all fine and dandy – but recently supporters have turned to attacking fellow Democrats for not supporting their candidate.
People are accusing Senator Sanders of not being a Democrat, while others are accusing Sec. Hillary Clinton as being a shill for her Wall Street donors. Wherever the truth lies in these statements is not really relevant. Attacking fellow Democrats does not help either candidate, and does not show how the Democratic agenda will move America in the right direction.
Even the Republicans have started using our own infighting to fuel their own opposition to a specific candidate. And as NHLN blogger Liz Iacobucci pointed out in her Thanksgiving Day post, “arguing won’t get you anywhere.”
I’d also like to remind you of what’s gotten forgotten in all the infighting: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley are all basically saying the same thing. They’re all saying: We need to raise the minimum wage, protect workers rights to organize, protect women’s reproductive rights, pass modest gun reforms to reduce gun violence, pass paid family and medical leave, and reign in the Wall Street gamblers who wrecked our economy.
There are minor differences in the specifics, like an $11 dollar minimum wage vs. a $15 minimum wage, but the fact is they all want the same thing: to raise the minimum wage.
The most important consideration of all is not which Democrat wins the White House. The lesson we’ve learned over the past seven years is that controlling the White House only limits the bad legislation that gets through. Controlling the White House – by itself – cannot restore America’s Middle Class and it can’t advance family-friendly policies.
Congressional Republicans have done everything in their power to stop every piece of progressive legislation submitted in the past seven years. If those same Republicans are re-elected to Congress, then NONE of these worker-friendly campaign ideas are going to pass. Many of them will never even get a vote!
Each of us, as individuals, should actively support our chosen candidate. Highlight their progressive policies and how they will make a great President. Leave the attacks to other people. (We’ll hear more than enough attacks in the paid political advertising, thank you very much.)
When the primary is over, working people are going to have to stand side-by-side if we want to have any chance of winning the White House and taking back the US House and Senate.
Remember you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Stay positive and together our policies will help win over those undecided voters.
Written by Matt Murray on the NH Labor News