It’s not becoming a major push back talking point, but I’ve been seeing that some liberals want to examine the issue if we in the movement are becoming too harsh and not “reconciling” with our fellow American citizens who are Trump supporters. This was brought up on All In with Chris Hayes, and I have to say that my reaction is “What the hell are you talking about Chris?” This was done in a segment where they were showing another townhall meeting with a Republican Congressman who was all for repealing the ACA and supporting Trump getting booed and yelled at by his constituents.
First up, there was this problem of conflating Republicans in Congress who support Trump as being people we should reconcile with. Since when should I reconcile with people who want to throw me of my healthcare? I am on the Medicaid expansion, and I see nothing to reconcile with Republicans who want me dead.
Next, Republican Congresspeople LIE repeatedly about the ACA. And just about everyhing else as well. How do I reconcile with someone who is lying to me on a regular basis? Why is it that I must reconcile with liars?
Maybe, just maybe, Chris was trying to make some point that we should show some respect for Trump voters by being nicer to their representatives? Well, I’m not yelling at them Chris. Their constituents are yelling at them. And if Trump supporters want to show their views and love to their representatives, they should show up at the townhalls and engage with their fellow citizens.
Are we in the progressive movement acting like the Tea Party? Well, we are voicing our opinions, and it will get heated sometimes. I do not recall anyone in the Republican Party telling the Tea Party to knock it off and understand progressives. And last time I checked, I do not recall violence being espoused and encouraged by progressives, unlike what I have seen at Tea Party rallies or with Trump supporters.
So I see some lazy journalism and false equivalency here.
Next up was the old “progressives are running purity tests!” lament. Yes, there are some on Daily Kos and others who complain about this, but how many conservative and moderate Democrats do we still have in the Democratic Party? Last time I checked, we still had some. If progressives were so efficient at purity tests, wouldn’t all Democrats be progressives?
And while I agree with the point raised by the moderate Howard Dean that Democrats need to engage with redstate voters, does this mean we have to cater to Trump supporters? While Howard Dean does not say that, several others in the Media are trying to make the argument that Democrats should specifically talk to Trump supporters, especially those who voted for Obama before. I believe it is a fool’s errand to try and persuade nearly 80,000 people who voted for Trump and swung the Electoral College over trying to engage voters who sat out the last several elections. In other words, I think we should try to motivate and engage voters who feel left out. And correct me if I wrong, I think there are a lot more disengaged voters than former Obama turned Trump voters to be gotten.
And a final point: I see nothing wrong with some passion and principles from progressives on the issues. I think showing passion and conviction is actually a way to engender some respect from others. Quick test for you all. What do you think are the first few words that come to mind when you say to a voter liberal or progressive? One of those words that comes to my mind is “weak.”
For too long, progressives have been caricatured as spineless beings who will let anyone run over them. Part of this may come from the willingness of those on the left to admit that the world is not black and white as conservatives believe it is. Because a number of us on the left see a multivariate universe, we tend to think before acting. To conservatives and their allies, this looks like dithering.
However, it didn’t help that many of our political leaders in the Democratic Party have bought into this caricature with their actions over the last few decades. How often have we seen so called liberals in the Democratic Party compromise on terrible bipartisan bills? I lost count a while back.
Now, the progressive movement has been passionate of late, and our voices have started to stiffen the spine of those in the Democratic Party. Compromise for compromise sake is at least questioned now and rightly criticized. Actual policy results and their effects on the rest of Americans are being debated. Who knows what might be the final results? Maybe Democrats willing to stand for something might kill that conservative caricture of progressives of being weak? Maybe Democrats might gain a few more votes and electoral wins if they showed some resolve and passion?
So I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am not going to tone it down to kiss some Trump supporter’s ass.