Great news arriving from France that the fascist right was made lesser through a new coalition resembling the one from the 1930s, meant to effect the same outcome and allay the same fears a hundred years later. The leftist coalition is the New Popular Front.
This got me thinking about our own situation back home and just how important this election is, not just for the US, but also for the rest of the world. Perhaps it is time for a coalition here at home too.
I think we can all agree that there is no greater threat for democracy, for our climate, education, freedoms, and the future for our children, than the prospect of Donald Trump getting back into power; and not just any power, but even greater power than the last time, with almost no way to curb his behavior or hold him accountable.
Does this situation not warrant new approaches and strategies?
We have to do everything we can to stop that from happening, even if it means making compromises and forming coalitions. There can be no egos here, no thirst for power. That power may have to be shared in some ways; new ideas have to be let in — all in the interest of continued democracy.
The Green Party always gets millions of votes... we could use some of those. The Libertarians absolutely hate Trump. We just watched them boo him and call him names, bring rubber chickens to their convention. There are various smaller Progressive parties around, like the Vermont Progressives. Biden has to reach out and make deals, he cannot afford not to. He should promise national adviser, or even cabinet positions, in exchange for their millions of votes.
And this needs to start now, if it hasn’t already. Too much is at stake.
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Which brings me to my second point. After I started thinking about the coalitions, I got petrified because I realized – what is to stop Donald Trump from also forming a coalition? What’s to stop him from promising cabinet positions, even if he doesn’t intend on keeping those promises?
We know Kennedy started as a Democrat and then went independent, but he is more like Trump than anyone else is. He lies profusely, spreads the same fears and conspiracy theories as DJT, and seems to be taking more votes away from Trump than he is from Biden.
Is this not fertile soil for Trump to make an offer?
What if Kennedy accepted? What if Trump promised him a National Health Adviser position, or a cabinet position in Housing and Development, or similar. Would Kennedy accept? Can we risk that? And Trump could have him arrested moments after the election, and not even keep his promise… but the votes are already cast.
What would a Biden coalition with Kennedy look like? Can we even make that happen, in order to prevent the worst from happening? This is the way I look at it – if there is even a 1% chance of Trump and Kennedy joining forces, then that is a 100% too great of a chance and needs to be eliminated. This can’t even be an option come September, or October.
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I think it’s high time this came to pass. Just imagine a coalition between the Democrats, Progressives, Libertarians and the Green Party? We could get 55-56% of the total vote, perhaps even majorities in the Senate and the House. The Libertarian votes would help us in the red states too.
And all for a couple of cabinet seats and a promise to work with them and hear their voices on issues. Is that not worth eliminating the Trump threat and preserving democracy?