If you’ve watched any of the presidential debates so far, you have witnessed two things: (1) a number of Democrats offering up their progressive “wish lists” and, more importantly, (2) a group of Democrats attacking one another.
Yes, you first have to win the nomination before you can win the election. But this group of presidential hopefuls has focused too much on contentious, wonky policy discussions instead of presenting a more unified attack on Donald J. Trump.
The number one goal for Democrats in 2020 is to defeat the abomination currently occupying the White House. Period.
Look guys (and gals) most people know no matter how great your proposals, they will only die in the Senate … even if you regain the chamber! Unless you secure a filibuster-proof majority (60 votes) nothing will get done, Mitch or no Mitch.
The fact is most Americans already know you all want great things for the country: better and more accessible healthcare; for the U.S. to regain its rightful place on the world stage; comprehensive (and humane) immigration reform; to combat the threat of climate change.
Martin Longman of the Washington Monthly has observed, “If the Republicans maintain their majority in the Senate, the new Democratic president will not be enacting one iota of their top shelf legislative agenda. There will be nothing major on health care or college loans or immigration or climate change.”
Take the advice of Andrew Yang who, after the second presidential debate, stressed the need for Democrats to focus on beating President Donald Trump instead of attacking each other.
“I think it’s unfortunate,” said Yang when asked about the clash between Sen. Kamala Harris and former Vice President Joe Biden. “The Democrats need to focus on beating Donald Trump in 2020 and not beat each other up.”
So, Democratic presidential hopefuls, spend more time talking about Trump’s crimes and lawlessness; zero in on what he has done (and continues to do) to the very fabric of our democracy; drive home how four more years of Trump is unacceptable as it will leave us with an America we no longer recognize.
Candidates, you need to keep it simple. Your talk about what type of healthcare system is best is enlightening but it is only confusing the American public. They don’t want to see how the sausage is made. They just want what Donald Trump promised them when he ran for office.
“We’re going to have insurance for everybody,” said then-candidate Trump in an interview with The Washington Post. “There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us.”
Here’s the deal … just work out the details once in office … if you can get Senate Republicans (and those “conservative” Democrats) to go along with you!
Unite, don’t fight!
Photo | freepik.com
