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It's Time to Privatize the Democratic Party
This is an article that I've been working on for a while. The original is up at The Daily Kos.
It's Time to Privatize the Democratic Party
In the aftermath of the 2004 election disaster, the Democratic Party seems poised to repeat their tactics of post-2000: quietly concede, support the President, engage the circular firing squad, and wait until six months before the next election. At that point, they'll suddenly start sending dozens of panicky emails begging for donations. They'll blunder, and the media will pounce on anything, real or imagined, and call it a scandal. And the Republican machine will rip through the Democratic slate like a buzzsaw.
It doesn't have to be that way.
It's time to try a new approach: to make the Democratic Party a real, year-round organization that takes action, effective action - privately.
The Democratic Party faces national irrelevance. They've lost the White House, the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court, the federal judiciary, the intelligence community, the diplomatic corps, the majority of state governorships, and the media. After two or four more years out of power, the party will have virtually dropped off the scope of national awareness. The prospects for regaining any branch of government seem bleak, at best.
All that remains is to raise the occasional mild protest over the most extreme Bush actions and appointments, and watch as 70 years of progressive legislation are destroyed. Watch as the New Deal and Great Society are systematically slandered, undermined, and obliterated. Watch as the economy of the United States of America is crushed under an insupportable load of debt. The harsh reality is that Democrats must either find some way to revitalize the party, or give up everything they stand for - and accept permanent also-ran status, to boot.
There is an alternative, however. If the paths of government are hopelessly tainted and hostile, why not act outside of government? It is time for the Democratic Party to try a new path: private action, both to support its members and to promote basic Democratic goals. The benefits would be substantial.
Of course, the party could do what it did after the 2000 election: step off the national stage, and quietly wait until six months or so before the next election to start tapping members for donations. This led to catastrophic failure in the 2002 midterms and in 2004; there is no sane reason to expect the results to be different this time. Unfortunately, it's quite likely that the party will nonetheless persist in that suicidal habit of cyclical dormancy.
But a new course of private party action would invigorate the party from the roots up, confuse the Republicans, and present enormous public relations opportunities as well.
The path of private Democratic action would have two main branches: support for members, and policy goals.
Support for Members
A lot of ordinary Democrats are in bad shape. The Bush economy has hit hard. Unemployment is high, and many of those who are employed are finding it almost impossible to make ends meet. Most Democrats, like most Americans, are falling deeper and deeper into debt.
So why not use the national network of the party to help members help each other? In many ways this could be done at virtually no cost. For example, the Party could offer its members good advice about handling credit, dealing with debt, and planning for the serious financial downturn ahead. Likewise, if a party member loses their job, why not tap into the enormous network of party members? Many Democrats are employers, for example. Why not put Democratic employers and appropriately-skilled Democratic workers together?
Every person who can stand up and say "My fellow Democrats helped me to get a new job, get on my feet, (stay) off welfare, and feed my family" with their head held high would be a powerful argument in favor of the party. When party membership gives real, tangible benefits, a lot of people who are apathetic or undecided are likely to wake up and pay attention. What better advertisement could there be than hearing that a neighbor or relative got concrete help from the party? Then, too, an employed Democrat is a hell of a lot more likely to be able to contribute to party coffers - and even better, volunteer.
This may be too ambitious, but it's even possible to imagine coordinating hires and moves by rank & file Democrats to shift votes from some so-called "red" states to others, putting them into play - or even pulling them over to the Democratic side of the ledger altogether.
Another possibility: the party could use the collective bargaining power of its millions of members to provide low-cost health insurance for uninsured members.
Yet another possibility: help Democrats start their own businesses. Encourage other Democrats to buy from Democrats. Help members start co-ops, to buy more cheaply and from companies which support Democratic goals.
There must be many more possibilities; I'd welcome suggestions.
Much of this sort of action could be accomplished via the internet. The cost would be minimal, particularly since much of the work could be accomplished by volunteers. There are millions of Democrats who would love to help their fellow party members!
It's vital to emphasize the more traditional tools of the party. Millions of Democrats aren't online, after all. The old-fashioned mechanisms of party organization reach into almost every community in the nation, which is a potentially priceless tool. Which makes it all the more mystifying that the party leadership has chosen not to use that tool in the political off-season.
The fact is, there no longer is a political off-season. The Republicans have learned that lesson well, and used it to their advantage. It's long past time that the Democrats did, too.
Policy Goals
The second branch of the private way is policy. Since the Bush people are determined to demolish the social safety net, why not demonstrate the value of that safety net to the American people? Why not make the Republicans pay a political price for their malfeasance?
For example: collect donations from party members and use them to buy armor for our troops in Iraq. Hold a press conference to announce the donation, and invite all Americans to contribute. What better way to highlight the miserable failure of this administration to provide basic security for the troops? The troops that they chose to send in harm's way?
Then, the next month, do the same thing for the troops in Afghanistan - noting that although the administration has been ignoring them, they face the same perils as our troops in Iraq and should not be forgotten.
Another month, another initiative: Debut a new fund aimed at providing health care for uninsured children. Present at the announcement should be the telegenic sick children available - preferably ones whose parents lost their jobs thanks to Bush budget cuts. The impact would be enormous.
Yet another month: Announce the foundation of The Fund For America's Future, designed to pay off the national debt. This could never equal even one percent of the red ink racked up by the government, of course, but that's the point: it offers the chance to call attention to just how much debt the Republicans are piling up on our children and grandchildren. This fund would have continuing PR value, since every few months a new total could be announced - along with a comparison to the current national debt. Bush and company may be willing to take debts such as their proposed Social Security borrowing "off the books", but no such dishonesty would be allowed by the Democrats when giving updates on the status of the fund!
Other projects could make use of the skills and labor of ordinary Democrats: projects to, for example, go to rural communities and urban areas to test water quality and work to improve it (thereby calling attention to the dismal Republican environmental record). Find shelter for homeless families. Bring doctors to visit wounded veterans who haven't received the basic care they deserve, thanks to cuts in the VA budget. Bring food to the struggling families of troops in the field. The possibilities are endless.
Oh, the media would debate the issues, of course. But any discussion of the national debt, or of the scandal of America's uninsured children, or of our criminally under-equipped troops, can only benefit the Democrats.
Action need not be restricted to the national scene, either. State and local private action would be highly effective, too. It would allow good ideas to bubble upward from the grass roots of the party. Of course, this presumes a level of openness to rank & file members that is unprecedented in a major American party.
Please note that I am not suggesting that Democratic largesse could make up for Bush budget cuts. It can't. But even a relatively small amount would have two incredibly positive effects: it would call attention to what the Republicans are doing, and it would prove that the Democrats not only mean what they say, but are willing to back it up with their wallets and hands. The good that such projects would do would be yet a third benefit - but the key aspect would be their use as political weapons. These projects would give the party the kind of air time, publicity, and credibility that no money could buy.
It has been suggested that the Republicans might use such Democratic initiatives as an excuse to cut funding for worthy programs still further. But the unfortunate fact is that the Republicans no longer need an excuse. They are bound and determined to slash every social safety net (except those benefiting their campaign contributors) to the bone, and then to break the bone. The media are letting them get away with it, and the public remains in the dark. Democrats can either stand by and let them do it silently, in the shadows, or show America what is being done to their future and make the Republicans pay the price.
The alternative is to simply disappear, and resign ourselves to living in a one-party state until the Republicans have run the country into utter collapse and implosion. But it would be a mistake to assume that the country would then turn to the Democrats; a party that passively watched while the country was destroyed is hardly likely to inspire trust. Assuming, of course, that the country (and the world) survives that implosion.
These initiatives would also perform one other invaluable service. As it stands, there are millions of dispirited Democrats. By giving them something positive to do on a regular basis, by giving them a chance to make a difference and connect with their follow Democrats, the party will energize the membership. If the rank & file are given a way to get active now, and stay active for the next four years, the Democrats will foster a grass-roots movement that will build momentum and grow throughout the country. And it would give us all something we desperately need in these dark days of 2004: hope.
It's Time to Privatize the Democratic Party
In the aftermath of the 2004 election disaster, the Democratic Party seems poised to repeat their tactics of post-2000: quietly concede, support the President, engage the circular firing squad, and wait until six months before the next election. At that point, they'll suddenly start sending dozens of panicky emails begging for donations. They'll blunder, and the media will pounce on anything, real or imagined, and call it a scandal. And the Republican machine will rip through the Democratic slate like a buzzsaw.
It doesn't have to be that way.
It's time to try a new approach: to make the Democratic Party a real, year-round organization that takes action, effective action - privately.
The Democratic Party faces national irrelevance. They've lost the White House, the Senate, the House, the Supreme Court, the federal judiciary, the intelligence community, the diplomatic corps, the majority of state governorships, and the media. After two or four more years out of power, the party will have virtually dropped off the scope of national awareness. The prospects for regaining any branch of government seem bleak, at best.
All that remains is to raise the occasional mild protest over the most extreme Bush actions and appointments, and watch as 70 years of progressive legislation are destroyed. Watch as the New Deal and Great Society are systematically slandered, undermined, and obliterated. Watch as the economy of the United States of America is crushed under an insupportable load of debt. The harsh reality is that Democrats must either find some way to revitalize the party, or give up everything they stand for - and accept permanent also-ran status, to boot.
There is an alternative, however. If the paths of government are hopelessly tainted and hostile, why not act outside of government? It is time for the Democratic Party to try a new path: private action, both to support its members and to promote basic Democratic goals. The benefits would be substantial.
Of course, the party could do what it did after the 2000 election: step off the national stage, and quietly wait until six months or so before the next election to start tapping members for donations. This led to catastrophic failure in the 2002 midterms and in 2004; there is no sane reason to expect the results to be different this time. Unfortunately, it's quite likely that the party will nonetheless persist in that suicidal habit of cyclical dormancy.
But a new course of private party action would invigorate the party from the roots up, confuse the Republicans, and present enormous public relations opportunities as well.
The path of private Democratic action would have two main branches: support for members, and policy goals.
Support for Members
A lot of ordinary Democrats are in bad shape. The Bush economy has hit hard. Unemployment is high, and many of those who are employed are finding it almost impossible to make ends meet. Most Democrats, like most Americans, are falling deeper and deeper into debt.
So why not use the national network of the party to help members help each other? In many ways this could be done at virtually no cost. For example, the Party could offer its members good advice about handling credit, dealing with debt, and planning for the serious financial downturn ahead. Likewise, if a party member loses their job, why not tap into the enormous network of party members? Many Democrats are employers, for example. Why not put Democratic employers and appropriately-skilled Democratic workers together?
Every person who can stand up and say "My fellow Democrats helped me to get a new job, get on my feet, (stay) off welfare, and feed my family" with their head held high would be a powerful argument in favor of the party. When party membership gives real, tangible benefits, a lot of people who are apathetic or undecided are likely to wake up and pay attention. What better advertisement could there be than hearing that a neighbor or relative got concrete help from the party? Then, too, an employed Democrat is a hell of a lot more likely to be able to contribute to party coffers - and even better, volunteer.
This may be too ambitious, but it's even possible to imagine coordinating hires and moves by rank & file Democrats to shift votes from some so-called "red" states to others, putting them into play - or even pulling them over to the Democratic side of the ledger altogether.
Another possibility: the party could use the collective bargaining power of its millions of members to provide low-cost health insurance for uninsured members.
Yet another possibility: help Democrats start their own businesses. Encourage other Democrats to buy from Democrats. Help members start co-ops, to buy more cheaply and from companies which support Democratic goals.
There must be many more possibilities; I'd welcome suggestions.
Much of this sort of action could be accomplished via the internet. The cost would be minimal, particularly since much of the work could be accomplished by volunteers. There are millions of Democrats who would love to help their fellow party members!
It's vital to emphasize the more traditional tools of the party. Millions of Democrats aren't online, after all. The old-fashioned mechanisms of party organization reach into almost every community in the nation, which is a potentially priceless tool. Which makes it all the more mystifying that the party leadership has chosen not to use that tool in the political off-season.
The fact is, there no longer is a political off-season. The Republicans have learned that lesson well, and used it to their advantage. It's long past time that the Democrats did, too.
Policy Goals
The second branch of the private way is policy. Since the Bush people are determined to demolish the social safety net, why not demonstrate the value of that safety net to the American people? Why not make the Republicans pay a political price for their malfeasance?
For example: collect donations from party members and use them to buy armor for our troops in Iraq. Hold a press conference to announce the donation, and invite all Americans to contribute. What better way to highlight the miserable failure of this administration to provide basic security for the troops? The troops that they chose to send in harm's way?
Then, the next month, do the same thing for the troops in Afghanistan - noting that although the administration has been ignoring them, they face the same perils as our troops in Iraq and should not be forgotten.
Another month, another initiative: Debut a new fund aimed at providing health care for uninsured children. Present at the announcement should be the telegenic sick children available - preferably ones whose parents lost their jobs thanks to Bush budget cuts. The impact would be enormous.
Yet another month: Announce the foundation of The Fund For America's Future, designed to pay off the national debt. This could never equal even one percent of the red ink racked up by the government, of course, but that's the point: it offers the chance to call attention to just how much debt the Republicans are piling up on our children and grandchildren. This fund would have continuing PR value, since every few months a new total could be announced - along with a comparison to the current national debt. Bush and company may be willing to take debts such as their proposed Social Security borrowing "off the books", but no such dishonesty would be allowed by the Democrats when giving updates on the status of the fund!
Other projects could make use of the skills and labor of ordinary Democrats: projects to, for example, go to rural communities and urban areas to test water quality and work to improve it (thereby calling attention to the dismal Republican environmental record). Find shelter for homeless families. Bring doctors to visit wounded veterans who haven't received the basic care they deserve, thanks to cuts in the VA budget. Bring food to the struggling families of troops in the field. The possibilities are endless.
Oh, the media would debate the issues, of course. But any discussion of the national debt, or of the scandal of America's uninsured children, or of our criminally under-equipped troops, can only benefit the Democrats.
Action need not be restricted to the national scene, either. State and local private action would be highly effective, too. It would allow good ideas to bubble upward from the grass roots of the party. Of course, this presumes a level of openness to rank & file members that is unprecedented in a major American party.
Please note that I am not suggesting that Democratic largesse could make up for Bush budget cuts. It can't. But even a relatively small amount would have two incredibly positive effects: it would call attention to what the Republicans are doing, and it would prove that the Democrats not only mean what they say, but are willing to back it up with their wallets and hands. The good that such projects would do would be yet a third benefit - but the key aspect would be their use as political weapons. These projects would give the party the kind of air time, publicity, and credibility that no money could buy.
It has been suggested that the Republicans might use such Democratic initiatives as an excuse to cut funding for worthy programs still further. But the unfortunate fact is that the Republicans no longer need an excuse. They are bound and determined to slash every social safety net (except those benefiting their campaign contributors) to the bone, and then to break the bone. The media are letting them get away with it, and the public remains in the dark. Democrats can either stand by and let them do it silently, in the shadows, or show America what is being done to their future and make the Republicans pay the price.
The alternative is to simply disappear, and resign ourselves to living in a one-party state until the Republicans have run the country into utter collapse and implosion. But it would be a mistake to assume that the country would then turn to the Democrats; a party that passively watched while the country was destroyed is hardly likely to inspire trust. Assuming, of course, that the country (and the world) survives that implosion.
These initiatives would also perform one other invaluable service. As it stands, there are millions of dispirited Democrats. By giving them something positive to do on a regular basis, by giving them a chance to make a difference and connect with their follow Democrats, the party will energize the membership. If the rank & file are given a way to get active now, and stay active for the next four years, the Democrats will foster a grass-roots movement that will build momentum and grow throughout the country. And it would give us all something we desperately need in these dark days of 2004: hope.