The Naked Truth/Jamala Rogers
Time for the Dems to Clean House
There was a gust of euphoria coming out of the Democratic National Convention. The heads of Democratic Party leaders are still in the stratosphere after presidential candidate Kamala Harris mopped up the debate floor with trump. I am not impressed by all the kumbaya goings-on knowing that with each election cycle, the cracks in the Party’s unity become more public. The disillusionment of Democratic voters grows deeper and wider. A Democratic House divided cannot stand.
The crushing defeats of Squad members Jamal Bowman and Cori Bush with collaboration from Democratic Party old guard have not gone unnoticed by social movement groups and voters in general. Taking down these two Squad members is now the most expensive campaign in modern history — an estimated $25 million, thanks to the Zionist high-roller AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Where’s the money for voter education and engagement?
It came as no surprise to see Hillary Clinton and others Democratic elites endorse Bowman’s Democratic opposition. Party leaders have spent more time and money on maintaining their political status in the Party than on ensuring the viability of the Party for the years ahead. They have always been threatened by the Squad instead of welcoming them as fresh energy for the Party.
The direction in which the Dems are going does not bode well for candidates of color, or for lifting up the marginalized, downtrodden loyal voters inside the Party. Either some transformational changes —not cosmetic — take place or we’ll start to see significant splits from the Democratic Party.
I know the Dems are trying to win the Big House in November and that’s where all the focus is, but it is essential to start discussing what the Democratic Party will look like beyond the November election. All we have to do is to look at what happened when the Republican Party didn’t address the misalignment of its vision and values of the organization. It shifted more and more to the right, experiencing splits like the Tea Party and MAGA Republicans.
There needs to be a comprehensive overhaul of the party to produce a strategy that is working for the Democratic base. The Democratic Party old guard needs to be held accountable. The Party needs to educate and energize the base. It needs to defend strategic seats and expand its political boundaries.
In recent times, the Dems have conceded to the successful redistricting and gerrymandering by Republicans that allowed them to gain new electoral territory or to establish predominantly Republican districts. The Party has not engaged in the necessary engagement of voters in between federal elections that underscore the importance of ongoing citizen participation in this so-called democracy.
And what about the estimated 80 to 100 million people in the U.S. who don’t show up at the polls? Most of these people are disillusioned with the voting system and/or the government and see no relevance of electoral politics to their lives. The Democratic Party has not made it a priority to woo these potential voters into the fold.
With the class interests showing up blatantly and brightly in both parties, there is a growing number of people ready to be recruited into a powerful, independent electoral movement that will fight for the multi-national working class and not for white millionaires.
