POLI•RANT: State of Disunion

What will it take for Democrats to really fucking fight?

It may seem like a million years ago — even for those of us who lived it — but I’ll never forget the 1994 midterms and the Newt Gingrich Contract for America.

It was a 10 point, simplistic, bullshit plan that every single Republican running for Congress to dog catcher spewed.

And it worked.

Because simplicity and repetition works.

We now find ourselves in an era where truth and facts don’t matter. But, that simple repetition still does. And we see where we are because of it.

I made and shared this meme a few weeks ago in anticipation of Trump’s address to Congress:

For starters, a bunch of people thought I was talking about the general population. You know, us, not watching and boycotting. And that’s fine. I agree. I thought the photo should have made it clear. But, that’s fine.

That aside, I got tons of responses to this meme. Most were supportive, almost all were nice, but there was a big contingency that totally disagreed. They want the disruption, the you lie, the yelling.

And I totally get that.

Trust me, I’m not a “go high” guy. But, I disagree on this from a purely media and political perspective. Right or wrong, that just doesn’t have the impact. Cathartic, yes. Win, no.

After my simple “boycott” language I got lots of other input that changed my thinking on the nuance of it. Yes, silently walk out en mass. Assemble on the Capitol steps. Bring real people in as backdrops, or speakers during, or whatever.

Back in 1994, Newt Gingrich stood on the steps of the capitol, flanked by Republicans running, and did his thing.

I get that this is not the same, and more complicated. But, the point is that no (or very few) elected Democrats are even in this zone.

Any crazy shit like fully-coordinated boycotting or walking out went by the wayside yesterday as it was announced that Senator Slotkin will do the official response.

Listen, Elissa Slotkin is great. She’s my senator, and I gladly voted for her. In a different world she has a great foreign policy future in the Senate and a great touch back home.

But, this is this world.

And she doesn’t just represent the lack of the boldness of a walk out, she is a poster child for, not just moderation in policy, but an inherent normalness that, frankly, goes beyond anything she might say.

It’s not against her, it’s just where we are.

This — again, and again, and again — is Democrats fading and folding.

I think a number of elected Democrats have been pushed by the base to get in this fight. But we can’t quite turn the damn/fucking corner.

It’s here.

You have to be real about it. You have to call it out.

We need more.