- The punch-back tactics of the Trump and now the MAGA extremists in Congress administration repeatedly put Democrats in the position of articulating what they are against. Although the anti-Trump movement is strong, Senator Chuck Schumer said that Democrats “can’t just run against Donald-Trump” NBC news ─ we need to say what we are for. Considering this question forced me to organize my thinking, and, after significant distillation, I found I am for seven core concepts that speak to the role of government, national priorities, and American values. I am for:
Science. I am for the scientific method. Is the foundation of responsible decision-making. I am for accepting scientific results even when they go against one’s starting position.I am for investing in research and development to stay at the forefront of technology and maintain our competitive edge in business and medicine. I am for maintaining our technological prowess to keep us safe and support a strong military.
Education. I am for strong public schools and making college a reachable dream for all who have the ability. Access to quality education has been a great equalizer in our country. I am for training those with low skills and retraining those with outdated skills to be competitive for today’s jobs.
Public safety. I am for banning the sale of assault weapons and multi-round magazines. I am for restricting the sale of hand guns. I am for community policing and body cameras. I am for training and retraining police until there are no longer cases of innocent men being shot by officers because of the color of their skin.
Effective government. I am for effective government, which is neither big nor small, but rather has policies and programs that achieve their goals, measured by performance metrics and evaluation. I am for ending approaches that do not work and seeking new solutions. I am for fixing the Affordable Care Act to reduce premium costs. I am for the free market but recognize the need for regulation.I am for free trade, fiscally responsibility, and allowing for modest, but not extreme, deficits. I am for a strong tax base funded by the wealthy and corporations paying their fair share.
A safety net. I am for programs that help people in need get back on their feet. For a 1000 reasons outside of their control and perhaps 100 under their control, people find themselves needing help from time to time. I am for assisting people find work, structuring incentives to make any level work advantageous, and continuing work requirements for the abled-bodied.
Freedom. I am for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and a free press. These are fundamental to democracy. I am for acceptance and diversity. I am for keeping government out of people’s personal lives and having control over one’s own body.
Ethics. I am for requiring our leaders have no financial conflicts of interest. I am for cost accountability, visibility, and honesty. I am for civility.
If I were writing this 10 years ago, you could say that almost all the points I have listed are platitudes that of course nearly everyone supports. But with the shift in the Republican Party to the far right, these basic concepts of American political life are no longer universally supported by those in power. The rejection of science and facts and the turning a blind eye to ethics are radical departures from our core beliefs. The fact that these ideas have become part of the mainstream discussion, and packaged in a way that is persuasive to a significant share of the electorate, is frightening. If we do not believe in the same basic principles, the cohesion of our country is threatened.
What are you for?