Local opinion: Democrats should define what they stand for

It is cliché that the Democratic Party needs to stand for something. It follows that if the party does stand for something, it is not widely understood.

Don’t like Trump, check. Don’t like Dobbs, check. It’s a very long list. If given the privilege of a seat of power, though, what will Democrats do beyond returning to a status quo?

Bad ideas are a force of nature; we all have them. When bad ideas become policy, blame should be shared with those in the loyal opposition who allowed the idea to become law. Since Reagan, Democrats have allowed much. We Democrats should own up, as the other side won’t.

Being liberal, or freethinking, requires acceptance of new ideas. So, the brew-ha-ha about Democratic Socialists in the northeast should be seen as a welcome addition to our party. We should say so. A diverse idea set is a good thing if we are to be a thinking people. Problem is, feeling trumps thinking in our brains. That’s basic nature for Homo sapiens.

So, what now? Keep it simple. E pluribus unum, out of many, one. Replacing the word “I” with “We” is a good start.

I believe there are six basic notes that can unify a message and define an opposition to the trajectory we are on.

Democracy: It is often said that democracy is on the ballot. It always is, but what do we want to do to strengthen our American Experiment? Beginning with the idea put forth in the “Equal Protections Clause”, our voting should be about all Americans and not the party or the candidate. Elections should be fair and even, thus gerrymandering should be seen as wrong, no matter who it favors and denies. Perhaps focusing less on the political and more on the mathematical would be in order. We should remember that the majority party in America is “No-Party”. Yet, in any fair discussion, Democrats win, or so we should think. Districting came as an act of Congress, and so our federal elections can be made fairer with an active Congress. Perhaps starting with a requirement that federal election outcomes should be determined by majority rule would be a good start.

Privacy: In our modern society, our privacy is under constant assault. The Supreme Court states that privacy is not a constitutional concern. We must make it so, in text that they can understand.

Corruption: Power and corruption are historic bedfellows. It is time that elected officials lock their financial portfolios into a verifiable blind trust. In the halls of government, every whisper can become insider trading. We need to hold those elected to a higher fiscal standard.

Fiscal Conservancy: Not the Republican panacea, but true and understandable fiscal accounting. If we need to do something, we need to pay for it. Our children should not get the bill. That’s just polite. This doesn’t mean that we can’t borrow, but even the most pronounced spendthrift knows we’ve got a revenue stream that is out of control. Most of the out-of-control spending has come under Republican leadership since Reagan. We should point that out. There lies a major “Emperor has no Clothes” moment. Just don’t forget a fair plan.

Education: Public education needs relief from the Republican whip. Democracy doesn’t function without a well-informed electorate. How about “Head Start for All” to build a better foundation for all our children? Additionally, Democratic campaigns must consult gifted teachers to build a better messaging structure. Scaffolding a message looks tedious and makes for rough reporting, but once the scaffolding is removed, the ideas become clear, and the reporting will follow. It takes time, though, so start early.

Immigration: Simply put, thugs are bad, period.

This all leads to rational and long-term thinking. Donald Trump relies on the accepted lie, low-turnout primaries and emotional celebrity. To oppose this and whatever follows, we must find a more solid approach. We can’t fight emotion with emotion and must pivot towards rationality.

That’s the only way to right our ship of state.