President Trump will remain in office and run for re-election in November. The Senate refused to face the facts during the Impeachment Trial. Now it is up to us to make sure that the Republican party will have to bear the weight of their zombie-like adherence to the cult of Donald Trump. Who the Democrats nominate is still wide open, but the field of candidates will get sorted out as voters have their say in primaries and caucuses. Here are three things that we can do now to change America’s future for the better:
Vote your first choice! The Democratic nominating process is wide open and we will soon have our chance to pick our favorite champion. In fact, many of you may have already received “vote by mail” ballots and are making your choices. Our advice is to vote for the candidate who you think will make the best president, the candidate you think is best able to lead us out of and beyond these years of insanity. All of the current contenders are electable if we work hard for them. Leave the second-guessing about electability to the pundits. Nobody has a crystal ball, just make your choice and let the collective wisdom of the 10’s of millions of democratic voters work it out.
Unite the team! The nominating process will be brutal – nominations always are - but remember that the ultimate goal is to defeat Donald Trump (and Republican Senators) on November 3. That means making an unwavering commitment to financially support, campaign for, and work to elect the Democratic nominee, whoever they are. Each of the individuals seeking the Democratic nomination is worlds better for our country, the environment, world relations, social justice and civil society than Donald Trump. Any candidate now running is “electable” if we work hard enough to get out the vote!
Make a pledge (and ask others to do the same) to avoid denigrating candidates for the Democratic nomination you might not currently support. We must be team members on a truly diverse team. Disagree on policies, to the degree they exist, but make a commitment to avoid personal attacks!
Play the long game! This is about more than the Presidency and control of Congress. There are crucial elections up and down the ballot during the primaries and caucuses. Republicans are in the dominant position controlling the vast majority of states because they won the 2010 election and controlled redistricting after the 2010 Census. The 2020 vote at the state level is crucial because once again State Legislatures will “re-district” based on this year’s Census. You can find more specific information here about when your state hold is holding its primary or caucus for non-Federal elected offices. Additional information can be found by contacting your state or local Democratic Party office, the office of the Secretary of State, or your local county election office.
Call To Action
Start making plans now for how you will concretely support a wide-ranging victory in November. For example, two of us at MWR have family in Wisconsin. We plan to combine an October family visit with helping to canvass in that important electoral state. Where can you help out? We will share information on where voter registration and canvassing needs extra help after the conventions take place this summer. But now is the time to take a look at your calendar and build your summer and fall schedule around electioneering wherever it takes you. We will need all of us to take back democracy!