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Really enjoy the optimism in your reply, it’s so refreshing to encounter, thank you!
Definitely agree on the stated challenges, and the strategy seems sound. But of course, there is the big murky problem area…what to do after gaining a foothold in the House? Justice Dems really seem to lose their momentum after getting their seat. The influence and coercion of the established body politic is clearly quite strong, and must be quite difficult to resist once one is awash in it day-in day-out.
I think, as you mention, a solid foundation of investors/supporters is a crucial piece to this puzzle. I wonder if there are specific character traits we should be looking for in those early-career local politicians that would indicate some potential resilience at the federal level. There have been a few solid and sensible pledges I’ve seen floating around over the years, but their non-binding nature means they consistently fall flat.
It is easy to be pessimistic, and I’ve had my more than my fair share of struggles as a result from the current inequality. But by putting things into a bigger perspective, there’s a lot to be thankful for. Many places around the world made massive jumps forward in the 20th century, going against long-standing traditions that typically offered little for the labor class or minority groups. Much of that progress is still here, even if it’s not perfect and even if it’s breaking down more than we’d like. But we can repeat that type of progress, we can bring back the light and overcome the challenges of the 21st century.
I see it as a numbers problem. The likes of Bernie and AOC are paving a new path, and that always means going against the flow with few followers at first. More charismatic people will follow and the rise in passionate voters that are now faced with a much more situation than generations past will accelerate this change. Plus, most of these few recent progressives have leaned more toward trying to call out every injustice rather than pick very specific battles. Nothing wrong with that. But we also need people who are more dedicated to specific issues, gathering support from moderates who are afraid of aligning themselves with those who tend to be viewed as extreme. No matter what, politicians always have to be extremely cautious about who they align themselves with. Hopefully this more targeted progressive focus will come through as leadership changes. Make some real progress on specific issues, backed by both the “extremists” and the moderates.
The elderly taking over our leadership positions has caused a shift toward established thought and strengthened the two party system. But many of these 30+ year career politicians are finally on their way out, basically for the first time since it all started in the 80s. Mitch McConnell, Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, etc are all aging rapidly. It’s fucking wild that Biden is poised for another presidential run at his age, and everyone is sick of it. There are sure to be some new leaders that closely follow this establishment track, but we’re also seeing young representatives having a fighting chance for the first time in a long time. It’s tragic how Gen X representatives haven’t had their fair share of leadership time and it seems like they’re the generation that’s going to be mostly skipped over (along with some from both boomers and millennials). But change is coming. Even though these people act like they’ll live forever and have the right to hold power of every generation, nature’s laws are catching up. I don’t wish death on them, but it sure will be nice to have many of these geriatric leaders gone from their positions of power. I’ve worked closely with generational wealth families, and the same transition is happening within many of them too. The old patriarch and matriarchs are passing the torch to a new generation that doesn’t want to be the root of evil. They’re not perfect, but the younger ones (gen X and younger mostly) really do want to see positive changes for the masses.
The Supreme Court is a real problem now too, but it’s also a sign of the coming changes. It is much younger now than before, which would have been great if it wasn’t packed with obvious stooges. Term limits plus adding more seats can change that. So can holding some accountable for their actions, which CAN happen. The court changed quickly over the last decade, and it doesn’t have to be static in this way. This is one targeted fight that progressive politicians need to take on right away. And with the bullshit rulings coming from the court that go against public opinion, the support for these changes will continue to grow.