Democrats should join forces with traditional Republicans who believe in a two-party system that offers a healthy competition of ideas and policies. There are still Republicans who see political differences as honest disagreements over more or less government, spending priorities, and similar issues. And who can think rationally, and are committed to a democratic system of resolving political disputes.
It’s time for Democrats to say to them, “We have your back.” We should let them know we want to play against them in a fair game, and we will work with them to make the game fair again. A one-party system is unhealthy, and leads to political dysfunction and corruption.
Think about how football should be played. Do you want only one team taking the field? Or your team playing against athletes who cheat, break rules, and/or attack the referees? It’s in all of our interests to restore the game to how it should be played, and that means teaming up with Republicans who believe in that, too.
The late House speaker Tip O’Neill famously said, “All politics is local.” That may not be entirely true, but it contains a large grain of truth. Most people care about what happens in their local communities, and to them and their families. Their vote often is heavily influenced by local issues. They’re also swayed by the people they know and daily live with.
This article from CNN offers a peek at politics in the Trump era are playing out in a traditionally GOP-leaning Pennsylvania community. It’s worth reading. It describes a cross-section of local residents, from Democrats and traditional Republicans (some of whom have quit the party), to wild-eyed Trumpers who went to Washington D.C. to “stop the steal” and successfully ran for local school board positions by opposing “critical race theory,” which isn’t taught in their schools.
There’s nothing wrong with protesting against a stolen election if there’s at least some credible evidence of serious irregularities that may have affected the outcome. But the “Stop the Steal” movement is based entirely on lies, is unsupported by any evidence at all, and when it turned violent it became criminal in nature. The outrage against “CRT” was ginned up by rightwing propaganda, is also based on false factual premises, and is properly scene as racist in nature.
Trump didn’t create the GOP’s racism and anti-democratic tendencies. Those traits of the far right were already there, festering. He seized on them and ran with it, and found within the GOP a responsive mob. His guilt is in throwing gasoline on a smoldering fire and turning it into a raging inferno.
Trumper Republicans like those described in the CNN article need to be defeated at the polls. They should not be state representatives, school board members, or election judges. In areas where Republicans are likely to win, Democratic voters should support traditionally-minded Republicans — those who base their thinking on facts instead of wild conspiracy theories, are committed to democracy, and respect the rules of the political game — in primaries and general elections. From their point of view, it’s better to have conservatives than Trumpers or QAnon freaks in these important offices.
Democrats should also work in concert with Republicans to restore political competition to what it should be: A contest between more or less government, liberal vs. conservative, business interests vs. worker interests. We can live with that, even when conservatives win. The alternative is a hostile takeover by people who don’t respect majority rule, your right to vote, or even the rule of law. People who, once they get power, won’t be willing to give it back or allow themselves to be voted out of power. That, of course, is what Trump is — and what his violent followers demanded on January 6, 2021.
Related: A Seattle Times editorial published on January 5, 2022, begins: “On the anniversary of the worst attack on our democratic republic since the horrors and bloodshed of the Civil War, it is time to ask whether people stand with the democratic process or with violence against our own government. The question should be straightforward, and the answer should be given without equivocation or hesitation. Will you sign your name and make a personal pledge to support democracy in words and deeds and oppose violence and threats of violence from any and all sources?” (Me? Yes.) Read the rest here.
Photo: A Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Republican ponders the course his party has taken
A no party system would be healthiest of all. Just not realistic. Our first Congress and maybe a few after that were no party Congress or all were Federalists. It i also healthy t remember we are a Republic and not a democracy as if we were a Democracy there would not be a Congress it would be we the people doing all the debating, voting ect. Difficult at the state or even local and aside from some areas of the north east and various Indian tribal government generally direct Democracy is not practiced in these United States.
There is always a lot of fiction and propaganda in party politics. It is the lies that are told inside parties that is the oil that lubricates otherwise the party faithful would catch independent fever and who knows who they would put into office. Might be white trash or mavericks or even aliens from within these United States, even cats mating with dogs could end up in Congress.
The problem isn’t political parties per se, or even rough and tumble politics. It’s the illegitimate attempt by a minority faction to overthrow the Republic and violate the rights of the majority by running roughshod over the rules of a system that gives them an unequal advantage to begin with. This includes voter suppression, rejecting election results, mob violence, brandishing guns, and threatening public officials. That’s today’s GOP under Trump, and real Republicans (the perpetrators of those actions are fascists, not Republicans) need and deserve the support and help of Democrats to restore their party to what it should be.