Consider reading this piece "The End of Identity Liberalism by Mark Lilla in the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-identity-liberalism.html?_r=0
Mark makes a simple call to action:
"We need a post-identity liberalism, and it should draw from the past successes of pre-identity liberalism. Such a liberalism would concentrate on widening its base by appealing to Americans as Americans and emphasizing the issues that affect a vast majority of them. It would speak to the nation as a nation of citizens who are in this together and must help one another. As for narrower issues that are highly charged symbolically and can drive potential allies away, especially those touching on sexuality and religion, such a liberalism would work quietly, sensitively and with a proper sense of scale. (To paraphrase Bernie Sanders, America is sick and tired of hearing about liberals’ damn bathrooms.)"
What happen to the democrats of 2008, what happened to the democrats who cried at Obama's one America speech? what happened to the issues we wanted of single payer healthcare, of progressive taxation, of higher minimum wage, etc, we have lost all of that now. Because we lost focus, because we focused on other problems that only divide voters rather then unify them. Call the majority of voters racist sexist misogynist and that is what your going to get for president.
Further reading: www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/19/1601739/-Examining-The-End-of-Identity-Liberalism-NY-Times
"What matters in the long run is our ability to craft a unifying platform to counter this wave of white nationalism spreading around the Western world which America too just elected into office. I don’t think we can do this by doubling down on our divisive approaches to identity politics who’s litany of reprisals left people frustrated by ever evolving social faux pas and numb to trivialized conceptions of racism and sexism. Worse yet it’s readily exploited by these new movements with demagogic identity threat narratives of their own appealing to whites left out by the left as a identity group unworthy of protection from others. Every time we fixate on some minority in danger they double down on the (post-truth) threat to the (white) majority they represent."
But here is hits the game plan we must reacquire:
"The politics of “privilege” ought be reserved for class arguments where the shoe fits without extensive education in social theories or historic contextualization. In the end class divides are we’re really focused on when it comes to disadvantaged ethnic minorities. Hyper focus on just their exceptional circumstances is certainly justified but ultimately ineffective politically. Compassion and concern can’t be exclusive to a select few minorities or women who are a demographic majority."
We must return to class issues, not race issues, not gender issues, not transsexual bathrooms but how we are going to get good jobs to the middle class, reduce their debt, pay off their medical bills. It is rather probable the republicans will repeal ACA implement nothing viable to replace it and leave dozens millions with nothing, it not going to be hard for us to point out the coming failures of the republican domination, of course we can only ruin that by going on and on about BLM instead.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/20/opinion/sunday/the-end-of-identity-liberalism.html?_r=0
Mark makes a simple call to action:
"We need a post-identity liberalism, and it should draw from the past successes of pre-identity liberalism. Such a liberalism would concentrate on widening its base by appealing to Americans as Americans and emphasizing the issues that affect a vast majority of them. It would speak to the nation as a nation of citizens who are in this together and must help one another. As for narrower issues that are highly charged symbolically and can drive potential allies away, especially those touching on sexuality and religion, such a liberalism would work quietly, sensitively and with a proper sense of scale. (To paraphrase Bernie Sanders, America is sick and tired of hearing about liberals’ damn bathrooms.)"
What happen to the democrats of 2008, what happened to the democrats who cried at Obama's one America speech? what happened to the issues we wanted of single payer healthcare, of progressive taxation, of higher minimum wage, etc, we have lost all of that now. Because we lost focus, because we focused on other problems that only divide voters rather then unify them. Call the majority of voters racist sexist misogynist and that is what your going to get for president.
Further reading: www.dailykos.com/story/2016/11/19/1601739/-Examining-The-End-of-Identity-Liberalism-NY-Times
"What matters in the long run is our ability to craft a unifying platform to counter this wave of white nationalism spreading around the Western world which America too just elected into office. I don’t think we can do this by doubling down on our divisive approaches to identity politics who’s litany of reprisals left people frustrated by ever evolving social faux pas and numb to trivialized conceptions of racism and sexism. Worse yet it’s readily exploited by these new movements with demagogic identity threat narratives of their own appealing to whites left out by the left as a identity group unworthy of protection from others. Every time we fixate on some minority in danger they double down on the (post-truth) threat to the (white) majority they represent."
But here is hits the game plan we must reacquire:
"The politics of “privilege” ought be reserved for class arguments where the shoe fits without extensive education in social theories or historic contextualization. In the end class divides are we’re really focused on when it comes to disadvantaged ethnic minorities. Hyper focus on just their exceptional circumstances is certainly justified but ultimately ineffective politically. Compassion and concern can’t be exclusive to a select few minorities or women who are a demographic majority."
We must return to class issues, not race issues, not gender issues, not transsexual bathrooms but how we are going to get good jobs to the middle class, reduce their debt, pay off their medical bills. It is rather probable the republicans will repeal ACA implement nothing viable to replace it and leave dozens millions with nothing, it not going to be hard for us to point out the coming failures of the republican domination, of course we can only ruin that by going on and on about BLM instead.
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