excited about possibilities and engaged in discussion is how we make change happen. Taking back the narrative is how we get people to think differently about what they want their money spent on. The Democrats should have learned something from the Republicans by now. They thought long term. They engaged in simple messaging and framed the arguments. They have been hitting people over the head with the same dumb arguments for so long that many people assume things like lower taxes increases jobs, or billionaires are automatically job creators, or small farms will suffer if the "inheritance" tax isn't repealed.
If we only try for things we can get accomplished we can sit on our asses until we have majorities. But unfortunately I can't see how we get majorities if we don't give people something to aspire to by voting for bold thinking Democrats.
Was giving women the right to vote an easy path? Was the passing of the Civil Rights Act an easily achievable policy? Did LBJ say, hey Medicare is going to be a piece of cake -- let's do it now? We have to start educating people about what the government can do to make people's lives better - not falling into the Republicans narrative of government bad - feee market good. Why not be aspirational and change the narrative? Why not start now so maybe we win some victories in 2018 and 2020? For heavens sake, Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the White House in the late 1970s. Reagan took them down in 1981. Just think if we had actually done something about solar for this country more than 30 years ago. Might be a different place now.
Personally I just don't get the idea that we can't get discussion going about big ideas because they probably won't pass this year. It that's me. Others obviously think otherwise.
= new reply since forum marked as read
