Member-only story
Why I Am Doubling Down On The Democrats
In Wisconsin, we say “Forward”
Ok. I get it. The agenda that was promised to us has not materialized. Many of us are calling foul and deciding to give up on the Dems. Not me. I am doubling down. I want you to consider joining me.
We’ve seen this before. This reminds me of Obama’s first term. We all had HOPE (trademark). We were promised a health care bill and more, and they dithered. When Ted Kennedy died and was replaced by a Republican, we lost the opportunity for a truly courageous bill with a robust public option, if we ever had one. Instead we got the Affordable Care Act, which actually kept in place the profit-seeking insurance companies. The Republicans exploited the disillusionment and the Tea Party used grassroots activism and coded racism to win back control of the House and Senate in the midterms of 2010. After that, the Republicans functioned as the party of “no” for the next 6 years, blocking meaningful change. Our moment of HOPE was lost.
I don’t think Biden has ever had us at the Obama level of HOPE, but in January of 2021 there was a glimmer of a chance that he could enact a Progressive, people-focused agenda because, against all odds, two Democrats were elected to the Senate from Georgia, to give the Democrats control of the Senate. Since then, it feels like 2008 all over again, with the Dems dithering…
