Bernie Sanders is trying to will Democrats to launch an influential grassroots working-class narrative on the economic message and a woman’s reproductive rights.
Bernie Sanders is right.
Bernie Sanders is trying to will sensible campaigning into Democrats who cannot seem to go for the jugular.
“I think in at a time when working families are struggling, having a hard time filling up their gas tanks or paying for food, paying for prescription drugs,” Bernie said. “We are living in a nation today where the richest people are doing phenomenally well, and one of the reasons for inflation is the incredible level of corporate greed Check out the profits of the oil companies, the drug companies, the food companies that sky high profits are ripping off the American people. And there are studies out there that estimate that 50% of inflation has to do with corporate greed. So I think what the Democrats have got to say is we are going to stand with working people. We’re prepared to take on the drug companies. We’re prepared to take on the insurance companies and create an economy that works for all of us.”
He is not forgetting about the abortion issue. But he is going where Americans are for this election.
“Is the abortion issue important?” Bernie continued. “Yes. But we have also got to focus on the struggles of working people to put food on their table. I am worried about the level of voter turnout among young people and working people who will be voting Democratic. And I think, again, what Democrats have got to do is contrast their economic plan with the Republicans.”
Bernie went on to talk about tagging Republican hypocrisy, pointing out that they have no policies to improve the lives of Americans. One wonders if Democratic messaging is purposefully inept to prevent going too hard at the mutual benefactors they share with Republicans.
Too many Democrats listen to high-priced consultants who do not know what our rank-and-file Democrats look like or think. That statement is not conjecture. At Netroots Nation, I speak to dozens of leaders in the Progressive movement and Democratic Party consultants. It is always astounding to me the language they use and their inability to understand the plight of most Americans.
Democrats consistently allow Republicans to get the upper hand by defining a false narrative and running with it. A case in point is the crime issue. The Progressive Defund the Police moniker, while understood by the Progressive intelligentsia as a policy to move resources and jobs not suited for the police to other social organizations, many do not get that from the name. And if you have to explain too much, you will lose the argument with a population that is no longer taught civics or is predisposed to soundbites.
But most Democrats have rejected the moniker. Moreover, over that moniker’s period of existence, police funding grew. What is true is what California Governor Gavin Newsom said. Violent crime is much more rampant in the Red States than in the Blue States. And for those attempting to claim Blue cities in the Red States are causing that reality, one need only provide the Oklahoma example, which has twice the crime rate of New York City and much higher than California. And the two major cities in Oklahoma are run by Republican mayors.
I am no ad expert. But I produced this simple one-minute ad.
The GOP is attacking Democrats on crime, the economy, and immigration. There is an assertive position, an attack position for every Democrat to cater to their districts that would neutralize the Republican attacks. They should apply these same concepts to the economy and immigration.
Tag Inflation to Republican corporate policy. It is not difficult to earn the respect of the working class by showing how tax cuts, offshoring, and policy supported by Republicans on steroids result in the pain of their constituents.
Tie immigration to inflation policy as well. There are so many ingenious ways because they are true and verifiable.
Democrats have two weeks to make the case online, on the radio, and on TV. Most importantly, they need to pour money into GOTV.