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Getting over ourselves to save the Left: Part 1 [1]

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Date: 2024-12-19  

While acknowledging that trying to assign blame for losing the election may not be very constructive, suggesting that the entirety of the Left is to blame may have more purpose.

As many on the Left go through the stages of grief, their future may depend on the ability to remain in a state of anger. While Biden’s victory legitimized having hope for this election, the same party apparatus is to blame for the Harris loss and there’s no excuse for losing when the stakes are so high. Yet, it’s really the whole progressive infrastructure that failed, despite many groups not towing the party line. Claiming that one issue or another is at fault is missing the point. It’s issue-politics itself that’s much to blame and the failure to abandon it while the GOP was waging a culture war. Party politics is dead and the sooner progressives realize it the easier it will be to understand this loss and to at least be on the same battlefield.

So many on the Left are asking, “What do we do now?”. Not only is that the wrong question, it’s actually the problem. There is no more “we”, as progressives have imagined. Party politics is irrelevant in a post-truth society and saving the soul of the country is more important than winning a few issue-based votes. The Dems consistently weak messaging can’t compete with the fervor the Right is spawning, using that very messaging to their advantage. Historically, the progressive model has worked and activists could plug in with this organization or that and everybody doing their part would usually yield results. Now, not only has that model failed but it threatens any meaningful progress moving forward. It’s provided a false sense of security and is now a liability.

Supporters should be angry that top progressive organizations are expressing “shock” at the election results. If they don’t have a better grasp of the electorate, they shouldn’t be involved in the process. Many of these groups said the race was close, so did they really believe it or was it just a means of asking for money? Likewise, many would simply report what Trump said or did and then ask for money. Preaching to the choir to squeeze every last cent out of a committed base is not going to win a culture war. These groups seem as desperate for money as the politicians.

The Democratic Party that claims to combat corporate control has its own corporate hierarchy and a vast infrastructure of supporting issue organizations that are diverting funds from each other and vying for a seat at the table or a mention in a speech, competing for our talented youth as boots on the ground. While the Right has successfully divided us, the Left has always been divided in its priorities. Watch any street protest and the variety of topics on the signs would easily confuse a bystander and appear to contradict the unity on the pavement. Yet, those protesters would likely agree on the ultimate forces of corruption propelling each of them into the streets. Likewise, the Democratic Party faces opposition from many progressive organizations but would likely agree with them on the biggest threats to democracy, even though the Party has courted the corporate billionaire class over the working class. Most progressive issue groups have realized the power of unity through coalitions, but too often fail to consider whether that unity is more important than the issues that define them. And, what have they done differently since 2016? The Right has had divided loyalties but has shown it can abandon priorities and unite when it matters most for their agenda.

Corporate personhood and the legalized tyranny that has resulted are more responsible for the ills of society than any party, politician or movement. It’s long overdue for organizations that aren’t rooted in attacking corporate power to look beyond their own purposes and commit to fighting the common thread that unites them with most other groups, whether it’s gender, race, climate, labor/immigration, health/disability, etc… While turning coalitions into single organizations may dissolve the member organizations, that’s what the culture war demands. The kleptocracy threatens every aspect of the social order and nothing will ignite a movement like a brain trust of leaders shedding their own priorities to join forces against it, and the Democratic Party if necessary. The Left needs to show a sign of strength before more people become disaffected. Optimism must dictate that the Right won the battle but not the war.

Trump got the GOP to sell what was left of its soul to gain his voter base and because he could raise money. That’s the most important thing in politics now, whether on the Left or Right. It’s no accident that progressive groups have succeeded in centralizing fundraising, i.e. ActBlue, but not activism. Progressive voters may want to blame themselves and say “...fool me twice, shame on me” but rather should be furious about the money and support that went to a leadership that couldn’t read the tea leaves. They failed when it was most important and deserve to lose trust. While the Right won by appealing to the worst fears of their base, progressives worst fears have been realized. That’s what the Dems should have projected in an all out effort to win the culture war. There should have been horrific ads depicting the realities we all now face, instead of trying to introduce the public to Harris like she was running for the school board. While frightening ads may not have won many votes, it may have prevented enough to turn the tide. That’s the unfortunate reality of the war and why winning it is more important than capturing every vote. The Left will never try to prevent access to voting like the Right but they can learn that discouraging people from voting may now be necessary to win an election, if it prevents votes for the opposition.

Trump showed what one person can do. Imagine a unified force of progressive organizations committed only to supporting candidates that refuse corporate contributions. Nothing would show strength like getting folks elected without having to go to the corporate well. Citizens United won’t be going anywhere soon but the tables can be turned, if voters can be brought to candidates without the influence of lobbyists and groups playing both sides of the ticket.

As far as what individuals can do, a collective “we” can be created again through individual action but not just working through whatever groups may unite. Those on the Left have to acknowledge how out of touch they are with those celebrating Trump’s win. It’s time activists got over themselves and out of their own way before they consider anyone else out of touch. Winning the culture war doesn’t mean waiting for Trumpers to see the error of their ways. The “we” we need has to be able to reach Trump’s base to have any chance of cultural change and that won’t happen unless individuals consider their own bias. His supporters are angered by those taking the moral high ground and won’t engage with those who invalidate them. While the Left’s top organizations must find a way to show strength, activists can acknowledge their weaknesses and learn to approach conservatives from below, not from above. That will actually take strength, which is the only thing conservatives appear to respect universally. Combine that with anger at the failure of the Democratic Party and progressives will already be closer to matching the winning formula.

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