There's no shortcut to winning.
By Ezekiel Kweku Politics Editor, Opinion |
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People on the left side of the aisle tie themselves in knots over the way that America’s political institutions have conspired with its spatial demography to make it hard for Democrats to acquire, hold and exercise power on the national level. The Senate and the Electoral College are the prime culprits here, and liberals Ping-Pong back and forth between anger and resignation at their undemocratic unfairness.
But the observation that the world ain’t fair should be the premise — not the endpoint — for a political party. Either Democrats must change the system, or they must take it as a given and work within its strictures. As Steven Teles argues, the road to democratic reform of the Senate or the Electoral College is foreclosed for now. So unless Democrats are proposing violent revolution, they must adapt their party to political reality.
Steven’s argument is pragmatic, but with the idealist's optimism — winning is possible, but there’s no shortcut to it. Democrats must commit to the spadework of grass roots organizing everywhere, and to the careful needlework of stitching together a winning coalition. Barring revolution, it’s the only way to make the change that liberals and progressives want. |
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