The State of Our Politics: Where Do We Go from Here? (Part 3 of 3)

NOTE: This is a series of three blog posts that look at the current state of American politics. In the first post, I break down the Republican party base in the age of Donald Trump, using historical analysis for context. The second post focuses on what the Democrats, as the party currently out of power, can learn from the recent success of the Republicans. Finally, this third post highlights how we can all help move the country forward, regardless of which political party is in power.

The State of Our Politics: Where Do We Go from Here?

The deep political divisions all across the United States might inspire many to scoff at the idea of unifying the country, but the truth is that not only is it possible, it is absolutely necessary. As described in part one, the divisions in our country go way back to its earliest years. And even as the Democrats can learn from the success of the Republicans over the last several elections, as described in part two, healing our nation and moving it forward should be accomplished together, regardless of how we choose to politically identify ourselves individually.

The main obstacle to unity comes from our nation’s great diversity. So, the first step has to be an acceptance that different people have different worldviews. A healthy respect for that diversity is necessary to coexist effectively. We must understand that a large part of the population has religious beliefs that teach that homosexuality is a sin and aborting a pregnancy is akin to murder. However, we must also understand that the United States has separation of church and state, and morality cannot be legislated. We have to see the existence of social and racial injustices stemming from the ugly aspects of our country's history, but we also have to encourage a sense of individual responsibility among Americans of every color, size, and shape. But accepting our racial and religious diversity can only go so far. The most dangerous aspect of our diversity has nothing to do with our beliefs or our skin color.

Our free enterprise system has helped the United States achieve an unprecedented level of prosperity. Under that system, we've accepted that there will be wealthy people, poor people, and a middle class in between. However, our vast income and wealth inequality goes far beyond what most Americans can even fathom, let alone what they believe is fair (see video below). Most Americans of all socioeconomic levels acknowledge that a civilized nation like ours should be perfectly capable of not only providing citizens with opportunities to amass wealth, but also make sure that the most vulnerable among us do not suffer needlessly, and that our middle class is strong and healthy. Overall, we must take concrete steps to ensure that our nation functions well for the benefit of every American.

One idea we can enact as part of our political discourse is to focus on the solutions to our problems, not on attacking opponents just to score a “win.” Although the two major political parties seem like they’re always at each other’s throats, our representatives need to realize that none of them got elected with 100% of the vote. Many of them probably won with only slight majorities. Therefore, the best way to govern is as close to the middle as possible, incorporating the best ideas from all sides. In that spirit, we need to recognize that the free market is incapable of solving all of society's problems, but we also need to realize that neither can the government. We need to acknowledge that businesses deserve to maximize profits, but workers also deserve to earn enough to be able to provide for their families. We must allow for the extraction of resources and manufacture of goods, but we must also demand protection for our shared natural environment. We should encourage the wealth-building power of capitalism, but we shouldn't do so at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens or the workers whose daily efforts help create that wealth. We must also strengthen our democracy by passing laws to encourage voter participation, curtail or even eliminate gerrymandering, and reform campaign financing and lobbying to minimize the undue influence of powerful and wealthy interests, benefiting all Americans in the long run.

Another way our country shows its strength is by protecting the freedom of every citizen to pursue happiness in their own individual way. However, as long as we have such a vast and growing wealth and income inequality gap, the number of people who will never have a fair shot at pursuing that happiness will only increase, depressing economic growth, straining our social structure, and sending millions of Americans from the middle class into poverty. The hard-working Americans who help create trillions of dollars in wealth every year should be able to enjoy it, not just the small group of rich investors who own the businesses. We can also look beyond our borders for smart solutions to pressing issues.

On the global stage, the United States already has the largest economy and most powerful military in the world. However, while America enjoys supremacy in these areas, we fall behind in others. And our military and economic dominance should not preclude us from learning what we can from countries that are outdoing us in other areas. For example: What is the health care system like in countries with the highest life expectancy? What is the criminal justice system like in countries with the lowest crime rates? What is the education system like in countries with the highest student achievement? How much paid family leave, paid vacation time, and child care assistance do they have in countries with the happiest citizens? We do not diminish our greatness by incorporating and improving upon the successful ideas of other nations. Rather, we enhance our strength and show the leadership that comes with the ability to adapt to given circumstances and learn from others to make our society better.

The problems we face in our country are deep and, in many ways, embedded into the very fabric of who we are. But that doesn’t mean we can’t strive for and achieve the promise set forth in our Constitution of creating “a more perfect Union.” Only by embracing our differences, not shunning them, and working together to solve the issues that vex us all, can we move forward as “one Nation under God.”

The State of Our Politics: Learning How to Win (Part 2 of 3)

NOTE: This is a series of three blog posts that look at the current state of American politics. In the first post, I break down the Republican party base in the age of Donald Trump, using historical analysis for context. In this second post, I focus on what the Democrats, as the party currently out of power, can learn from the recent success of the Republicans. Finally, the third post highlights how we can all help move the country forward, regardless of which political party is in power.

The State of Our Politics: Learning How to Win

In the 2016 election, the Republican party took over the White House and Congress. With control of both the executive and legislative branches of government, the GOP earned the power to advance its agenda with little opposition. Many diverse factors aligned to make this rise to power possible, including what could be considered a backlash against the first black president and the country’s shifting racial and cultural demographics, as alluded to in part one of this three part series. But the GOP owes its political success, in large part, to very deliberate moves it made to galvanize the electorate behind its candidates in the years leading up to 2016. It would be good for the Democratic party to learn some of the tactics and strategies employed by the Republicans if the Democrats hope to regain any kind of significant political power ever again.  

One method of gaining political advantage the Republicans used to great effect is gerrymandering. Although both parties have been guilty of gerrymandering, the GOP used it after the last census to solidify majorities in districts across the country. The Princeton Election Consortium conducted in-depth research that debunked the myth that both sides are equally guilty of gerrymandering. They discovered significant and widespread Republican gerrymandering in states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, and Indiana that by and large surpassed any Democratic gerrymandering efforts. Journalists for Business Insider and The Washington Post have also reported on the extent of Republican gerrymandering far exceeding Democrats' own efforts in this regard. The solution, however, is not for the Democrats to work at becoming better at gerrymandering than the Republicans. After all, gerrymandering by either party hurts our democracy because the people who get elected do not accurately represent the people who elect them. The real solution is to take the necessary steps to minimize, or eliminate the practice altogether.

And while gerrymandering is a very old method of gaining political power, Republicans have also relied on modern technology, starting with the president. Donald Trump’s technology use is mostly limited to Twitter. He doesn’t even use email. However, his campaign used technology in revolutionary ways, by compiling detailed voter data and micro-targeting through social media, including Democratic voters for the purpose of switching their vote or depressing turnout. With the help of data firms like Cambridge Analytica, the Trump campaign devoted a significant amount of resources to its digital division, to great effect. This is all “listening” to the voters 21st Century style, and the Democrats would be well-served to ramp up their voter data analysis efforts in order to target their message right down to the individual voter, whether that voter is a Republican or a Democrat. And while many people still watch plenty of TV, social media can be much more effective to reach voters, particularly younger voters. Who knows? Maybe the next Democratic presidential candidate will be able to match Trump tweet for tweet!

Another one of the great strengths of the Republican party might actually be confused for a weakness. As of this writing, Republicans have struggled to pass a healthcare reform bill, even with majorities in both chambers of Congress. Although the bill’s unpopularity and the president’s low approval rating have certainly contributed to stalling this legislation, one of the main problems in mustering the necessary number of votes has been the wide political diversity within the Republican conference. The Republicans in the House include the ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, the more moderate Tuesday Group, and representatives spanning the entire conservative political spectrum. The Senate Republican membership also constitutes a wide variety of conservative ideologies ranging from very conservative to moderate. As a small example of the ideological diversity within the Republican party, right here in South Florida we have Carlos Curbelo, a Republican House member who's a strong proponent for climate change policy, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican congresswoman who's an outspoken supporter of LGBTQ rights. While this ideological diversity can sometimes present challenges when trying to pass legislation, it’s a testament to the GOP being a true big tent political party. With winning elections in mind, the Democrats would do well to embrace center-left candidates in the upper Midwest, even if they may happen to be strong gun rights advocates. They should support center-left candidates, who just might happen to be pro-life, in deeply religious districts in the South. They could win back control of Congress by helping center-left candidates in Arizona and Texas, even if those candidates are in favor of Trump’s border wall. This party loyalty and determination to win was most evident in the presidential race. While many Republicans had serious misgivings about a Trump presidency, most of them ended up uniting behind him as their candidate and helped propel him to the White House. On the other hand, many traditionally Democratic voters stayed home or chose a third party candidate rather than supporting Hillary Clinton. The bottom line is that in order to win more elections, Democrats need to relax their ideological litmus test and support members with more diverse views, even if some of those views might occasionally go against their own.

So, gerrymandering, technology, and party unity have all helped Republicans gain significant majorities at both the federal and state level. It all culminated with winning the White House in the November 2016 presidential election. In response to Trump’s victory and presidency, many Americans have taken to the streets in protest. While the right to protest is constitutionally protected, Republicans have shown that the single most powerful weapon we have is the vote. So, another very valuable lesson the Democrats can apply to themselves is to focus on getting out the vote instead of protesting. Because even though protests can help achieve some victories, the real winning always takes place at the ballot box. But you have to give the voters something to vote for as well, which is where messaging is crucial.

Perhaps the most important thing the Democrats can learn from the Republicans is the idea of having a simple and clear economic and political philosophy. The Republican ideas of smaller government, stronger military, less regulation, and lower taxes have a broad appeal to a majority of voters, even if those voters may disagree with specific policies. The Democrats need to formulate an equally appealing philosophy that the average working and middle class voter can embrace. Unfortunately, bigger government, less military spending, more regulation, and higher taxes just doesn’t cut it! In the classic sense of politics being the art of the possible, the message should focus on what needs to be accomplished: a healthier, better-educated populace; a vibrant and upwardly mobile workforce; a clean and safe natural environment. Those are policy messages that every American can support.

Ultimately, the Democrats, if they wish to regain political power in this country, need to learn from the party that actually possesses that power at the present time. Beyond that, the Democratic party needs to also find its own innovative ways to appeal to the American voter by doing more than just resisting Trump and the Republicans. If the Democrats don’t do this, we may end up with many years of Republican rule even while the majority of Americans may inherently support Democratic policies. Regardless of which party is in power, we the people need to take steps to heal the division that's such an inherent part of our nation's history, as discussed in part one, and learn to work together to move our nation forward. And how we can achieve this very important task will be covered more in-depth in the final part of this three-part series.

The State of Our Politics: Breaking Down the Republican Base (Part 1 of 3)

NOTE: This is a series of three blog posts that look at the current state of American politics. In this first post, I break down the Republican party base in the age of Donald Trump, using historical analysis for context. The second post focuses on what the Democrats, as the party currently out of power, can learn from the recent success of the Republicans. Finally, the third post highlights how we can all help move the country forward, regardless of which political party is in power.

The State of Our Politics: Breaking Down the Republican Base

The election of Donald Trump in November 2016 solidified Republican control of the presidency to go with both chambers of Congress, in addition to holding a majority of state governments. While polling data seems to indicate that a larger proportion of the population actually favors more of the center-left policies usually espoused by Democrats, certain significant factors have nevertheless allowed the Republican party to establish decisive control of the government. Since they’re the party currently in charge of the nation’s political agenda, it’s important to understand which voters make up the GOP base. To do that, we have to first look at history.

Political parties change and evolve over time. In its over 160-year existence, the Republican party is no exception. In fact, one could argue that the modern-day Republican party is very different from the Republican party of even twenty years ago. Therefore, for the purpose of this analysis, we’re going to focus on the voters that support the Republican party in its current incarnation.

Donald Trump won thirty states on his way to the presidency (refer to map below). These states, which make up three-fifths, or 60% of all states, are full or majority Republican at just about every level, from federal congressional representation to state governorships and legislatures. This level of dominance by one political party should not be understated. However, what’s even more important is knowing the people who are voting overwhelmingly Republican. What is the historical context behind the control the GOP currently enjoys? Will understanding the Republican base help us make sense of the deep division in our country?

Let’s start by looking at the history of these states that vote Republican. First, let’s go back to the Civil War, to the time when the Republican party was formed and our nation was literally at its most divided. Ten of the 11 states that formed the Confederacy back then are states that voted for Trump and are full or majority Republican. Of all Confederate states, only Virginia went Democratic in the 2016 presidential election. Yes, it’s true that Abraham Lincoln, the president who led the Union and wrote the Emancipation Proclamation freeing the slaves, was a Republican, and the Confederate states that wanted to preserve slavery were Democrat. But what is most important is which party the descendants of those Confederates are voting for and supporting now. And the answer to that is, by a significantly large margin, the Republican party.

Next, let’s look at the lynchings of African Americans. There were 3,446 total recorded lynchings of African Americans from 1882 to 1968. Of these lynchings, 3,303 of them occurred in states that voted for Trump and are full or majority Republican. In other words, over 95% of these black lynchings took place in states currently controlled by the GOP.

Another aftereffect of the Civil War and the racial divide in our country was the enactment of Jim Crow laws. These laws were specifically designed to oppress and subjugate black people in most areas of American society, from education to transportation, and everything in between. Most Jim Crow laws were passed in states that voted for Trump and are full or majority Republican.

Finally, let’s look at a detail that is not directly related to race: the federal funds dependency score (refer to map below). This score is derived based on how much a state relies on federal funding. The higher the score, the more that state depends on federal funds. In the 2016 presidential election, nine of the 10 states with the highest federal funds dependency score voted for the Republican candidate. By contrast, nine of the 10 states with the lowest federal funds dependency score voted for the Democratic candidate. The biggest irony here is that the Republican party bills itself as the party of “smaller government,” yet the federal funds dependency score shows that Republican voters rely on big funds from this government they keep wanting to shrink.

What does all this mean? Does the Republican party consist of a bunch of racist people who can’t get by without government help? Certainly not. The great majority of the people living in these Republican states are good, decent, hard-working, self-sufficient people. In fact, I can attest that some of the most honest, loyal, warm people I’ve ever met have been Republican voters. Nevertheless, this country’s racist legacy cannot be ignored. And there's no denying that the descendants of the people who owned slaves, enacted Jim Crow laws, and lynched black people are mostly Republican voters today. It is also a fact that while many of these Republican voters decry “big government” and its “runaway spending,” they depend on funding from that same government more than their Democratic counterparts.

So, the Republican party controls the presidency and Congress, as well as a majority of governorships and state legislatures. And while it enjoys support from a cross section of American society, a large portion of the GOP base consists of the keepers of our nation’s ugly racist legacy. Additionally, the economic realities of these Republican states contradict a central tenet of their own party’s political philosophy. Overall, what takes on a deeper meaning is not so much who makes up the Republican party base, but how these voters help shape the path our nation takes while we head to an uncertain future, as we will see in parts two and three of this three-part series.