MONEY IN POLITICS (IN WINE CAVES).
We rethink the week with David Schultz, Professor of Political Science and Law at Hamline University; Dean Spiliotis, Civic Scholar and Presidential Scholar at Southern New Hampshire University; and Ron Abramson, immigration attorney from Concord, NH. We discuss (yes, again!) the grave distortion of our democratic system caused by candidates’ reliance on huge amounts of money. At the recent Democratic debate, the focus was on big fundraisers in wine caves (owned by a wealthy conservative donor family).
We recognize that — for better or for worse — the electoral system we have now is one which requires a great deal of money and which has very few sources of that money (unless the candidate him- or herself is a billionaire). In any event, we wonder how many voters actually care about which candidate is the most virtuous fund-raiser.
ELECTION ISSUES:
POVERTY AND INEQUALITY.
We discuss the yawning gap between the rich and poor in our country, and how that gap continues to grow exponentially. Only Sanders and Warren are addressing this problem and have proposed some solutions to deal with it. Yet the media are simply not covering the issue. Both Republicans and centrist Democrats complain about any discussion of this topic. They call it “class warfare.” But the only time we discuss “class warfare” is when the elites are calling out progressive candidates who raise the disparities between rich and poor.
TRYING TO SOLVE THE HEALTH CARE PROBLEM? OR SWEEPING IT UNDER THE RUG (AGAIN)?
Ten years ago, most Republicans and many Democrats were vocally opposing Obamacare. At Town Hall meetings, angry voters tore apart their Congressional reps if they were willing even to consider Pres Obama’s “socialist” proposals to make health care available to every American. Yet today, there is overwhelming support for the ACA. Maybe we should tweak it, build on it, but certainly not move away from the status quo that we have now had several years to become accustomed to. Meanwhile, Republican-appointed courts (and legislators and AGs) are making efforts to dismantle the ACA. If the current lawsuit goes to the Supreme Court and the ACA is struck down, there are no proposals to replace it. None whatsoever.
TRUMP’S CRUEL & HATEFUL IMMIGRATION POLICY.
Large majorities of Democrats, Independents and even Republicans feel very strongly revolted by the Trump Administration’s policy and practice of separating children from their families at the border. Locking kids in cages, horrendous and unhealthy conditions at detention centers, sending families who come to our borders — fleeing for their lives — back to Mexico where gangs, rapists, and kidnappers are waiting to prey on them. Why aren’t the debate moderators, the candidates, and the media highlighting these issues, as they relate to distinguish the Democratic vision from Republicans in the White House, Congress, and the Senate?
OTHER ELECTION ISSUES
We close with short discussions about: (1) whether it makes sense to talk about working “across the aisle” after the election, when the Republicans (from Mitch McConnell on down) have made it very clear that they aren’t willing to consider any compromises; (2) what it might take to galvanize younger voters, African-Americans, and progressive Democrats so as to broaden the Democratic base beyond the 2016 fiasco; (3) making sure the Democratic Party has a strategy to win the Electoral College, not just the votes cast; and (4) the need to do a better job of messaging, so candidates’ good ideas actually resonate with and energize voters who, we think, really want a viable chance to live a good life, pay their bills, raise their families, and enjoy their communities.
