Time for a reset in the Democratic Party

Last Word | November 30th, 2016

By Bob Valeu

bvaleu@yahoo.com

Okay, a week is often a lifetime, let’s move on. Let’s redirect and focus our energy and political will on 2018. One great thing about our republic is that we, the citizens, get a chance every two years to make the decision on what direction, politically, our country will take. The clock is ticking, don’t be distracted any longer. Time is of the essence!

The Democratic Party needs a reset. We must focus on three things: middle-class stagnation; the emerging technological globalized economy; fix a very broken political system.

In North Dakota the Democratic-NPL Party needs a “reset” as well. The party is now a super-minority and an endangered species. To save the lone senate seat and make any gains in the legislature or state offices in 2018, it is going to take all hands on deck.

One week is enough to mourn, be depressed, point fingers, etc. It is time to get on with the political task at hand and it will not be easy, but it can be done.

The Democratic-NPL Party reset needs to start with a succinct vision. We can no longer hang on to cultural issues alone. Our positions on cultural issues rightly define principles, fairness and the common decency we desire for all Americans.

They don’t address the day-to-day economic issues facing middle-class America. We need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time and that means we had better get a pocketbook mentality again or we, not the Republican Party, will become irrelevant.

We have the tools available to us for a major comeback in North Dakota. For example, our party can use the initiative and referendum to address issues directly to the voters. We have the same access to mainstream and social media as any other party. What we don’t have is any kind of coherent economic strategy or message to give the voters of North Dakota, and until we do we will continue to be a super minority.

So please no more oh my god what has happened to us or whining about the other side or thinking that only if we didn’t have the Electoral College it would have been different. Yes, reality can be painful, but if all we do is point the finger at others and wail then we will never witness victory.

Remember controlling public policy, the art of politics, is about wealth distribution. Now the republicans have the control to redistribute the wealth further in the hands of the 1%. Either we, as Democrats, get it right this time or live with the consequences.

I want an economic policy that is fair and equitable. So far I haven’t heard anything close to that from Democrats and I most certainly haven’t heard it from Trump and the Republican Party Leadership.

If anyone out there is interested in my ideas for a party reset and an economic strategy for North Dakota, let me know.

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