So...now what?
So Trump is now our President.
Women marched around the world and now it is a new day. So the question we must ask ourselves is this:
Now what?
The Democrats are co-opting resistance, lulling people back into their loving arms. The question we will see is if people will actually fall in line to do that (2018 and 2020).
But for others, who know that the Democrats aren't the answer, what do we do? What do we do as individuals who seek a better world do to obtain the means to exert our beliefs? What options do we have?
1) 3rd party or start one: 2016 should have been the year of the 3rd party. The worst two candidates in American political history...and the 3rd parties floundered. The two big ones, Libertarian and Green, got roughly 3 and 1 percent, respectively. It seems that instead of going to a 3rd party, many resign themselves to despair. If the two party options are garbage, then people sit out. They don't believe that there is another option (one that can win anyway). Besides that, there are many other smaller parties that continue to splinter off in varying directions.
2) Run candidates, non-party: Brand New Congress for instance is trying to run 400 candidates for 2018. As they state:
Yes, we will challenge incumbents in their party primaries, running Republicans in districts where only Republicans can win, and Democrats where only Democrats win. Wherever we lose the primary, we will run an independent for a second chance at winning the seat. But we will work out this strategy on a case by case basis. In some districts we might skip the primary and only run an independent in the general election.
For me I don't have a problem with this idea. They seem more willing to stick to certain principles and ideals vs. party label. It seems they are co-opting party labels when necessary, but will ditch them when not advantageous anymore. I'm curious on their results, but always cynical.
The reality is that to run for various offices, people need a lot of money and time. They have to be willing to give up their job for the prospect of winning. Wealthy individuals, or those packed by them, can easily run. Money isn't a problem for them, but money is the ultimate problem for us. I do believe in the idea of normal, everyday citizens trying to run for office, even the highest offices. Instead, we have made a "career" out of it. It is now believed that only a select few can run for office, let alone run things.
3) Outside the system: The two things mentioned here are both confined within our current system. However, trying to do things outside the system, to me anyway, has even less chance for success. People are chained to our current political and economic systems. Trying to rally people, let alone mass number of people, to act outside of those models, seems less and less possible as the various systems become entrenched and solidified, not only in a physical sense, but in a mental concept.
In the end, folks, we can continue to wince as Trump does something horrific (only time will tell), and bash Dems (that seems easy enough). But I wonder what we can do beyond that. I know that I am not one to say much here. I am young and inexperienced...but there are vicious problems in our society that for decades upon decades have been ignored and left to rot.
So...now what?
Comments
Today, the TPP is dead - let's celebrate that.
One disaster averted. We can go back to despair tomorrow if we like.
Rejoice
I mean, I am glad the TPP is dead. Obama had campaigned on dealing with NAFTA...and well imagine that, never happened.
Yet Trump went after TPP and is talking about NAFTA.
So those are good things. But yeah, I'd like to see what we can do besides hoping that Trump does something worthwhile.
Do you know what will happen instead of the TPP?
The TPP was effectively dead even before Trump became president so this isn't a big deal, a mere formality probably set up for Trump to take. The TPP was largely a part of the Asia Pivot, a means to counter China's economic rise. Trump has raised the specter of a trade war with China which could be worse. It's not like Trump did this to save the environment from the corporations or for democracy.
@Big Al Clinton's tepid
Clinton's tepid rejection of the TPP seemed to be that she would have her hands tied and that the US would go into the TPP regardless. It was her way of pretending to be against but knowing that it was going to succeed anyway. So I guess for me I'm not too certain on your point there Al.
My point was I don't think there's anything to celebrate
That seems a bit unfair
There very definitely IS something to celebrate. It is one tiny battle in a much, MUCH larger war. And yet that doesn't mean the battle is meaningless. That's how wars are won.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
"Now what" depends on what you want.
Do people want Trump out as President and a democrat in? Do people want fifteen dollars an hour minimum wage? Do people want democracy?
If you just want a better world, that's hard to define relative to what to do about it.
Right Sorry
Me? No, not really. Not really seeing myself voting for Democrats considering that the likes of Booker are trying to prep themselves up for a run.
Higher minimum wage does have support. But again, the views of the people are often at odds with those in power.
Now this question is directly the point of number 3 in my essay. That is essentially going outside the system to tear it down and place in something else (in this case actual democracy). Which again, I am not against the idea. The problem is actually getting people to make such a leap to go against the system. It is one thing to be part of the two parties, another to start a 3rd party, another to be completely independent of any party, but far far more to go against the system of governance we have now. Sadly, I believe this one has less of a chance to succeed. Regardless of my own feelings towards it (I mean I wouldn't mind giving it a try, though again there are some concerns about issues of pure democracy, but that could be another post to chat with you Al), what seems to be to me is that actually rallying people to do that is seemingly impossible.
But yes, my shorthand of "better world" deals with having the people be given much more power (either through their representatives or their own agency) to give power to the issues they care about (single payer, higher wages, environmental safeguards and protections, on and on). And yes, what to do about it, I don't know. I am hoping to get that conversation rolling here.
Hopefully that can happen.
the discussion. It's difficult to get one going and keep it going. It's easier to focus on a goal like stopping a pipeline or electing a politician as opposed to the far broader goal of changing the governing power structure. "What are we protesting and what do we want?" An age old question.
Concerns of Democracy
You brought up pure democracy Al, so I thought I would dive a little bit into it.
Democracy is one of the simplest means of which to give people power over their own governance. Everyone is able to vote equally to determine a direction or goal. That seems reasonable to an extent, but there are some areas to which it seems questions arise.
Noam Chomsky wrote a bit about this point, looking back at the Greeks and even the Founding Fathers. The rich and powerful were concerned that the masses would vote to redistribute the wealth back down. So one of the phrases that came out is one of my favorite from Madison which shows why democracy is feared by the wealthy and powerful.
But, what if we tweak that setting? Another quote that is often attributed to democracy is:
Are there instances when a majority is to be feared? Or rather, an instance when the minority must be protected against the majority? Are there certain rights or even distill that down to just beliefs that should be upheld even at times that when the majority doesn't want them?
If a majority of people for instance in a society vote to make a certain group of people (class, race, religion, nationality, etc.) second class citizens or even slaves, does that make that just in a society that utilizes majority opinion to determine what is just? I used the instance of slave because it is easy to imagine but also horrific in nature.
Now yes I will admit that I haven't dived the farthest into the writings on systems of pure democracy. I'm merely writing out some thoughts and concerns I've had but also that I've heard along the way. The concern would be a set of safeguards that couldn't be touched. Otherwise, any minority would be subject to the whims of a majority.
Keep marching and petitioning
Trump wants to be liked. If he knows millions of women all over the country are watching him to ensure he doesn't turn back the clock then he will probably find a way to leave things alone. Pence wouldn't give two shits.
We know Trump once held very liberal views. We need to stay in front of him as a reminder, not as protesters but as a power structure he can use to fend off the real crazies. When he says he's returning power to the people...Let us be the most visible and loud of those because he will need to point at us when he tells the crazies no.
At this point we should probably discourage any effort to impeach him -- that, I believe, is what his own party wants. Pence and many others Trump would leave in his wake would be far, far worse.
Just my 2 cents.
Regarding Impeachment
I think many Republicans would prefer to have Pence in the driver's seat. Now, the real question is: Is Pence acting like a Cheney or not? Is Pence controlling the scene? Or is Pence just watching from the sidelines, waiting for the thumbs up from his owners before they start impeachment processes?
I think the latter
Pence is a useful, evil idiot.
I have no idea what's next
I know I need to do everything I can to stop Democrats from winning. But that's not really a forward strategy. That is a battle of retreat and you know what they say about "No war was ever won in battles of retreat."
That being said, I am skeptical of any political organization that wants money from me. So I have not donated to Brand New Congress or anything else. I've been waiting to see what they do and how they are funded. I also want to see how they structure themselves. If they go with the slick media, high dollar strategy then they are hopelessly lost. If they build a people-powered, low-dollar, high effort strategy then they might be on the right track.
My opinion is that all this talk of needing money to run is bullshit. I suspect someone knocking on my door and asking to talk to me about politics would have the impact of 90 trillion political ads.
A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard
Hmm
I'm not necessarily advocating for Brand New Congress. However, I am intrigued by how they are trying to advocate for a set of positions, and THEN running candidates everywhere. It seems that people run candidates for parties and then try to twist and contort people to fit into little boxes.
Regarding money...well, I imagine that yes there are upkeep costs. Website creation and maintenance, organization, etc. I don't know, I haven't run campaigns, but I don't think you could run everything off of a 100% volunteer basis, especially those that become more and more time consuming. Some of those positions become full-time work, so I imagine people wouldn't be able to do that and their normal day jobs.
But also, that was just one method. The whole point is trying to get the conversation rolling, the ball moving. So far, I've mostly had Al here ha.