As months pass under the Trump Administration, we are continuing to see no real movement towards a more unified country. America is still facing unprecedented political divisiveness, and the Democratic Party is doing nothing to solve this issue.
At a time when the president in the majority party is as unpopular as Trump is, the Democrats have an incredible opportunity to have a huge swing in gaining power, but only if they employ a winning strategy.
The Democratic Party is failing to put together a message that is anything other than being the anti-Donald Trump party. The party needs a stronger, more substantive message. The current message does not resonate with the voters in a way that it once did, and it is unlikely to produce any Democratic wins in upcoming elections.
This new message must involve new approaches to economic growth, tax reform, a concrete value system, and ideological tolerance.
To begin, rather than pushing a shaky redistribution plan, the party needs to form a plan to promote comprehensive economic growth.
Secondly, the country doesn’t need a tax policy that simply raises rates on the highest earners. The party needs a policy that that offers specialized tax cuts across the board.
Thirdly, Democrats should use religiosity and traditional values to organize common ideals and goals for the American people.
Finally, encouraging any and all "resistance" is only perpetrating a dangerous schism in American politics. Tolerance needs to be promoted within the Democratic Party; democrats must be able to engage in discourse with fellow Democrats (and Republicans!) about policy areas that they may disagree on.
The fact of the matter is that since 2010, Democrats have lost 11 Senate seats, 63 House seats, 10 governorships, and hundreds of state legislative seats. "Resist" is not a strategy that wins seats or helps the American people. The politicians that are advocating for the resistance are to blame for the downfall of the party.
Regardless of what the Chuck Schumer’s, Nancy Pelosi’s and Bernie Sanders’s are advocating for, fixing the issues remains more important to voters than obstructionism. Coinciding with the party’s need for a new message is a need for a new messenger. Democratic Party leaders are outdated and overplayed; they are no longer representative of the changing face of our party.
The Democratic voter base remains the same, and it has nowhere to go. The party’s leaders must understand that they must moderate to win back the working-class Democrats who, in the past election, defected to Trump. In a still-recovering economy, wages have stagnated, good job opportunities have waned, and healthcare and education costs have become exorbitant.
Without winning back these groups that have become more economically insecure, the party cannot win back a governing majority. Democrats need a pro-growth agenda that brings back a unified party with a stable set of values.
President Trump has drafted lofty goals for tax policies, a new healthcare bill, and reformed infrastructure plans. He remains prepared to undo much legislation from the Obama era, but has yet to put forward any replacements capable of passage.
The Democratic Party can and should be filling in these holes. The only strategy under which Democrats can be successful going forward must involve emulating the strength of President Trump’s message while delivering on promises that work with and for the American people.
Doug Schoen is a Democratic pollster, strategist, and best-selling author. His latest book is "Putin's Master Plan: To Destroy Europe, Divide NATO, and Restore Russian Power and Global Influence."
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.