I’ve been seeing the stories about the soul searching of Democrats. This is expected considering the current state of the Party. Actually, the Democratic leadership, not the rank and file Democrats. I’ve seen there is a huge difference between the two. So I’m going to do something I haven’t in a long time and give some advice for their success.
This is spurred by a comment I saw elsewhere by someone who referred to himself as a JFK Democrat. He was writing specifically toward the comments about party leadership (Steyer, in this case) wanting too change their messaging. This commenter refers to how Kennedy’s message resonated and how to get back to that.
He’s actually on the right track. But one has to remember that JFK was a Liberal, not a Progressive and certainly not a Socialist. Anyone remember missles in Cuba?
The problem I see is that Steyer is talking about changing the wrapper and not the content. It’s the content that is being rejected and it’s his arrogance to assume otherwise. When you strip away all the hype, there is a lot of similarity in the end point of Kennedy, Reagan, and Trump’s direction. There are VAST differences in how to get to the goal, however. At one time in America that is what was called the Great Debate.
The Progressives running the Democratic Party no longer seem to share that common goal of American excellence and individual success. Instead, the society takes the preeminent position. Yet, paradoxically, they foster division that undermine both the society they serve and the individual excellence that both Liberals and Conservatives treasure.
Whether it’s asking “Not what your country can do for you,” or creating that “Shining city on a hill,” or remembering that “We all bleed the same red blood,” If Democrats want to have any success over the next several generations, they have to return to the content and goals of JFK; not simply wrap themselves in his cloak.
I’ve got a lot of friends who are Democrats. Many others who profess to be “liberals.” Most are – in the modern sense – as “conservative” as I. Hopefully, they will be able to use this as their opportunity to take back their Party. America needs to be able to return to the unique and noble work of that Great Debate.