TIME Inc. Image of "The Republican Club" courtesy of Andy Thomas Source: https://pressfrom.info/us/news/us/-200073-that-painting-of-trump-having-a-diet-coke-with-abraham-lincoln-is-now-hanging-in-the-white-house.html
Following the Democrats disappointing showing in the 2020 Congressional elections, losing 10 to 15 House seats and failing to take the Senate majority as predicted, a war between the Progressive and moderate wing has erupted. Representative Abigail Spanberger accused Progressives of “defunding the police” and “democratic socialism” for the Democratic losses and her near loss. House Whip Jim Clyburn echoed this accusation explaining the loss of his protégé, Jaime Harrison, in a Senate race against Trump sycophant, Senator Lindsey Graham.
While losses can be expected to generate intra-party disputes, this internal struggle highlights a more fundamental weakness in the Democratic Party. Except for Joe Biden, a well-known commodity for almost 50 years, Democrats who shunned “defunding the police” and “democratic socialism” still could not effectively push back against these Republican attacks. As Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accurately pointed out, not a single Democratic member of the House campaigned for defunding the police or democratic socialism. Yet, repetitive Republican messaging of Democratic socialism and police disbandment undermined Democrats.
Countering Republican lies and negative messaging will require that Democrats overcome a major barrier: a fantasy world dictated by resentment, fear, and tribalism rather than reality. Republican voters selectively attend to “their” media, like Fox, Salem Media, and Sinclair Broadcasting, while disbelieving voices on “other” media they label as Democratic. The idea that merely presenting evidence and the truth will persuade Republican leaning voters has long since passed. Now the source of information is as important as the “facts” that are offered.
While losses can be expected to generate intra-party disputes, this internal struggle highlights a more fundamental weakness in the Democratic Party. Except for Joe Biden, a well-known commodity for almost 50 years, Democrats who shunned “defunding the police” and “democratic socialism” still could not effectively push back against these Republican attacks. As Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accurately pointed out, not a single Democratic member of the House campaigned for defunding the police or democratic socialism. Yet, repetitive Republican messaging of Democratic socialism and police disbandment undermined Democrats.
Countering Republican lies and negative messaging will require that Democrats overcome a major barrier: a fantasy world dictated by resentment, fear, and tribalism rather than reality. Republican voters selectively attend to “their” media, like Fox, Salem Media, and Sinclair Broadcasting, while disbelieving voices on “other” media they label as Democratic. The idea that merely presenting evidence and the truth will persuade Republican leaning voters has long since passed. Now the source of information is as important as the “facts” that are offered.
Republicans have created a Democratic Party “brand” in which Democrats are poor whites and minorities who want a handout from hardworking [white] taxpayers. This Democratic brand is inaccurate but is widespread and deeply held by Republicans. Lies and disinformation that are viewed as consistent with this brand will be more readily believed and harder to combat than information that is inconsistent. Thus, Democratic tax policies aimed at reducing inequality between the upper one percent and middle-class Americans are likely to be interpreted by some Republicans as a way of increasing their tax burden.
Republican voters rely on social networks that spread disinformation as a part of their identity. The Republican Party has incorporated many right-wing social networks, like the Moral Majority and Family Research Council. The disinformation spread by these groups under the cloak of being what “real” Americans believe will be difficult to dislodge. As Republicans’ devotion to Donald Trump showed, he may have been an incompetent liar, but he was theirs, and they would not leave him.
How the Democratic Party can overcome these barriers is the question that it will have to cope with in the coming years. But the approach seemingly suggested by Spanberger of silencing Democrats who utter phrases that might be weaponized by the Republicans will not work. Similarly, the idea that if Democrats govern well when they win elections, voters will be rewarded with re-election is also doomed to failure. Republican media and social networks will interpret Democratic governance as wrong or at least suspect. Instead, Democrats should highlight their achievements unrelentingly. The need to brag, explain, and show why their policies are good for all voters. And above all they need to demonstrate how their policies are good for potential Democratic voters.
The first test of this for the Biden Administration will be the Republican response to this administration’s efforts to eradicate COVID-19. As COVID-19 spreads out of control, Republicans will surely blame Biden’s election for its increase. And as the Biden Administration’s efforts to combat the pandemic begin to defeat the virus, Republicans will undoubtedly credit Trump with developing the vaccines and medications that beat it. Instead, the Biden Administration should constantly remind voters of what it is doing to tamp down the pandemic. Charts and graphs that show the decrease in the spread of the virus and increases in the economy should become ubiquitous in the media.
Hopefully, the Democratic Party can focus its energy on overcoming this barrier and refrain from meaningless recriminations about why races were lost. In the final analysis, Republicans bear some responsibility for failed political races, at least as much as members of the Democratic Party.
Republican voters rely on social networks that spread disinformation as a part of their identity. The Republican Party has incorporated many right-wing social networks, like the Moral Majority and Family Research Council. The disinformation spread by these groups under the cloak of being what “real” Americans believe will be difficult to dislodge. As Republicans’ devotion to Donald Trump showed, he may have been an incompetent liar, but he was theirs, and they would not leave him.
How the Democratic Party can overcome these barriers is the question that it will have to cope with in the coming years. But the approach seemingly suggested by Spanberger of silencing Democrats who utter phrases that might be weaponized by the Republicans will not work. Similarly, the idea that if Democrats govern well when they win elections, voters will be rewarded with re-election is also doomed to failure. Republican media and social networks will interpret Democratic governance as wrong or at least suspect. Instead, Democrats should highlight their achievements unrelentingly. The need to brag, explain, and show why their policies are good for all voters. And above all they need to demonstrate how their policies are good for potential Democratic voters.
The first test of this for the Biden Administration will be the Republican response to this administration’s efforts to eradicate COVID-19. As COVID-19 spreads out of control, Republicans will surely blame Biden’s election for its increase. And as the Biden Administration’s efforts to combat the pandemic begin to defeat the virus, Republicans will undoubtedly credit Trump with developing the vaccines and medications that beat it. Instead, the Biden Administration should constantly remind voters of what it is doing to tamp down the pandemic. Charts and graphs that show the decrease in the spread of the virus and increases in the economy should become ubiquitous in the media.
Hopefully, the Democratic Party can focus its energy on overcoming this barrier and refrain from meaningless recriminations about why races were lost. In the final analysis, Republicans bear some responsibility for failed political races, at least as much as members of the Democratic Party.