How do we resist and defeat Trump? Unfortunately, impeaching or replacing Trump in 2020 won’t save our country from the rotting disease. This is because the election of Trump was not some horrible mistake - or a trick by Russia or Facebook or chatbots. The truth is there is an electorate comprising 30-35% of voting Americans who have been left behind educationally and economically over the last 30 years. Their jobs have gone away, their wages have stayed the same or gone down, their schools have worsened, and for many, basic things like clean water aren’t a reality. Their frustration is deserved, and combined with their lack of education, they are very susceptible to arguments of nationalism and conservatism. So when Trump goes away, the next racist who speaks their mind can slide right in.
The government of the last 30 years has been more concerned with corporate profits than peoples’ health and education. And because of that, this electorate seemed to turn within and pull back to what was comfortable to them. They want their old jobs back, and the old times where a man was a man and America was (in their minds) more racially homogenized around white culture. They were not tricked into believing this. We were the ones who let this happen to them. Full stop.
Yes, us, the latte liberals. It’s our fault. We raised our voice on social issues like equal rights for LGBT and women and ethnic minorities (with varying degrees of success) while we developed a mysticism towards corporations that not only was indifferent to poverty but required cheap labor to succeed. We were accomplices in the government-corporation handshake that grew wealth our wealth a little, all the while the C-Suite (Congress, Corporations) gutted public programs to give tax cuts to corporations and the billionaires who run them.
Corporations innovate fast and we love it. Who isn't excited to see the next wacky, cool tweet idea from Elon, Bezos or the rest of Silicon Valley or Seattle? But at some point we fell in love with innovation and forgot what progress looks like. For example, it’s no question that Teslas are an example of tremendous innovation. But does it translate into progress? Cities will be no less congested with the same number of cars on the road. Innovation helps some of us. Progress helps all of us.
When we read that article about the innovative school with an ipad for every student, or the teacher who bought school supplies for her children, or the kid who won her charter school lottery, it inspires us. But shouldn't it terrify us to have a country where teachers in poverty are spending their own money to buy supplies for children in poverty? It is a moral imperative that every kid has a real chance at a healthy life and a good education. Our reverence for exceptionalism came at the cost of the American Dream - that if you work hard, you can make it in America.
“Trump” - the electorate - was not tricked by Trump, or by Russia. They were a direct result of America failing them. That’s all the bad news. Here’s the good news:
The formula to beating Trumpism is creating a New New Deal. That New New. As bad a policy as Obamacare is, it’s actually very popular legislation. That’s because the government actually gave something to people, and losing it would hurt. If we really want to win congress and make the country better, we must elect officials that commit to Universal Medicare, a Jobs Guarantee and Infrastructure Investment focused on environmental justice. Candidates who are endorsed by 'Justice Democrats' are a good start. Organizations like 'Run for Something' and 'Swing Left' help identify, train and support good progressive candidates. Over the next several years, we can move the political spectrum (Overton Window) to the left, and with it, truly #resist the disease of Trump.
