Why Democrats Lost Voter Confidence |
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Democrats are relieved by the outcome of the last election. They think that the people finally see the Trump administration for what it is, a fascist-leaning government that favors the rich and well-connected at the expense of the poor. The wins are impressive, but to move past the Trump era, there is much more work to do.
Democrats lost two presidential elections to a charlatan and the party’s approval rating is abysmal. A Wall Street Journal poll conducted in July showed their favorability at only 33%. They should understand why they lost voter confidence and recognize how it happened.
Critics say that to regain their standing, Democrats must return to the center. They point to the governorships in Viginia and New Jersy that were won by moderate candidates. But coming to center will not address a more serious and fundamental question, which is this. Beyond turning Trump out of office, what is the party’s purpose?
The Lost Identity of the Democratic Party
As the Republican party moved farther right, it took on a new identity, becoming the party of MAGA theocrats. At the same time, the Democratic party shifted farther left and also lost its identity
The objective of democracy is the benefit of the common good. Roosevelt understood that. Under his leadership, government worked for the benefit of rich and poor alike and he led our nation out of the Great Depression. FDR was a capitalist who worked to restore confidence in both banking and industry. And he understood the plight of American farmers and working families, which he addressed with direct relief, and programs like the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, which provided jobs. And with the Social Security Act of 1935, he created a social safety net.
In this process, he reshaped the Democratic Party’s identity, forged a new coalition of voters, and established a governing philosophy that expanded the role of the federal government. The Democratic Party became the party of traditional liberalism, which emphasized the rights of the individual, equality before the law,........