The post A Slam-Dunk plan for Democrats prior to 2020 appeared first on Occasional Planet.
]]>The cheering from November 6 rings on as the Democrats continue to pick up victories in the House. The talk about 2020 mainly focuses on who are the likeliest and most qualified candidates to run for president.
But first, we have a number of structural problems in our democracy, and Democrats need to be on the forefront in addressing them. Most cannot be done alone such as abolishing the Electoral College and replacing it with a direct popular vote. But when it comes to how Democrats select their candidates, it is completely in the hands of the party.
First, let’s look at what’s wrong with the way we get to the point that we have nominees for president and vice-president.
Democrats should have been focusing on these structural changes even before the 2016 election cycle ended. Reforming money in politics and the primary / caucus is a central to a progressive agenda as virtually any other plank in the platform. Reducing the role of money in politics (and ultimately having public financing) is essential to promoting affordable and comprehensive health care, protecting the environment and truly addressing the issues of economic inequality.
It’s too much to ask Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker or the dozens of other possible Democratic candidates for 2020 to focus on changing the process while they are playing the game by the current rules. What is needed is for those with stature and who will not be running again to lead the way so that no one has to endure the rigors, fatigue and unfairness of how they battled their way to the presidential nomination. I’m talking about both Clintons, Barack Obama, and possibly Jimmy Carter if he is healthy enough to do it. Carter has the most credibility of the lot, but perhaps it would be more effective if those who seemed comfortable wallowing in money and schlepping all over the country at odd hours to be the ones to be on the forefront.
Here is an opportunity for Democrats to do something without the excuse that Republicans won’t let them. Take the freebies; make yourselves happier and the country much more democratic.
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