Eschewing Electability: What Democrats Can Draw from the Far-Right Playbook
Talking heads, opinion columnists, and mainstream pundits continually stressed that a Democratic victory in the 2020 presidential election was predicated on a nominee who could appeal to centrist swing voters. Political commentator Thomas Friedman, in a New York Times op-ed, pitched Michael Bloomberg as that candidate—one who could send a message of “national unity, personal […]
“OK Boomer” is the Pepe of 2020. Here’s Why.
The ubiquity of the term “OK Boomer” comes at a time of heightened generational contempt within the Democratic electorate of the United States. Similar to Pepe the Frog’s influence on the 2016 elections, the phrase may impact outcomes in 2020 and have real implications for social and political structure. Pepe the Frog demonstrated the influence […]
4/20(20): Marijuana and Criminal Justice Reform’s Role in the 2020 Election
At first glance, marijuana legalization doesn’t seem like it should be a priority for voters in the upcoming election, especially when compared to issues such as the lack of accessible health care, the climate crisis, and rising gun violence. However, the legalization of marijuana directly relates to criminal justice reform. The War on Drugs—an initiative […]
Moderate New Hampshire Voters Hope For Unity, Fear Extremism
New Hampshire, like Iowa, has always been a key state and area of hyper-focus for presidential contenders. It holds the first primary, resulting in a disproportionate influx of rallies and campaigns in the small state and, in-turn, a politically engaged electorate. At a town hall event in Concord on November 9, Joe Biden served chili […]
The Rise of The Independent Gen Z Voter
There is a generational rift paralyzing both major parties in the United States—a rift that is hindering legislative progress across the nation. Young people are more likely to identify as liberals but less likely to identify as Democrats, according to a Brookings Institute study from November 2016. Of the sampled demographic, 35 percent of youths […]
Shifts in the Democratic Party
On January 1, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled plans for the “Select Committee on Climate Crisis.”[1] Chaired by Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida, the committee will research and develop recommendations on strategies and policies to make permanent reductions in pollution and other contributors to the climate crisis. Yet arguably the most vocal politician on climate […]
A Liberal’s Case Against Single-Payer
The late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy was a passionate advocate of universal healthcare and championed a national health insurance plan during his time in office. As Chairman of the Senate Health Subcommittee, Kennedy proposed a compulsory, single-payer program. The program involved the creation of a public insurance program to replace private insurance, and it didn’t […]
A Liberal’s Case Against Hillary Clinton
I am like you. Many eons ago, when the Democratic Presidential nomination engines were first starting to tumble and rev, I bought into the very same conventional wisdom. Hillary Clinton was a better candidate than Bernie Sanders. At the very least, she was more realistic. Right? For starters, her resumé is, at a glance, top-notch. […]
Why Vox is wrong about Bernie Sanders, explained
The runaway success of Bernie Sanders’ 2016 run has been met with a mix of bewilderment and condescension by Beltway pundits. Among mainstream liberal voices from Paul Krugman to Ezra Klein to Matthew Yglesias, the consensus is that Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign has been a series of unrealistic promises playing off of the anger of […]