Will the Democratic Socialist wing of the Democratic Party continue to grow? 30 Must it cultivate that affiliation in order to be effective in American politics, or has the time come for an effective 3d Party or Independent Party challenge?
Coronavirus has really shifted many people’s political ideologies. I noticed as soon as the pandemic hit, the ideas that were once radically socialist and labeled as communist were suddenly very popular amongst the american people. Things such as universal income, higher minimum wage, and free healthcare are now topics up for debate whereas just a few months ago people were calling Bernie Sanders and AOC fascists for trying to improve the lives of suffering americans. It is unfortunate that it has taken over 200,000 american lives for us to come to the realization that our government is not running as efficiently as it should. Even according to republicans we are now labelled the socialist party and they will compare politicians such as kamala harris to bernie sanders as if they are even comparable in terms of policy.
Across the country republicans are losing their seats to more and more democrats because the American people are sick of the government that has done nothing for them. This is because the democratic establishment has finally woken up and is actually taking advice from people like Bernie Sanders. The democrats are quickly realizing progressive policies are popular and get people to show up to polls. The Green New Deal was a joke just a few months ago and i doubt anyone thought it would get passed even by democrats, but now it is the foundation for Joe Biden's climate plan. So long as we keep applying pressure and replacing those who are in politics solely for their own gain then we have a good shot at being the country we have always said we are.
I don’t believe a third party is necessary and would only serve to waste more time in congress/senate. The republican party is growing more and more unpopular, and their representatives know this. This is why the republican party has essentially turned into the Trump party. His base may be small but they are a very loud minority. This is why Trump has the control he does, any republican who goes against Trump is forfeiting their chances for reelection. If we can just get past Donald Trump then I believe the Republican party will be no more, or at least a pathetic shell of what it once was. I have a lot of hope for the country if we can manage beating him and his goons.
I've seen lots of "RIP, GOP" headlines lately, maybe this election will indeed lay the ground for a reconstructed or replacement conservative/traditional party. Maybe the Greens will be effectively co-opted by the new and improved Democrats. In the long run, though, I'd sure love to see a multi-party coalition-style system in America, with multiple and shifting alliances along with proportional voting.
ReplyDeleteRanked-choice voting, I mean.
DeleteI am totally agreeing with a lot that has been said here. I do think, that these topics need to get more attention and that this pandemic has done a lot to raise more awareness and make people see how important it is. People that are being called radical socialists in the US have opinions and dreams that are totally normal in other European countries. I really do believe that the US can get there and will.
ReplyDeleteConcerning is for me, that there are still enough people that listen to President Trump downplaying the pandemic and still not seeing a problem. At least we are seeing a slight change in opinion, just sad that it took a global pandemic to do that.
Seeing the general shift in political beliefs and discussions have been made glaringly obvious by this pandemic. I also find it interesting the radicalization of people that has reached beyond Sanders and electoralism. With Bernie backing Biden, many of my peers (as well as this sentiment being echoed by several others I've seen), the American youth is becoming further dissolutioned. Not necessarily to the point of mass youth voting-boycotting, but the typical young adult, at least in my experience, is much less trusting of even progressives than I have ever seen.
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