The terrain of engagement in the year ahead will depend on the outcome of two Senate races in GA. If Democrats come out victorious and end up in control of the Senate, the boundaries of the doable expand greatly. If, on the other hand, the Democrats come up short and McConnell once again rules the Senate, the legislative struggle turns into a steeper climb for Biden, Congressional Democrats, and the democratic coalition/movement. In these circumstances, the passage of legislation will depend on breaking off a few Republican Senators from McConnell as well as securing the agreement of the more conservative members of the Democratic Caucus. It would have been so much easier if a blue wave up and down the ticket had been the breaking news election night. In any event, sustained action of the democratic coalition that ushered Biden and Harris across the finish line on election day, will be imperative no matter what the outcome of the Georgia Senate elections.
Even if the two Senate seats in Georgia fail to fall into Democrats hands in the runoff election in January and control of the Senate remains in Republican hands, I would still hope that President Biden will vigorously advocate for his program of democratic and progressive reforms – the DP platform is a good point of departure. Anything less would be an unwarranted concession and anything more be premature. Political realities – not least the balance of power in the Senate and the degree of popular mobilization – will determine if we set in train a season of reforms. Such an approach will not only engage and enthuse the tens of millions who voted for Biden, but also stands a chance of enticing some of the white workers and small business people who voted for Trump to bail on him.
The building out of the Democratic Party and democratic movement in rural communities strikes me as an imperative that we should draw from this and recent elections. Our side of has nowhere near the organizational presence and voice that the right wing has. To give but two examples: the evangelical church and the NRA.
Increasingly the stars are aligned against Trump. Or to use another time worn expression, the writing is on the wall for 45. I believe it’s a Reuters poll that has 3 per cent of the people believing Trump won the election. 79 per cent don’t. No coup, soft or hard!
Antonio Delgardo, Democrat district 19 NY, which is where I happen to live, won reelection in a closely contested campaign. And it wasn’t because of his political timidity or digital organizing ineptitude that he didn’t register a bigger victory. While he won in the more populous counties, he ran behind in the less populated, rural parts of the district where voters are more prone to be swayed by Trump and right wing media. If he had positioned himself further to the left he could have run the danger of losing. Tacking left no matter what the circumstances can quickly become a fool’s errand and a formula to return to private life, not to mention result in the unnecessary loss of Congressional seats. A mature party and popular coalition should be mindful of that reality.
