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1. In 2016 I feared for our country. On this #HolocaustMemorialDay that fear now encompasses the western liberal democracy that has kept order and peace post WWII. National populism has spread across the hemisphere on a dark trajectory - one already outlined in history.
2. We are failing to see the bigger picture, blinded by the myopic lens of tribalism. Putin, however, is clear-eyed. This is his vision and has been all along. Populism isn’t a solution to a problem. It is a reaction to a problem -largely the problem of wealth inequality.
3. National populism revolves around the following: a) political distrust b) perceived destruction of national cultures c) anxiety about deprivation of jobs and income d) dealignment of political parties with voters. theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
4. Populist leaders weave these threads into their platform, presenting themselves as champions of those left behind and the only ones who can ‘fix’ the problem. This should ring familiar to those in the US and Europe regardless of your end of the political spectrum.
5. The problem of wealth inequality is very real. Putin didn’t create the rise of populism, but he is absolutely inflaming it. It is not just his handiwork in the election of Trump and the passing of Brexit.
6. His influence is ever present over Trump’s agenda and the way Trumpism has been perceived and echoed throughout Europe. It is a weakening of global alliances and a weakening of the post-WWII multi-national institutions that protect western democracy. cnn.com/2018/07/21/eur…
7. Putin knows that populism rises out of the fringes of politics - the parallel arms of the horseshoe. Armies of Russian trolls and bots have infiltrated far-Left and far-Right groups. It’s not stopping, and it won’t.
8. The center takes the biggest hit. In America and Europe, the far-Right nationalism is what has emerged with the most strength. Center-right has shifted to the fringe out of fear of their base. Social democracy is weakened as is the administrative state. brookings.edu/blog/order-fro…
9. Despite what we are witnessing, I am not without hope. Taking the House in the 2018 midterms is a light in the darkness, as are the many prominent Republicans who have stood up against the far-Right to put country over party.
10. The path out of this hinges on pragmatic, sober problem-solving -on citizens and leaders coming together in good faith. I expect calls of unity to fall on deaf ears, but I am encouraging a loosening of the choke-hold of tribalism - both intra-party and between parties.
11. Party over country is disgraceful and dangerous. A Congress that cannot pass substantive legislation without nuclear options or emboldening the powers of the Executive is disgraceful and dangerous. As is ignoring the will of majorities to pander to the fringes.
12. We must be willing to hear each other, share ideas and how they are workable. We must start with a shared truth. Tribalism has made us so vulnerable to the very propaganda that has always been employed by authoritarian regimes. It is up to us to step out of our bubbles.
13. Politics is not a zero-sum game, but it becomes one when "purity" becomes the guiding force of a tribalistic society. The far reaches of both parties lament "centrist" or moderate approaches - demonizing bipartisan efforts and compromise - failure and backlash are imminent.
14. The center is not an ideology in and of itself. It is an acknowledgment of our Constitution and the civic process. It is needed for stability — the space that constitutes ‘center” is also malleable. That is where political activism comes in.
15. That is not to say there isn't room for a range of ideas in our representation - so long as those ideas are in accordance with the majority of the population represented and coupled with the understanding that consensus is paramount in Congress.
16. This has been the approach @SuMoh7 and I have used with @DemsWork4USA and it's been quite successful. We're not a ‘centrist’ organization. We support candidates across the spectrum that are the best fit for their district - whether that be Joe Manchin or Ilhan Omar.
17. We do this to achieve the necessary majority to fight back against the dangerous ideas now being espoused from the White House and GOP Senate and with the expectation that elected leaders will caucus together productively and pragmatically.
18. It's up to us to put a stop to the dangerous path unfolding before us. It's up to us to keep authoritarian regimes from gaining strength and committing atrocities. Activism and civic engagement are key, but, so is clarity and a nuanced approach. There's much work to be done.
