1) One of the really toxic aspects of mass politics has always been that politicians have managed to convince us that _they_ lead and _we_ follow. That their initiatives decide our direction. Which is why people mourn so hard when their candidates lose.
But it's not really true.
But it's not really true.
2) The reality is that just as often -- perhaps more often -- the public actually leads and the politicians follow. Which is why people should never give up just because their preferred candidate loses in the primary.
3) Think about gay marriage. People forget that during the 2008, Obama actually opposed it (he was OK with "legal unions," but not actually marriage). By the end of his presidency, he was its greatest advocate. His tenure is celebrated for it.
4) What changed? People did. Or more precisely, the mass consensus of the American public shifted. The people -- not the politicians -- decided that gay marriage was just fine. It had mass support. So its success in the courts was sustained by the public.
5) This is the reality progressives face going forward. Joe Biden is not the ideal vessel for our values. He's not going to be taking the initiative to advance any of our agenda. He may push back.
But he will follow our lead, just as Obama did -- when we build consensus.
But he will follow our lead, just as Obama did -- when we build consensus.
6) So don't despair, progressives. A Trump will never do your bidding, of course. But a Biden will.
So help him win. And then after you've done that, get out there and push him to achieve health care, gun control, financial reform, so he has no choice but to do so.
So help him win. And then after you've done that, get out there and push him to achieve health care, gun control, financial reform, so he has no choice but to do so.
7) Progressives haven't lost. That only happens when we give up.
Never, ever, stop fighting for a better democracy.
Never, ever, stop fighting for a better democracy.
