Part One of Three
With Joe Biden’s entry into the 2020 Democratic primary field, it seems the Dems have just about tapped into all socio-political-economic demographics they possibly can. Overall, it’s an interesting and broad-spectrum lineup, and while I have no favorites, I do have some bias about where I’d like to see the party position itself by the beginning of the actual primaries. Here, in the firsts of three parts, I’m going to discuss the topics favored currently by the Democrats; offer suggestions as to why their vision, so far, is clouded by unrealistic expectations and their unwillingness to look at the real issues facing most Americans; and, finally, propose a limited shelf of ideas and policies to pursue. Part One looks at the economy, international relations/foreign policy, and education.
The Economy
The Economy
If the party’s top five, or even ten, contenders are going to make any headway against Trump’s ever-increasing chances for re-election (yes, that’s what I see trending), they are going to have to put away any notions of winning points on the economy. As of this week, the economy is motoring along just fine in the eyes of most voters; there are micro exceptions and valid countervailing anecdotes, of course, but in the macro sense, a reasonable person, outside the D.C. Beltway, sees no need to critique the current administration’s economic record. The average voter doesn’t care unless interest rates explode, unemployment soars, gas goes to five bucks, and grocery costs double. That’s not happening.
So, it’s not the economy, stupid; it’s something else. Yes, it’s important to call out the president on his bizarre appointments for the Federal Reserve Board; no, it’s not worth more than 30-seconds in a speech. Yes, there is some traction to be gained by noting that many Americans, in this relatively stable labor market, are working two or more jobs, where once one job sufficed. But Democrats are not going to beat Trump on this one overall. Yes, it is true that many of us did not benefit from Trump’s tax plan (this writer certainly did not), but will that message carry a candidate to primary or general election victory? No. Mention it, explain it with a few stats and anecdotes, then move along.
International Relations
Nor should the Democratic candidates spend undue media capital forming anti-Trump policy pronouncements on international relations. Yes, Trump’s take on the World Order is so horribly skewed toward dictators and thugs, and yes, many of our long-time allies are daily amused or aghast at Trumpian boasts and bloviations. But you know what? You ask the guy who runs the dry cleaner in Wilmington, Ohio, or the woman attorney in the halls of the Meridian, Mississippi, courthouse, or the recent grad student at the University of Washington, or the new parents watching over their prematurely-born baby at the hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, and they will, at best, give you an eye-roll at the mere mention of Trump’s foreign policy poop pile.
Foreign policy, as it was once practiced and respected as a tool of international engagement to prevent war, or as a means to negotiate an end to war, is, at worst, anathema to the American electorate’s attention, and, at best, a tolerable topic for maybe 30 seconds. Using foreign policy as a lever to establish fair trade deals for American businesses and level the international trade playing field overall, is a topic best left to the dwindling number of experts who still believe some active comity between nations can lead to improved global economies. The exceptions to Americans’ dull yawn over foreign policy can be found in the soybean and wheat fields and in the stockyards of the nation’s farmers and ranchers—to them, access to foreign markets, and protection from economically-distressing imports is a prime concern, and a valuable topic for any Democrat to work on as he or she stalks the hustings in search of votes.
Education
With respect to education, the Democrats seem, at least as of April, 2019, to be hyperventilating about college this and college that. Free college for all, free community college, debt forgiveness across the board, qualified debt forgiveness, reduced college loan rates, etc. There is no question that college debt is crushing too many graduates and that debt is lingering far longer than it should. Reasonable solutions, solutions that will not further the nation’s long-term debt, must be proposed, debated, and moved through Congress.
So, it’s not the economy, stupid; it’s something else. Yes, it’s important to call out the president on his bizarre appointments for the Federal Reserve Board; no, it’s not worth more than 30-seconds in a speech. Yes, there is some traction to be gained by noting that many Americans, in this relatively stable labor market, are working two or more jobs, where once one job sufficed. But Democrats are not going to beat Trump on this one overall. Yes, it is true that many of us did not benefit from Trump’s tax plan (this writer certainly did not), but will that message carry a candidate to primary or general election victory? No. Mention it, explain it with a few stats and anecdotes, then move along.
International Relations
Nor should the Democratic candidates spend undue media capital forming anti-Trump policy pronouncements on international relations. Yes, Trump’s take on the World Order is so horribly skewed toward dictators and thugs, and yes, many of our long-time allies are daily amused or aghast at Trumpian boasts and bloviations. But you know what? You ask the guy who runs the dry cleaner in Wilmington, Ohio, or the woman attorney in the halls of the Meridian, Mississippi, courthouse, or the recent grad student at the University of Washington, or the new parents watching over their prematurely-born baby at the hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska, and they will, at best, give you an eye-roll at the mere mention of Trump’s foreign policy poop pile.
Foreign policy, as it was once practiced and respected as a tool of international engagement to prevent war, or as a means to negotiate an end to war, is, at worst, anathema to the American electorate’s attention, and, at best, a tolerable topic for maybe 30 seconds. Using foreign policy as a lever to establish fair trade deals for American businesses and level the international trade playing field overall, is a topic best left to the dwindling number of experts who still believe some active comity between nations can lead to improved global economies. The exceptions to Americans’ dull yawn over foreign policy can be found in the soybean and wheat fields and in the stockyards of the nation’s farmers and ranchers—to them, access to foreign markets, and protection from economically-distressing imports is a prime concern, and a valuable topic for any Democrat to work on as he or she stalks the hustings in search of votes.
Education
With respect to education, the Democrats seem, at least as of April, 2019, to be hyperventilating about college this and college that. Free college for all, free community college, debt forgiveness across the board, qualified debt forgiveness, reduced college loan rates, etc. There is no question that college debt is crushing too many graduates and that debt is lingering far longer than it should. Reasonable solutions, solutions that will not further the nation’s long-term debt, must be proposed, debated, and moved through Congress.
But this is not the time to throw out promises of some sort of universal panacea to the college loan/debt problem, nor is it the time to promote college-for-all policies that are freighted with long-term trillion-dollar costs to the nation’s already pummeled treasury. And, frankly, while the eye-candy of free college and debt forgiveness makes cable news headlines and probably stirs the interest of some Americans, the underlying, the fundamental, the cornerstone education issues that must be addressed ahead of college access and financial relief are the quality of, and access to, pre-K-to-12 education, and the re-training of workers whose analog jobs are either evaporating or morphing into cyberwork.
In this writer’s opinion, there is absolutely no value in a discussion about access to post-secondary education until, and unless, the nation’s primary and secondary school systems are consistently advancing students from all socio-economic groups who are fully prepared to enter institutions of higher learning. To say to a student (and to his or her family), “Here are the free keys to a shiny college education,” without preparing that student (and family) for the rigors and necessary discipline of higher education, is to dilute the value of higher education while leading unprepared students down a long and frustrating road. To the Progressive Democrats who say, “Open wide the doors to universal higher education,” I say, “Even if you can do a thing, that doesn’t mean you should do a thing.” It’s unfair, and, in my opinion, unethical, to dangle in front of the public a promise fraught with likely failure.
Coming up: the military, climate/science, immigration
In this writer’s opinion, there is absolutely no value in a discussion about access to post-secondary education until, and unless, the nation’s primary and secondary school systems are consistently advancing students from all socio-economic groups who are fully prepared to enter institutions of higher learning. To say to a student (and to his or her family), “Here are the free keys to a shiny college education,” without preparing that student (and family) for the rigors and necessary discipline of higher education, is to dilute the value of higher education while leading unprepared students down a long and frustrating road. To the Progressive Democrats who say, “Open wide the doors to universal higher education,” I say, “Even if you can do a thing, that doesn’t mean you should do a thing.” It’s unfair, and, in my opinion, unethical, to dangle in front of the public a promise fraught with likely failure.
Coming up: the military, climate/science, immigration
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