Analysis: Arkansas Democrats relying on political newcomers News & Observer He's never held elected office or appeared on the ballot, but he's now hoping to retake a central Arkansas congressional seat in what had been a reliably Democratic district. Spencer faces a steep challenge in trying to win the 2nd Congressional ... |
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Analysis: Arkansas Democrats relying on political newcomers - News & Observer
Democrats are united in their belief that healthcare is a basic human right. Americans should not die because they cant afford insurance.
Until today, Republican legislators appeared united in support of a plan that would eliminate healthcare for millions of Americans. That unity ended hours ago when two republican senators announced they would not support the plan, an announcement that assured defeat of the bill.
President Trump, seemingly unconcerned about his earlier promise to voters of a better healthcare plan, urged republican legislators to get rid of Obamacare immediately and worry about an alternative later. Republican Whip Mitch McConnell agreed, saying an alternative could be arrived at down the road.
When I ran for Congress in 2016, I met a man who had chosen to pay a fine rather than subscribe to Obamacare. Why? It certainly wasnt because he didnt want insurance for himself or his family. It was because he couldnt afford the premiums. Following his decision, the young man lost two fingers in a work-related injury. His medical expenses cost him his life savings and more.
Throughout our country, Democrats and Republicans are uniting in support of a single payer plan that offers affordable healthcare to all Americans. Many refer to this plan as Medicare for All.
If you believe single payer is a good plan, let Congressman Duffy know. Help him understand that Americans, whether democrat or republican, believe affordable healthcare is a basic right for all Americans.
The Democrats, Vice President Mike Pence said recently, have already settled on their agenda, and it can be summed up in one word: resist.
He isnt the only one with that view of Democrats. In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, only 37 percent of Americans think the Democratic Party stands for something, while 52 percent say it just stands against Trump.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the House Democrats campaign arm, seemed to admit as much two weeks ago when it sent supporters an email with the proposed slogan: Democrats 2018: Have you seen the other guys?
Now Democrats are trying to fix that and not a moment too soon.
On Monday, I am told, congressional Democrats in the Senate and the House together will roll out a legislative policy agenda, their de facto 2018 campaign platform. The details, after months of haggling and cat-herding, could yet disappoint, but the broad outlines as described to me are exactly what the doctor ordered.
As important as whats in it is whats not. Democrats jettisoned social and foreign policy issues for this exercise, eschewing the identity politics and box-checking that have plagued Democratic campaigns in the past, most recently Hillary Clintons. This will be purely an economic message.
They also resisted invitations to steer the party toward the center (as pollster Mark Penn advised) or into a more progressive agenda. This is meant to be a populist manifesto that doesnt conform to the left/right debate but instead aims to align Democrats with ordinary, middle-class Americans fighting powerful special interests.
Titled A Better Deal: Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Wages, it is expected to have many Democratic staples tax increases on the rich, affordable college, infrastructure spending, higher wages, job training, paid family leave and the like and a few new ones.
Hashed out over several months by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York and Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Lujn of New Mexico, and Reps. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, Cheri Bustos of Illinois and David Cicilline of Rhode Island, it will be outlined Monday with a few sample proposals, to be followed in the coming weeks by more proposals, some to be introduced as legislation and some to be offered as Contract With America-style promises that a Democratic Congress would implement. Schumer told me in December that Democrats would have five, six sharp-edged [policies] that can be described in five words, although it sounds as if the plan hasnt come out quite so lean.
The goal is to avoid repeating Clintons problem in 2016. She had so many proposals, and she scratched the itches of so many Democratic constituencies, that she lacked a coherent economic message.
Democrats have been little but the anti-Trump party lately, successfully fighting his legislative agenda and raising a ruckus about the Russia scandal and Trumps other outrages.
The danger is that an impression solidifies among voters that the party has nothing else to say.
As if to illustrate the point, 23 liberal House Democrats announced Wednesday morning that they were filing a resolution of no confidence in Trump. It contains no fewer than 88 whereas clauses (whereas the embassy of Kuwait held its national day celebration at Trump International, and whereas Trump referred to United States Senator Elizabeth Warren as Pocahontas). The idea might work if Democrats had a majority and if the United States had a parliamentary system.
A reporter asked Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee, sponsor of the no-confidence resolution, if he was focusing too much on Trump over jobs. Bubble-gum chew and walk at the same time, he recommended.
Except Democrats havent been doing both. Some think they dont have to, because polls show that voters prefer a Democratic Congress. But as The Washington Posts Mike DeBonis and Emily Guskin point out, more Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (65 percent) say they will definitely vote next year than Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (57 percent). To boost Democratic turnout, the party needs to be more than just anti-Trump.
Even if it doesnt help their electoral prospects, Democrats need a clear agenda so they can govern if they do win. If they win without a sharp agenda, they would end up where congressional Republicans are now: in power but without a popular mandate for their agenda.
On Wednesday, I asked Rep. Linda Snchez of California), the No. 5 Democrat in the House, about the search for a unified agenda, and she bristled. Were not searching for an agenda, she replied. Democrats have always known what we stood for.
They just did a really good job of keeping it under wraps.
Dana Milbank is a political reporter and columnist for The Washington Post.
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Democrats in Congress set to unwrap agenda - The Register-Guard
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
TheDemocratic Partyis set to unveil their new slogan early next week: A Better Deal: Better Skills, Better Jobs, Better Wages. Its derived from an op-ed that Clintons running mate Tim Kaine wrote for USA Today in May 2017. In it, he wrote, And how do Democrats plan to grow the economy? If the Republicans are about less taxes and less regulations, we should be about better skills, better jobs and better wages.
However, the slogan unfortunately resemblesPapa Johns Better ingredients. Better Pizza. It doubles down on Democrats useless, played-out trope that they are simply better than Republicans. The Nation contributor Adam Johnson tweeted, Dems vomit out shitty slogans because they cant name that which is afflicting peoples lives without upsetting their rolodex of donors.
Washington Post columnist Dave Weigel tried to fend off criticism of the party bytoutingthat one of the consultants who advised Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer on theDemocratic Partyseconomic agenda was Sen.Bernie Sanders adviser Stephanie Kelton. Its a hollow attempt to try to portray cooperation with progressives;voters dont trust that Schumer will take progressive policies into consideration for the final legislative agenda. After all, Schumer has been Wall Streetstop allyin the Senate for years. In 2014, heargued thatDemocratsshouldnt reform health care because the uninsured dont vote, further revealing that he values political expediency and donors over voters.
If the policies behind the Democratic Partysnew slogan resemble the ones Kaine outlined in his op-ed, the Democratic Party is sure to continue its losing streak. In the op-ed, Kaineargued that regular folks cant relate to Democrats economic message partly due to broad anti-business rhetoric that is directed toward Wall Street or multinationals but manages to scare off entrepreneurs and small businesses too. According to Kaine, thepartys criticism of Wall Streetis why the partys establishmentwhich actively courts Wall Street and receives huge sums of money from themis out of touch with voters. This line of reasoning fails to address a shortfall in Obamas presidency: He failed to hold any top Wall Street executives accountable for the 2008 economic recession. Instead of pursuing legal action, Obama bailed out the banks, given them more funds to grow and increase their profits while working, middle class and low income Americans were left to fend for themselves. Voters deserve a lot better from theDemocratic Partythan empty promises.
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Not Better: Democrats Hopelessly Adopt New Establishment Slogan - Observer
SEYMOUR >> The Democratic Town Committee endorsed its slate of candidates this week for the November ballot, but fell short of nominating a challenger to face Republican First Selectman Kurt Miller, who is seeking a fourth term.
The DTC held its nominating caucus Thursday night at the Seymour Community Center. While DTC Chairman Stephan Behuniak, who also is a member of the Board of Selectmen, was disappointed to not have someone to fill the top spot, hes focused on bringing forth a strong underticket.
I am proud of our slate, Behuniak said. We worked very hard putting together our best group of individuals who were willing to step up and run this year. I am a little disappointed that we couldnt fill the entire slate, but when you are in a minority party, it is hard to get people excited in the same way as the majority party can. With that in mind, we went into the process with the strategy to fill all of the positions that we were likely to win with the best people that we had to offer. Our people up and down our slate bring the perfect mix of youth, new ideas, experience, and expertise.
Behuniak said finding a first selectman candidate this year proved to be a tough task.
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We discussed our options and looked at data and came to the determination that we were very unlikely to win this year regardless of who ran, Behuniak said. In an ideal world, even if we dont think we can win, we would like to offer an alternative choice, but finding the right person willing to put themselves out there didnt happen.
Behuniak said the DTC, however, has found success in attracting newer and younger members to get involved.
We have brought in a talented bunch of folks, who while not necessarily ready yet, will be by the time the next two elections come, Behuniak added. Our focus is on the future and it starts with working on capturing the Democrats in Seymour who have become disenchanted with the political climate and putting them in positions to be successful.
Behuniak is confident in the slate of endorsed candidates, saying each one of them is the right fit for each of the offices theyre running for. The following is the slate of Democratic candidates who will appear on the November ballot:
First Selectman: None.
Board of Selectmen: Stephan Behuniak, Robert VanEgghan, Karen Stanek.
Board of Finance: John Stelma (four-year term), William Sawicki (two-year term), Kristyn Hanewicz (alternate).
Board of Education: Laurie Robinson, Fred Stanek, Ed Strumello.
Planning and Zoning: (4 year term) Jamie Brennan, Jeffrey Hanewicz.
Board of Police Commissioners: Frank Conroy, Colleen Fries.
Board of Assessment Appeals: Thomas LaPaglia, Kwame Dunbar.
Library Board of Directors: Audrey Lenhard.
The Republican Town Committee is scheduled to hold its nominating caucus at 7 p.m. Monday at the Seymour Community Center, 20 Pine St.