The Pursuit of Happiness

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Geezers and crones amongst us may recall the 1968 presidential election between Richard Nixon and Hubert Humphrey. Nixon won 43.42% to Humphrey’s 42.72% — by less than 1%. Historians attribute Humphrey’s loss to primary election supporters of anti-war candidates Eugene McCarthy and Bobby Kennedy sitting out the general election. Arkansas and four Deep South states weren’t a factor in the election; they voted for segregationist George Corley Wallace out of deeply romantic commitments to their Southern heritage. Or, maybe it was something else.

After Humphrey’s loss to Nixon, the Democratic Party engaged in soul searching and concluded the Party needed to become more progressive, more anti-war, and more oriented to the youthful aspirations of that largest of voting blocks, Baby Boomers. To that end, party leadership shifted to young firebrands like Gary Hart (remember him?) and someone named Nancy Pelosi. In ‘72 Democrat George McGovern ran on a progressive platform, defined by the Republican opposition as “acid, amnesty, and abortion” – and lost 61% to 37%, the second biggest electoral defeat in American history.

As the Democratic Party struggles to define itself today, it should reflect on history, and re-engage voters by aggressively focusing on policies and legislation – especially corporate tax reform – that puts earned income into workers’ hands at the same rates our parents and grandparents benefitted from in the ‘50s and ‘60s. There isn’t anything “progressive” about economic justice. It’s simply a matter of “going back to the good old days” when profits and wages approached equity.

Democrats also need to show rural voters how the Republican Party is stiffing them. It’s plain and simple: Trump’s tariffs will cost the average WalMart shopper an estimated $500 over the next year, and lumber for a modest-sized house costs $10,000 more now than it did a year ago. Rural Internet is slowing down and costing more because Republicans fiddled with Net Neutrality; meanwhile, the USDA is reorganizing to focus on serving corporate agriculture while Extension and Farm Service Agency resources – like loans to small farmers and ranchers – are being downsized or shifted out of USDA altogether.

Democrats should talk about money and where it is – and isn’t – going.

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