Besides stopping the gerrymandering, which allows undemocratic minorities to take control of local, state, and federal legislative bodies, Cory argues that Democrats must also make noticeable improvements to the lives of people who don't vote because they are disillusioned by the government that never works for them.
The Dems can't solely campaign against Trumpism – they need to campaign for something. A vision and a plan. A track-record. Material improvements to the lives of people in crisis.
They have just over a year to accumulate accomplishments to run on. And the progressive wing of the party has shovel-ready proposals that can pass now, and create massive changes in the lives of everyday Americans.
The only single mom in Congress, Katie Porter, has the Family Savings for Kids and Seniors Act, which indexes savings allowances for care (daycare, senior care, afterschool care) to inflation. The $5k currently permitted hasn't budged since 1986.
And Bernie Sanders is confident that we can get a $15/h minimum wage right now through the Senate budget reconciliation process. The minimum wage was last raised in 2009. It has lost ground against inflation since 1968. It should be $24/h.
It's no use nurturing an army of grassroots organizers unless they've got something to campaign against. US elections are won by convincing stay-at-home voters that their vote matters – that change is possible.
There is no better way to make that point than by actually changing things – by making material improvements to the lives of crisis-tormented Americans by using the mandate represented by control over the Senate, Congress and the White House.
Just fucking do it already.
[Image: By Steve Nass – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0]
