Gene's Blog

Progressive Politics in 2021

Now that Joe Biden is officially our new President it’s time to move forward with progressive ideas and legislation. Immediately following the election last fall, moderate Democrats were angry with the young progressives, who they blamed for losing seats, it was quickly pointed out that ALL of the young progressives not only won reelection but actually added to their numbers. The problem in the House was that it moved off it’s 2018 message, retreated for fear of scaring old, white moderates with the threat of programs that would make their lives easier and better.

Many have suggested that what is needed now are baby steps toward progressive goals like ending systemic racism, aggressive action on climate change, substantive aid for Americans who have suffered greatly under the pandemic and more. This is NOT the time for baby steps. It’s the time for courage. Polls consistently show that most Americans support progressive objectives like Universal Health Care, removing the cap on Social Security taxable earnings and repealing the disastrous tax cut for the wealthy enacted by the Trump administration with the complicity of the Congress. The idea that all older Americans are white republicans is false. I’m a 71 year old retired senior who has been liberal his entire life. I’m a Vietnam veteran who entered the army at 18, unsophisticated, under educated who emerged from that period as a liberal activist.

I, and many other boomers, spent our youth in the streets protesting and advocating for Civil Rights, Women’s Rights and an end to voter suppression. The problem is we stopped pushing far too soon. We began families and careers and our activism was restricted, mostly, to voting. That was wrong. The most recent two generations are far more progressive than not, they were raised with great diversity in their classrooms and have always had friends of other races. The youngest generation is the most progressive of all, they are only now becoming eligible to vote. They have always had friends of other races, not just acquaintances, real friends. They care about global warming, national healthcare, income equality and bringing an end to systemic racism. The murder of George Floyd last June brought them out into the streets in massive numbers, exceeding even the numbers who were demanding an end to school shootings, reasonable gun control (no one “needs” a military grade weapon that can only be used legally on a gun range) and an end to the over policing of Black communities and the all too common deaths of young Black men at the hands of militarized police forces who were rarely held accountable for their actions.

More than half the children in the United States under 15 are not white, by 2045 neither will be the nation. It is time to fully address issues like climate change, equal opportunity and demilitarizing policing. Police officers were once sworn in as Peace Officers, now they are law enforcement. That mindset must change. Police forces must change and so must their tactics. Other nations require a much higher standard of their police forces and so must America.

So, this is not the time for baby steps to avoid frightening old white people, we are NOT afraid now, most of us. We, too, demand an end to systemic racism. Black Americans have been waiting 400 years for real equality and opportunity. It’s time our leadership reflect the nation which is not simply rich old white men. President Biden has nominated the most diverse Cabinet in history, they need be confirmed. Legislation to end systemic racism, achieve equal opportunity in education and employment for all Americans, fight climate change and fully enfranchise all Americans is now. Voter suppression must end. White terrorism must end. The attempted coup of January 6, 2021 must never be repeated.

I call on all Democrats to stop giving interviews and air time to the Fox “News” cable channel. That is not not news, it is part of Fox’s entertainment division, not it’s news division. Those poisonous talk show hosts need be ignored, they are antithetical to the American Dream so well espoused by the words of Emma Lazarus written on the Statue of Liberty. Norway has an outstanding system of government and one of the highest standards of living and overall quality of life in the world. We can learn from their example and we should. Because the time to move forward is now, not down the road, now. Let it be so.