BY SHARON MARTIN
Dear Democrats,
How can you make it clear to voters that the Democratic platform is in voters’ best interest?
Here are some suggestions:
- Fight the corrupting influence of money. This isn’t a Democratic or Republican issue; it is the issue that can bring our country down.
2. Keep pointing out what Democrats do best: improve the economy for working people.
3. Make easy-to-read charts that show the state of the economy under the different administrations. Working people really do fare better during Democratic administrations.
4. Stand on your principles even if it might cost you an election.
5. I repeat: point out corruption in the campaign system. This will be hard because members of both parties benefit from the huge amounts of money, lobbying efforts, and the ability of legislators to pay themselves.
6. Don’t be distracted by issues that were designed to push buttons.
7. Don’t ignore social justice even if it’s social justice issues pushing those buttons.
8. Speak in simple language. We aren’t all lawyers or economists, but we can understand the law and the economy if you don’t talk like specialists.
9. I repeat myself. Again. We must tackle corruption. Chip away at Citizens United. Press for publicly-funded elections. Listen politely to lobbyists, but don’t take their gifts. Corruption is corruption, even if it’s wrapped in plain brown paper.
Until the voices of the people are heard above the din of money and corruption, the people lose. GOP leaders seem to be headed in the wrong direction – more privatization, more money funneled to the top, more funny money thrown into campaigns, more think tanks and lobbyists writing their own legislation. We’ve seen outright refusal to follow precedent and the law. This is not what patriots have fought and died for. This is what corruption has created.
We, the people, all of us, regardless of color, culture, or whatever difference the manipulators use to divide us, would like to start moving forward again.
Democrats, don’t let us down.
– Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer
