No amount of postcarding or door-knocking can compete with the billionaires who control the major forms of communication to the masses. They’ve demonstrated their willingness to pump out disinformation so fast and furious that low-information voters do not have time to discern truth from falsity, and they pump out even more craziness as distraction.
Liz
People don’t vote on issues, rather on emotion. Fear and hate are powerful, especially for people who are hopeless, and they’ve been unleashed.
Jeff
While my first reaction in 2016 was to FIGHT, that approach is not resonating with me any more and I’m feeling that it may not be the most effective approach for advocating for and bringing about progressive policy, maintaining stability, increasing cohesion, or maintaining individual well-being. I am tired of hearing what and who we are against, and being outraged and indignant. The feeling I have now is one of curiosity and self-reflection and I don’t equate that with self-blame but about open inquiry.
Leia
US has a history of xenophobia, sexism, white supremacy, and antisemitism that MAGA gave voice to. When people are angry and afraid, they reach for these tropes.
There’s an insane amount of information discrepancy. People do not know what is happening. So many people in the trades think Trump never broke the law.
Nina
On Nov 24, many in the Concord Indivisible community gathered to begin a conversation about how to move forward over the next few years. Our purpose at the meeting wasn’t to make a concrete plan, but rather to hear your concerns, ideas, interests, suggestions.
Here’s a summary of your comments, drawn from spoken and written contributions to the meeting and from an online survey for those who couldn’t make it:
A number of factors contributed to the Democratic loss:
- We missed on a combination of cultural and economic issues.
- Democratic party leadership failed us.
- Fear and anger are strong motivators.
- Media/social media contributed to the problem.
Participants recommended many ways we can begin to address these problems:
- Engage in dialogue with folks who voted for Trump or didn’t vote at all–While at the same time holding to our core values and beliefs.
- Fight for policies, not just against GOP actions.
- Communication: Fight lies on social media; insist on accuracy in the media; find new ways to communicate with broader range of people.
- Focus at the state level–using our Blue State strengths to resist the Trump agenda.
- Help red and purple states resist the GOP agenda.
- Fight Trump’s immigration policies.
- Support candidates who are not compromisers on principles.
- Form networks/ stand together/ expand our tent.
CI members are interested in working on a variety of specific actions moving forward.
- Approximately half of the respondents want to work with Massachusetts officials to resist the national GOP agenda and enact progressive policies.
- Approximately 30% want to advocate at the Federal level to fight the GOP agenda.
- Approximately 30% are interested in electing Democrats in swing states in 2025/26
What issues do you most want to address? 20-30% of respondents expressed particular interest in each of the following issues:
- Immigration
- Climate change
- Democracy/voting rights
- Other (e.g., economic and racial equity, LGBTQ rights, anti semitism)
What’s next?
Early in the new year, we’ll be inviting you to a series of events to firm up plans to fight back against the GOP agenda and work for the progressive policies we embrace.
Want even more thoughts? Here’s a doc that captures dozens.
I am so grateful to be part of an active local chapter of Indivisible!
Debbie
There has to be a political party that is not beholden to wealthy donors who don’t care about most of the American public. We have to do whatever it takes to make the Democratic Party of the future become that political party.
Pete
We need to be in this for the long term. What are the most effective actions to preserve our democracy and how can we develop a coordinated movement with an inspiring narrative?
Jenny
As liberals and progressives, how can we connect in a genuine way with a diverse range of local people — some of whom are not in our usual circles ?
Mary
How we can stop Elon Musk from playing with the Republic like a toy?
Jean
The establishment Democrats haven’t got a clue about the people who are hurting and who don’t feel the benefits of this booming economy and are so desperate for change that they are willing to support a convicted felon, racist, sexist conman rather than a Democrat.
John
Being nice is not the way to go. Dems are always careful and respectful. Maybe we need to change the way we’re going about it.
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