I am encouraged by the over 700 protest marches which occurred on June 30 in over 700 American cities.
But given the fact that the Democrats have no unified message and no leader who speaks for the party, I am disheartened.
I am tired of hearing that the Republicans have the majority in Congress, and soon, on the Supreme Court.
I am sick of McConnell calling the shots, almost with the acquiescence of Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. Is this what Democratic leadership is about?
What would I do? Here are my recommendations.
- Call a meeting of all Democratic senators. Tell Donnelly, Heitcamp and Manchin ) that in exchange for their vote against Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, they will be given unlimited resources to pay for campaign expenses including costly TV ads.
- As further incentive, I would promise them a new bridge, a hospital with their name on it or unlimited funds for federal highways to be constructed in their states. (Isn’t this how L.B.J. did it?)
3. I would call in Sen. Collins of Maine and Sen. Murkowski of Alaska and urge them, as believers in women’s reproductive rights, to vote their conscience and not approve Trump’s nominee.
And as outlandish as this may sound, maybe we could promise them that they would run unopposed, i.e. we wouldn’t field a Democratic candidate
Instead of the bifurcated groups which organized the marches yesterday, all progressive groups must band together and coordinate their activities. Is there any reason why March-on.org, the Brennan Center, Public Citizen, all anti-gun activists, civil rights groups and pro-choice organizations shouldn’t unite in opposition to the Federalist created list of prospective nominees for SCOTUS?
- Along these lines, why shouldn’t the biggest Democratic contributors band together and pool their funds. Here I have in mind people like Tom Steyer, George Soros, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg. Mark Cuban, Michael Bloomberg, Barbra Streisand, Sheryl Sandberg and Bill Maher.
I understand the problem of asking individuals and groups to join hands, work together and sing “kumbaya.”
Will Rogers also recognized the problem when he said:
“I am not a member of any organized political party. I’m a Democrat.” But these are extraordinary times and they call for extraordinary measures.
- One last suggestion. When Martin Luther King rallied support for civil rights he employed a tactic — “passive disobedience.” Violence was ruled out. Can we not utilize the approach successfully employed by Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. King? Can we not fill the jails as King did? Just a few days ago in Washington D.C., actress Susan Sarandon and many other women were arrested. Good for her!
Shame on our legislators! Comes the revolution!
Dr. Hal Sobel
Great Neck
