Give us something to believe in

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's perspective on the current state of American politics, the challenges facing the Democratic party, and their views on how to energize and engage voters, particularly those who feel disillusioned with the political process.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's background and perspective

1. What is the author's background and how does it shape their perspective?

• The author is a writer who has had various jobs, including cable guy, bartender, and bouncer, and is a veteran.
• The author was raised by a Rush Limbaugh superfan and had a mistaken impression that everyone had read political and philosophical works in school or college.
• The author was raised in a cult, which has made them wary of groupthink and blindly following party lines.
• The author's diverse experiences and background have given them a unique perspective on American politics and the "average voter".

2. How does the author view their own political affiliation?

• The author is not a member of any political party and has abandoned the socialist label after meeting socialists online.
• The author no longer cares about finding a political label that fits them, as they believe that no one seems to truly believe in anything unless it's convenient.

[02] The author's critique of the Democratic party

1. What are the author's main criticisms of the Democratic party?

• The author believes the Democratic party cedes the narrative to the Republican party, playing by the rules and being "polite and friendly and folksy" while the world is burning.
• The author argues the Democratic party forgets to give people a reason to vote and fight for them, instead telling people to "ignore what everyone knows" and "what they saw".
• The author believes the Democratic party has failed to inspire and energize voters, particularly those who are struggling economically and feel that nothing has improved for them.

2. How does the author view the Democratic party's messaging and strategy?

• The author argues the Democratic party's messaging is often focused on policy details and euphemisms rather than inspiring and connecting with voters.
• The author believes the Democratic party needs to change the narrative and give people a reason to believe their vote matters and that the party is fighting for them, even if they lose battles.

[03] The author's proposal for the Democratic party

1. What is the author's proposal for the Democratic party?

• The author suggests that the Democratic party should consider replacing President Biden with Vice President Kamala Harris as the presidential candidate.
• The author believes Harris is a strong communicator and fighter who could effectively make the case against Trump and inspire voters, particularly women.
• The author argues that Harris's identity as a Black woman could be a powerful narrative to rally around and provide the "hope" and "excitement" that the author believes the Democratic party is currently lacking.

2. How does the author justify their proposal?

• The author believes Harris is the "best chance" the Democratic party has to change the narrative and inspire disillusioned voters who feel that their vote doesn't matter.
• The author argues that the Democratic party needs to stop "being scared" and take a risk, as they are not winning without the support of the people who "need something to believe in".