Democrats have a lost sense of identity and inability to articulate their views to large sections of the population. While additional factors and party reform may help reestablish the the democratic party, part of the issue is that democrats have little connection to their own history or their role in shaping America. Republicans, and in particular conservatives, benefit from having a self-identity based in part on a particular interpretation of American history that is both mistaken and reinforced by conservative voices. It places the low point of our nations history with the presidency of FDR and the establishment of modern New Deal liberalism. As the story goes, FDR's reforms slowed the recovery, established the modern bureaucratic state and all of its assorted problems. Accordingly, conservatives see their cause as one of dismantling the New Deal and returning to what they believe are the principles of governance established by the constitutions authors.
This of course, ignores the scandal ridden, isolationist, tax-cut and corporate pimping Republicanism of the Harding, Coolidge and Hoover administrations which allowed New Deal liberalism to establish itself in the first place. The Republican policies of this era helped set the stage for both WWII by blocking Wilson's treaty of Versailles and the Great Depression by ignoring reforms and enacting polices that created fundamental structural problems in the economy. Although to their credit, at least their general do-nothingness didn't hinder the short lived post war economic boom of the 1920's. I say this with such force because the policies echoed by today's conservatives bear an eerie resemblance to early 20th century republicanism and the consequences cannot be forgotten. This includes their pre-"family values" program of opposing woman's suffrage to preserve "traditional roles" and to "protect the family" to their economic laissez-faire policies in the 1920's to an internal debate between isolationists and nationalists.
The progressive movement that began in the latter half of the century was a reform minded movement that while reaffirming principles of liberty and freedom, sought to correct social injustices. Progressives generally favored a more democratic process leading to women's suffrage and the direct election of senators. Additionally, the progressives sought regulations on businesses and trusts that sustained economic imbalance and left the growing middle class with little chance to improve their lot. At various time, both parties sought the favor of the progressives, although they would eventually become the forerunners of American Liberalism associated with the 20th century Democratic Party. While conservatives like to portray liberal and progressive politics as a foreign, un-American intrusion of socialism, it is important to remember that our roots our born of a unique American experience distinct from European Socialism.
While certainly influential, most progressives identified with the milder variants of Liberal Socialism in England that continued to emphasize individual liberties along the lines of classical Liberalism. These voices included L.T. Hobhouse, who argued that with an economic system that closed opportunities to individuals was itself an affront to liberty and also that of W.L. Blase who identified regulation of industry with protecting individual liberties of the middle class. It is important to remember that the progressive call was a call for reform and not revolution. This distinction is critical, because conservatives mistakenly slime liberals with guilt by association charges to failed state run socialist economies. Instead, liberals have a long tradition of preserving and promoting individual liberty rooted in the progressive movement that expanded democracy and confronted social injustices.
But as the 19th century came to a close, Democrats were unable to get their presidential nominees elected with the exception of Grover Cleveland in 1884 and 1892. The most important development, however, was the candidacies of Samuel Tilden and William Jennings Bryan, who helped solidify the Democrats association with the growing progressive movement. Additionally, the party was gaining strength at the local level with the organizations that would develop into the big city political machines and pro-immigration policies that swelled their numbers. Nevertheless, Theodore Roosevelt's popularity after the turn of the century loomed large over national politics and Democratic prospects seemed slim.
Woodrow Wilson was elected almost as an accident in 1912, as a result of a four way race where Roosevelt and Taft split their votes, with Roosevelt forming his own progressive party. In his first term, Wilson oversaw the enacting of child labor laws, antitrust laws, a graduated income tax and the establishment of the federal reserve, cementing the Democrats association with progressive reform. While he narrowly escaped defeat in 1916, Wilson could no longer avoid the Great War. Consequentially, Wilson developed his "14 points" and sought to create an international organization that would oversee the dismantling of imperialism, promote worldwide democracy and establish a lasting peace. Unfortunately, his internationalist vision was never secured as short sighted isolationist Republicans blocked his efforts, giving the League of Nations little credibility or power to address the underlining causes of the war, and almost insuring continued conflict.
As Wilson was the first president that contemporary liberals can identify with, the republicans of the 1920's are the first modern politicians that conservatives could identify with. This era saw a post war industrial boom, but unfortunately republican policy saw an increasing separation between the rich and middle class. As Republicans continued to cut taxes for the wealthy throughout the decade, the top 0.1% had established a net worth equivalent to the bottom 42% by 1929. Additionally, the top 0.1% controlled 34% of the nation's savings while 80% of the population had little or no savings of their own. Furthermore, their emphasis on deregulation and lack of government intrusion led them to do nothing about widespread stock market speculation or other banking practices. The uneven distribution of wealth and unregulated business practices are commonly listed as causes for the Great Depression, yet modern day conservatives continue to promote an agenda of tax cuts for the wealthy and deregulation of industries.
With FDR's election in 1932, the nation saw sweeping changes including social security and banking reform to address these issues. FDR's policies brought together a powerful electoral coalition building on progressive support in rural and urban areas, as well as reuniting northern and southern democrats. FDR oversaw a great success in addressing the fundamental problems that had caused the depression. Before the New Deal, depressions were regular occurrences in the American economy, but afterwards have been non-existent. His popular appeal and wartime leadership provided him with an unprecedented three reelections. Roosevelt's surprising and highly contested selection of Harry Truman as his vice president in 1944 anointed a new and important leader for Democrats.
Truman was far from perfect: his policy focus was sometimes muddled, his use of the atomic bomb and loyalty oaths will be debated ad nausem, and his anti-semitism is a sore spot. Left out of the loop on international affairs by Roosevelt, Truman came to power mistakenly and idealistically thinking he could negotiate a peace with Stalin but would eventually oversee the development of Cold War foreign policy. He exerted civilian control of the military despite his unpopularity and expanded New Deal policies with his "Fair Deal". But for the Democratic Party, the most important contribution was his 1948 campaign which was both historic and in my estimation heroic. At the time, Democrats were again facing factionalism as socialist-leftist Henry Wallace and racist-dixicrat Strom Thurmond threatened to split the Democratic coalition. That is why Thomas Dewey was the odds on favorite to win in 1948 by such a huge margin that most polling stopped in early September. Nevertheless "Give'em Hell" Harry refused to budge on principles of race to Thurmond or a more socialist agenda to Wallace.
The result was that the Democratic Party was able to move beyond the personality of FDR and establish a 40 year near hegemony over local, state and congressional politics. During this time liberals under Kennedy and Johnson advanced an agenda of Civil Rights, Medicare and many other reforms. At the national level, however, the southern "dixiecrats" while supporting down ticket Democrats started to support Republican presidential candidates and many of them switched party allegiances. Republicans continued to court southern and midwestern voters in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan's appeal to middle and lower class "Reagan Democrats" who identified with his conservative values and defense policies. The 1990's saw the Republicans retake both houses of congress with the rise of right wing media outlets and conservative churches as the new "political machine" - attending to parishioners individual needs as well as making sure they got out to the polls to support Republican candidates.
Despite the organizational and demographic challenges, Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992. Vilified by the new right wing media, sometimes because of Clintons own personal failures, and facing a hostile congress starting in 1994, Clinton's presidency seemed doomed to failure. As a result, Clinton supported many centrist positions such as Welfare reform, deregulation of the telecommunications industry, and the Defense of Marriage Act. Clinton attempted to establish a "third way" to solve problems that transcended liberal/conservative designations. As a tactical maneuver his "trianglation" effectively neutralized Congress so he could move forward with other portions of his agenda. Nevertheless, he was criticized by both the left and the right as unprincipled. His greatest achievement was overseeing a growing economy and balanced budget that would result in huge surpluses.
Post-Clinton, the Democratic party has seen losses at the national and state levels in part because we are unable to articulate our values in an increasingly polarized electorate. Part of what we need is another "Truman": a strong, principled voice that will lead the party beyond the larger than life personality of the most recent Democratic president and avoid factionalism. Additionally, Republicans enjoy an organizational advantage in conservative institutions and at the local level that Democrats can improve on. Furthermore, we need to reestablish that our principles and values our American principles and values forged by our collective, national experience. That these principles and values reaffirm and expand our understanding of civic liberty, justice and virtue. That we stand by these values as a means to better our country, and do so proudly.
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