Monday, March 06, 2017

Optimism

It's tough sledding for liberals/progressives, but I'm not overly pessimistic.  The right has been fuming for eight years as Obama has put in place new rights for gay and transgender citizens.  He has funded healthcare for the needy and avoided a major fiscal melt-down.  The Republicans own congress, they have the presidency and soon the Supreme Court will tip their way.

So where is the room for good cheer?  The reason is demographics.  The recent election and resurgence of the right look a lot like a reactionary last gasp to me.  The underlying reality is that this country is more diverse every day, and the Republican party is more and more just the party of white folks.  You can see it in their convention, their candidates, and their rhetoric.

But more than that, Republicans are getting old.  The upside of that is that old folks vote in higher numbers.  The downside is that they don't live forever.  My daughter and son's friends all lean farther left than even I.  As time goes on, this will create a new force that should sweep aside the Republican resurgence.

Further, as you look at the core achievements, they are not so easily swept aside.  Even if they pass their diminished version of the affordable care act, more will be left with better insurance.  Right now it doesn't even appear they are certain to do that.  Gay marriage is here now; it is hard to see how that bell gets un-wrung.  In the long run, the Democrats have a strong hand, we just need to minimize the damage for now.


No comments: