What Democrats Have to Fix About Themselves If We're Ever Going to Defeat Fascism

Hello Friends,I've been having the same arguments with so-called “centrist” or “neoliberal” Democrats for decades. In the wake of yet another embarrassing loss, the DNC establishment always turns all of its power to blaming the voters.They attack progressives.They attack people who stayed at home.They rant and rage and froth at the mouth because voters don't do what they want them to do.They do everything but take a look in the mirror and try to understand why the people aren't hearing their message.It's always everybody else's fault but theirs. According to them, they are perfect. They are the ones with the ivy league degrees. We are all just ignorant peasants who need to do what they say.“After all,” they sternly lecture, “if you don't vote for us, you get them!”“Well, what are you going to do for us?”“Tut, tut, tut, if we answer that we'll drive away the critical voters in the middle. So just be quiet, nod your head, and go along with us.”What's it they say about doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result? When Democrats lose they always blame the voters.When are they going to learn that blaming the voters is a losing strategy?When are they going to recognize that they have to listen rather than lecture?On April 1st, 2024 (of all days) Hillary Clinton went on Jimmy Fallon and told voters to “Get over yourself.” The second it happened, I felt sick to my stomach. I think those three words are basically the tagline of the modern DNC.I mean, it's easy for a multi-millionaire who's life is not going to significantly change no matter who wins to say “Get over yourself.” But for the average American who is struggling to pay the bills, and to pay for the cost of health care, and to pay for the cost of education, those words hit like a dagger in the heart.Saying such a thing on prime time is enough to keep millions of voters home. Seriously! Don't insult the voters. Listen to their pain. Take their pain seriously. You have a platform. Use that platform to discuss the problems of our society, not to berate people who are barely getting by. Give me a break.Unfortunately, the moment she said it, there was no room for debate. Centrists came out of the woodwork to attack anyone who was critical of that comment. “How dare you contradict us! If we lose, it will be your fault because you said something.”That was their interpretation. They get to say whatever they want because they have the ivy league degrees and they know better. But when they lose it's our fault.However, in May of 2025, when David Hogg said Democrats who were complaining about primary challengers to their seats should “Get over yourself,” the DNC exploded. A few days later, the DNC was working to remove David Hogg from his position with the party.So, let me get this straight. When it's an establishment Democrat saying “Get over yourself” to the VOTERS, it's totally acceptable.When it's a young and upcoming Democrat speaking out against establishment Democrats, they start clutching their pearls and voiding elections.Speaking of that, if they have the power to void elections, why didn't they even take a second to check the integrity of the 2024 general election? They're great at displacing progressives from power, but not fascists.Hmm, perhaps that why the popularity of the Democratic party is at an all-time low.I actually had somebody try to argue that progressives are the reason Democrats are unpopular right now. “How do you figure?” I asked. “Considering that centrist are in charge, centrists never listen to anyone else, centrists tell everyone what to think, it's centrists who retire smirking to their mansions when their candidates lose.”This was one of those cases where the person I was arguing with actually conceded the point.If Centrist Democrats are really so much smarter than us, why do they insist on believing in the linear political spectrum?I mean, what's the point of paying for those fancy ivy league degrees if you're taught an oversimplified model that only leads to loss after loss after loss.“We can't go too far to the center,” they say.Well, sure, if you look at reality as points you can plot along a straight line, I guess your hands are tied. But if you try adding another axis to your representation, all sorts of new possibilities pop into existence.For example, let's add an axis that goes from “Anarchy” to “Authoritarianism.” If you plot where my political leanings sit on a graph, you'll find me at the top left corner as a progressive anarchist. I like my freedom. I like for us to have social programs. I dislike having the police run around and punch people in the face.Now, that might seem like an extreme viewpoint. However, if you ever go out and talk to people in public, you'll find that there are actually a lot of people on the right who, at least, in theory, have the same viewpoint on anarchy as I do.I know, I know, Republicans say they stand for “fiscal responsibility” but then they go out and elect politicians who send the national debt into the stratosphere. But you have to understand, they're not voting for those Republicans based off their policies, they're voting for those Republicans because the establishment Democrats with ivy league degrees go on talk shows and say, “Get over yourself.”Instead of being irritated with the voters for failing to recognize that Democratic policies are better, they have to take a deep breath and actually work to educate the voting base.That comes from talking to them like they're human beings even if they “only” went to a state school (like I did), instead of somewhere obscenely expensive and elite.I'm as progressive as you can get and even I despise it when those privileged jerks start trotting out the name of their fancy schools because they can't refute my arguments on the basis of merit. They do this ALL THE DAMN TIME.They act like we're stupid, then they lose. This is where the term “liberal elite” comes from, and yeah, it's annoying.I could put up with it if they were consistent. But it pisses me off that some of their anointed members can use phrases like “Get over yourself” and the party comes to their defense, but when other people say the exact same thing, they have their elections voided.BE CONSISTENT!Most important of all, stop being petulant. Stop blaming the voters. Instead, you have to get out there and listen to the public.The reality of our country is that a lot of people are inundated with lies that end up destroying their lives. They don't have the opportunities to get out of poverty. At some point, we have an obligation to help our fellow human beings.If you meet somebody living in a hole and say, “I can help you out,” your responsibility doesn't end when they reject your offer. You have to understand that they've been in a hole all their life. They don't know what it's like to not live in a hole. They can't comprehend how what you're offering is better.This is a person in distress.You can't turn your back on them and say, “Stupid old stubborn fool, you can rot to death in your hole for all I care if you can't be bothered to support me.”No!That entitled attitude is an act of cruelty. You still have to help them even if they reject you. You have to understand their pain. Most important of all, you have to make them recognize that you understand their pain. You have to make them trust you. You have to continue this labor until every constituent has been lifted out of his or her hole.You can't just smirk and retreat to your mansion and berate the people. You can't blame the voters. We've seen it again and again. Blaming the voters means that everybody loses.It's time for our country to embrace a new strategy.It's time for our country to get a win.Thank you for listening! This publication is reader sponsored. Your support means the world to me. Thank you for being here, and I look forward to sharing more thoughts with you tomorrow!Upgrade at 30% offUpgrade at 40% offUpgrade at 50% offUpgrade at 60% offTwenty dollars a yearMy CoSchedule referral linkHere’s my referral link to my preferred headline analyzer tool. If you sign up through this, it’s another way to support this newsletter (thank you).I'd Rather Be Writing is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to I'd Rather Be Writing at walterrhein.substack.com/subscribe