Democrats, you want to win big? Here’s how. The Scottish National Party just destroyed Labour, Lib Dems, and the Conservatives and now hold a majority in the Scottish Parliament. They didn’t do this by constantly caving in to right-wing agendas. They did it by being unabashedly left-wing and populist.
Steve Hynd, who is Scottish, explains two reasons why the political earthquake that just hit Scotland matters.
The first is that a truly left-wing and populist party didn’t have to move to the right to get votes – and left the faux-left and the further-right in their dust. Every progressive and lefty in the world should be looking to Britain right now and asking “how do we do that?” The second is that, in less than five years, there will be a referendum which could mean the end of the 300 year old United Kingdom of Great Britain – potentially a massive shakeup for American foreign policy which for decades has relied on the UK, and Scotland in particular, as the “unsinkable aircraft carrier” on the Northern flank of NATO in Europe.
The SNP is pro-independence and anti-nuclear. Were Scotland to become independent there would be no US or Brit nuclear weapons or nuclear subs allowed. Scottish independence would also probably insure the Conservatives become the majority in Britain as well as upsetting the balance of power in the EU.
Full disclosure – I’ve voted SNP my entire life. I’m convinced that an independent and leftist Scotland is best for Scots. I’m just not entirely sure that the ripple effects from that are going to be good for the rest of you.
The SNP just showed lefties that they can win and showed us how to do it. Let’s learn from them and adopt their tactics.
“Democrats, you want to win big? Here’s how.”
Didn’t you just argue in your previous post that the Dems have no interest in populism? There is surely a need for a[t least one] party anchored outside the Beltway – the (now co-opted) Tea Party movement proves that. But it won’t be the Dems leading the charge. As you have argued so eloquently, so often, the Dems will instead attempt to absorb and deflect any efforts for change.
If you want such a party to exist, someone is going to have to create it.
I was being snarky and hold little hope that the Democratic Party could ever embarce and champion real reform.
But if they did, they’d probably control both houses easily.
If they did, they’d have to backstab themselves since real reform cannot be tolerated.