A reality based independent journal of observation & analysis, serving the Flathead Valley & Montana since 2006. © James Conner.

10 November 2016

An afternoon on two wheels & thoughts on a shrinking coalition

After Donald Trump took democracy for a ride, I found myself becoming so riled that yesterday I worked off the steam by bicycling around northwest Kalispell on a fine Global Warming afternoon. Great views, good exercise. Upon returning home, of coure, I once again became exercised about the election.

Some interesting things happened in Montana’s elections. Later this morning, I’ll post an initial analysis of Steve Bullock’s impressive victory.

In the meantime, I want to gently caution my Democratic and progressive friends that the Democratic Party’s real problem is not the electoral college, the eighteenth century constitutional artifact that destabilizes our democracy, but that might never be replaced by direct election of the President by popular vote. The real problem is the conversion of the party into an unstable coalition that’s concentrated in urban areas, principally along the west and northeast coasts.

Geographically, the coalition’s boundaries continue to shrink because the party’s message to the white working class, to the working Joes and Jills who work hard and deserve to be treated with respect, is: “stay out of our party, you deplorable homophobes and racists.” Even if the President were elected by popular vote, a Democratic coalition so geographically narrow cannot win majorities in Congress and state legislatures. Democrats must broaden their coalition and return to their roots, or their party will continue to be buried at the polls.

jrc_bicycling

At the beginning of the eastern bicycle path, southbound, at the Four Mile bridge over the Kalispell westside bypass.