The Reality of Our Situation
It’s been a rough winter and the future can feel pretty grim. The centrists at the helm of the national Democratic Party may fail to enact the agenda we all voted for. In the face of a profoundly undemocratic system and with some questionable allegiances, it doesn’t look like they can build the broad electoral coalition we know it will take to beat the emboldened Far Right. There’s just a narrow window of time open now to enact meaningful programs for ordinary Americans, protect everyone’s freedom to vote, ensure equal representation for all, and advance the cause of a true multi-racial democracy and economy. We definitely have our work cut out for us.
What This Means for SLO County
Even here in SLO County the Far Right is doing their best to carry out their extremist agenda. They’re waging ideological warfare against us – against our elections and elected officials, against our schools and the books read there, and against the Democratic values we all share.
Given the latest court rulings around our gerrymandered supervisorial district maps, we’ll need to work harder than ever, organize more effectively, and build grassroots political strength to counteract a bonkers GOP that plays to QAnon conspiracy theorists, actively discourages Covid vaccinations, systematically undermines our freedom to vote, harbors unhinged racists, and still perpetuates the “big lie” that the 2020 election was stolen.
What’s at Stake Locally
There is a lot on the line if we don’t get this right:
- The MAGA faction’s efforts to rig our local elections will escalate.
- We’ll see more recall attempts and intimidation of elected officials, as the MAGA faction escalates their ideological warfare against public education and good governance.
- All our best efforts to address climate change and deliver clean, reliable, renewable energy will be thwarted.
- The efforts to provide affordable homes, quality schools, and critical social services desperately needed by those who call this county home will continue to go unmet and underfunded.
What We Can Do
We can stop the opposition from systematically burning down our institutions of good governance while they fan racial discord and seek to divide us from each other. To do so we have to motivate our voters and commit to winning in June. This means working together and putting aside petty rivalries – even when we disagree on some issues. We need to paint an accurate picture of what a Republican-led Board of Supervisors looks like. Chaos. Vicious partisanship. Inaction.
Now is the time for action. Too much is at stake. We need to get back to the basics of electoral campaigns, which means talking to our community members at every opportunity and making sure they know what’s at stake. We need every Democrat to recommit to supporting the party financially and with concrete actions. We need you all out there canvassing, making phone calls, sending texts, displaying yard signs, posting on social media, and more. We need retail politics in high gear!
Make a Donation Volunteer