Col Owens: Democrats need new strategies for reaching out to young people, entrepreneurs

I have been thinking a lot about the recent election, and the future of the Democratic Party. Here are some thoughts.

A lot of blaming is going on regarding why the Democrats lost in the November election. This is what I hear people saying:

* weak candidate, not good at schmoozing.
* wrong strategy, too much emphasis on fundraising, not enough on voter contact.
* too little of a ground game, did not reach out to our base or get out the vote.
* people not motivated, turned off by negative ads and personal attacks.
* Campaign too conservative, dissing the President and the national Party.
* Campaign too liberal, have to be more conservative to win.
* National Party out of touch with Kentucky voters.

There are of course many things about the other side. But this reflection is about democrats.

I am not much interested in the blame game — it reminds me of a circular firing squad. There is some truth to all of the above observations. But I tend to view the situation more in historical and structural terms, with an eye toward what they tell us about how to move ahead.

Here are some pivotal events:

1960’s – civil and voting rights – LBJ said would cost the Democratic Party the South for a generation. Fifty years later, things getting worse, not better, i.e., hatred of Obama.
1973 – Roe v. Wade – huge impact on Kentucky Democratic Party, especially NKY
1980’s – Reagan – trickle-down economics, tax and spending cuts. Reagan Democrats keep Democratic registration but never vote Democratic
1980’s forward – demise of labor – labor’s achievements built the middle-class, but now it struggles as later generations forgot where they came from
Conservative religious leadership and media
White collar development, especially in Kenton and Boone Counties, resulting in importing of management class, affluent and Republican
1980’s forward – wage stagnation begins – inability to achieve economic stability or desired standard of living breeds fear and anger, directed at those perceived to be responsible, i.e., liberals, government, immigrants, etc.
Christianity hijacked by those who believe God favors the wealthy, wants to punish the different (gays) and the poor (lazy). Missed New Testament teachings re: the poor.
Growth of anti-government (Reagan: government is not the solution, it is the problem), anti-intellectual, anti-science attitudes.
Defecting for convenience, improve chances of winning if running for office, establish and maintain business relationships, blend in more in a changing local political landscape.

The net result of these developments is that the Democrat base has shrunk. The extent of defections along the way was masked by the tendency of many not to change their registration. Our real strength is reflected in voting data, not registration data.

It seems clear: most of these folks are not coming back. Democrats will not re-build by appealing to them to reconsider their waywardness and return to the fold. They cannot be shamed into conviction.

Instead, we must look to where new converts can be won: young people. Many/most young people believe most of what we believe. But they do not affiliate, and many do not vote.

* They want education opportunities without huge debt
* They want health care – polls show they favor keeping the Affordable Care Act
* They want clean air to breathe, and safe water for drinking and for playing in
* They want freedom from discrimination, intolerance and hatred
* Most accept gay marriage, and believe abortion is a personal matter
* They want effective transportation and communication – they want things to work
* They want to be able to retire without being impoverished
* They want the U.S. to be strong and to lead, but not to be engaged in endless war.

When I review this list, what seems clear to me that most of these folks should be Democrats. So the party need to be going after them more effectively.

There are positive signs. The national surge among young people for Bernie Sanders reminds many of us of the surge for Gene McCarthy and Robert Kennedy – and, much more recently, for Barack Obama. Surely the difficulty Obama has had in getting his priorities adopted by Congress has disappointed many of those who were captivated by his earlier vision for America. But this year’s events show that hope, indeed profound hope, is still abroad in the land.

So, for me, the way forward is clear. Democrats must reach out – to schools, to communities where young people live and gather, to where entrepreneurs are starting businesses.

We established our new NKY Democratic Headquarters in Covington, because as a community it fits these criteria. Hopefully it will emerge as a gathering place for the young.

But reach out we must. That is how we will grow. That is our future.