Hello Progressive/Liberal/Democrat/Reasonable People friends. It looks like as I write this at 11 PM of election day you have had a rough night. You got smacked. I am sad for you and I am sad for our country, but for the first time in many years I honestly don’t give a shit about national political races. Maybe if you gave a fuck about me and my neighbors, we would give a fuck about you.
It is awkwardly ironic to live in DC and work for a political organization and not give a shit about national politics, but from the perspective of the working locals it is a matter of necessary incongruity. In case you missed it, we don’t get any national political representation. No lecherous Senator, no conspiracy-peddling Congress Critter. Nothing. All we get is Eleanor Holmes Norton occasionally smacking down Stephen Colbert.
So this year all I cared about was my local races. I studied my choices for Council Member at Large. I decided to vote for legal weed even though the bill was poorly written. I didn’t make my final choice for mayor until midnight before election day.
It some ways this was great. I cared more about the decisions made in my local community than I ever have. I cared about who ran my schools, my courts, and my transportation boards. I felt really connected to my neighbors. I gave a shit about my community.
But this is bad news for you Progressive America. If DC had Congressional representation, you would have more blue allies to support your agenda. Additionally, when politically talented people like myself and my neighbors decide to ignore your races, you agenda loses power. This year I didn’t phone bank for my party. I didn’t donate or even bother Tweeting information about national races. You can probably do something about this, but you need to extend your commitment to American voters. All of us.
Look fellow progressives, I have stood up in your local issues. I have hassled your governors and mayors. I worked on campaigns to fire your local police chiefs. Now I need you to push for my self-determination. I need you to fight for me.
As you rake through the ashes and decide on your next moves, please remember that your fellow citizens in DC don’t even get a meaningful vote. If you really want to defend the franchise and really want to expand your progressive base, maybe you should think about expanding real representations to our community. If you want more people to vote, let us vote. We need you to make our votes matter so that we can make your campaigns matter.
Put your money where your mouths are, progressives. You need us.
