Progressives blame 'divide-and-conquer racism' for Democrats' House losses


Progressive House Democrats are shifting the blame for last week's dismal House showing.
As it became clear Democrats wouldn't expand their majority in the House this year, moderate Democrats began blaming their party's left wing, including in a testy post-election caucus call where Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) profanely decried any mention of "socialism" within the party. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) quickly told the party to stop "pointing fingers," and on Tuesday, a memo began circulating among progressive representatives that tried to break down just went wrong.
While the memo did reflect Ocasio-Cortez's plea to stop "placing blame" before a campaign post-mortem was conducted, it did lay out progressive strategies to drive future House gains. Instead of playing into President Trump's "racist appeals against immigrants and Black Lives Matter," Democrats should "take on the Republican party's divide-and-conquer racism head-on," the memo says. Democrats should "invest in organizing the base," "connect economic justice to racial justice," and "drive an economic message that connects with all working people" as well, the memo details. As Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) put it, Democrats need to "really respect every single voice," namely those of marginalized people, instead of "silencing" them like Spanberger suggested.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Part of that economic message is clear in the suggested Biden Cabinet picks the progressive Justice Democrats and Sunrise Movement unveiled Wednesday. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) as Labor Secretary and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as Treasury Secretary top their list. Tlaib would be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) would be secretary of state, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison would be attorney general, among their other choices.
Republicans could retain control of the Senate if Georgia's runoffs go their way, which would jeopardize hopes of approving progressive nominees. Biden said Tuesday he wouldn't let the alignment of the Senate affect his choices, and that he may announce some picks by Thanksgiving.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Thailand, Cambodia agree to ceasefire in border fight
Speed Read At least 38 people were killed and more than 300,000 displaced in the recent violence
-
Israel 'pauses' Gaza military activity as aid outcry grows
Speed Read The World Health Organization said malnutrition has reached 'alarming levels' in Gaza
-
US and EU reach trade deal
Speed Read Trump's meeting with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a tariff agreement that will avert a transatlantic trade war
-
At least 12 dead in Thai-Cambodian clashes
Speed Read Both countries accused the other of firing first
-
US and Japan strike trade deal
Speed Read Trump signed what he's calling the 'largest deal ever made'
-
28 nations condemn Israel's 'inhumane killing' in Gaza
Speed Read Countries including Australia, France, Japan and the U.K. have released a joint statement condemning Israel's ongoing attacks
-
Israeli gunfire kills dozens at Gaza aid site
Speed Read The U.N. estimates that at least 875 Palestinians have died while trying to access food in recent months