Welcome to the new world. Whether you are an apologist for Marxism, or a centrist believer in individual freedoms and responsible government, you’re in the opposition now. To varying degrees, communities around the world will soon see their expectations of economic security, social equality and environmental accountability under intense assault. Some will be better off than others. But if we strive to be the empathetic and caring children that our parents raised, we ought to force ourselves to feel like we are all in this together. We are, period.
The diagnostic for why the Democratic Party and everyone to its left was defeated in the calamitous presidential election of last year has spurred ruthless and healthy debate. The only thing I’ll say that I believe to be the most under-acknowledged in the conversations I’ve had is this: We need a vision.
Despite lacking realism, President Donald Trump’s ideas were tangible, and thoroughly communicated to the electorate on a variety of platforms. Few voters knew or cared what Hillary Clinton wanted to do for the United States and that was her fault as a candidate, not the electorate’s.
Not a slogan, not a chant. A vision. “Stronger Together” wasn’t a vision. Neither is the vague and abused term “progressive.” It’s not the role of a slogan to perfectly describe the policy prescriptions behind it, but that brand has to be matched with a ridiculously clear vision of what progressive politics can do for the average voter.
Instead of building a wall on the southern border, let’s build a network of wind farms and solar energy plants across all 50 states. Let’s invest trillions of dollars in both creating millions of jobs for the disillusioned and putting the brakes on climate change. Let’s make the bankers who ripped us off in 2008 pay for it. Let’s create a division in the Justice Department, of only the brightest and most diverse leaders, a big budget and broad legal authority, to identify and scrutinize any police department engaged in militarism and brutality. Let’s create a nationwide public health insurance option with premiums so beautifully low it’ll force Aetna and Cigna out of business unless they reduce their co-pays and premiums as well.
Let’s not retreat from globalization; let’s celebrate it. Instead of squeezing the budgets of underdeveloped countries as a condition for loans from the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, let’s help them attain working conditions on par with the global north, so businesses don’t have to move their jobs overseas. And if they do, let’s build sweeping highways and sleek railroads to connect the cities of the Earth. Marseilles to Lagos in five hours. Scranton to Bogotá in 10.
If migrant labor is only becoming more widespread, why not transcend the artificial borders that divide us and create a global economy where anyone has access to their dreams? Let’s encourage the erasing of borders, design global universities free for all peoples and multilateral labor and human rights agreements that can synchronize the minimum wage across the globe. Fewer than 15 rich individuals own more wealth than the bottom 50 percent of the world population. They benefited from the globalization crusade, so let them pay to unleash vast and promising opportunities for people everywhere.
But that’s only my vision. Let’s get the dialogue rolling on the world our generation wants to inherit. The more perspectives, the better.
We can call ourselves progressive. But unless we can visualize what we’re progressing toward, we’re just defending the status quo which has left so many frustrated.
Adam Wilkes is a junior double-majoring in economics and sociology.
Correction: The column was updated to reflect that fewer than 15 rich individuals own more wealth than the bottom 50 percent of the world population, not more wealth than the bottom 5 percent as was printed mistakenly. Pipe Dream regrets the error.