Democrats must resist temptation to swing left

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  • Hillary Clinton delivers her concession speech on Wednesday, Nov. 9 from the New Yorker Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in New York City, N.Y. Columnist Hawley says Democrats “cannot make the same mistake” of swaying from the Party’s platform in order to incorporate the interests of those who lean far to one side of the political spectrum.

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  • A Hillary Clinton supporter watches in disbelief as results roll in during an election night watch party in Austin, Texas. Hawley says the Democratic Party should “regroup, retool and refocus” after this unforeseen election results.

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SAM HAWLEY, Opinion Columnist
Nov 14, 2016

Each post-election process features “party soul-searching” for the losing side. In 2012, Republicans faced questions about the direction of their party. Prevailing opinion was that in order to have a better chance in 2016, the GOP would have to move toward the middle of the political spectrum to attract more minority voters.

How’d that work out?

Radicalization catapulted the Republicans into power in Washington. A party once seen as being on the brink of dissolution will likely govern with limited opposition for the next four years. Cries for a moderate agenda fell on deaf ears and the Republicans begin a new term with far right policies operating as the foundation of the GOP’s party platform.

Democrats cannot make the same mistake. It will be tempting to swing far to the edge of the political spectrum. It would be a simple response to fight fire with fire. If the Democratic Party is going to progress, it must stay true to core principles.

One cannot help but repeat Michelle Obama’s “when they go low, we go high” phrase that speaks to the nature of American liberalism. Inclusivity, rationality and compassion are tenets that cannot be sacrificed in a response to a Trump presidency.

This is not an invitation to sit quietly in the face of social intolerance. Instead, it’s a commitment to core ideals to create a lasting party rooted in fundamentals that Americans appreciate and relate to.

The Republicans sacrificed a part of their own identity with the election of Donald Trump. Adopting far right policies may have paid off in the short-term. And yes, it hurts to see fear drive our country. But in posterity, the move may be counter-productive and unsustainable. It is necessary for Democrats to remember the values of the party and maintain them despite suffering a major setback.

Painful losses sometimes prompt massive change within political parties, but this should not be the aim for Democrats. Do not fall into the same trap that ensnared the GOP.

Instead, the party should regroup, retool and refocus: learn from past mistakes and build toward future success.