We don’t actually believe the world will end in 2017 but read much of the dire press predictions and warnings one could draw this conclusion.  More likely it will be a very interesting year especially for our two major parties.  Readers will recall our hopes for the third-party tickets especially the Libertarian.  We thought neither of the major party candidates was worthy of our great nation.  Alas, in spite of  our best efforts, one of them was elected.  Four years hence will we may be faced with similar bad choices.  Barring death or impeachment (maybe more likely with this new president), we know Donald Trump will be one of the major patty candidates. That leaves it up to the Democrats to improve our choice. However, this party is moribund. At every level of government, it is in the minority or weak.  Its most visible leaders are old and/or in the case of Hillary Clinton and Barrack Obama just rejected at the polls.  Resistance to the Republicans  seems to be limited to the old progressive standbys, protest marches and Hollywood rants. This just seems tired and out of date. Parties have come back from worse a position but not without updating methods and candidates. With the view of improving our nation’s choices, we offer some suggestions.

Rather than big protest marches that have in some cases resulted in violence and in any case repels some voters, can’t  these people come up with a less in your face way of making a point? Something that has some chance of  attracting new adherents. For instance instead of  having a march against President elect Trump why not send musical groups to his and other public appearances and singing parodies. For instance, take the Village People’s Macho Man (if you don’t know it, listen on the internet. Catchy) and changing it to Moscow’s Man, singing Moscow’s Moscow’s Man, DJT is Moscow’s Man with numerous witty verses. With access to some of the worlds best rhymers, this shouldn’t be a problem and in any case superior to anything we could come up with.  While not threatening, it would rub a sore point raw for Republicans and independents uncomfortable with Trump’s coziness with Putin while pleasing your base. You just might have Senators McCain, Rubio and Graham among other Republicans singing along.

If you’re outnumbered avoid frontal assaults in favor of guerrilla warfare. Good military advice and a good way to go here. Look for the enemy’s weak points. Take actions that might provoke your adversary into foolish actions. We know Trump values his business and his name as an extension of himself.  Instead of expensive protest marches, just station a few people at every Trump property to photograph everyone entering and leaving the properties  and checking their event calendars. Look for people and businesses most likely to be embarrassed by an association with Trump. Publish and then award the Trumpy of the week on the internet. More people voted against Trump than for him meaning his businesses are vulnerable to losing over half of his potential market. People professing their distaste for the man and what he stands for shouldn’t be seen supporting his business. More importantly, it would serve to reduce the possibility of backdoor influence buying. A person or business wanting to curry favor with the Trump administration could easily plan expensive events at Trump properties as away to legally enrich the Trumps.  Corporation X seeking administration favor might have high dollar quarterly  meetings at several Trump Properties and it would be perfectly legal. Cataloging this and putting it on the internet would shine a light on such nefarious actions. People not even entertaining ulterior motives might avoid the properties to evade being suspect. It usually takes little to get under Trump’s skin and his business is big with him. Trump realizing his business is being hurt just might react in ways beneficial to the Democrats.

The most important decision the Democrats have to make shortly is electing a new party chairman. This will be one of the major faces of the party going forward and the one who sets the nuts & bolts actions to rebuild the party from the ground up. If the Dems found out one thing, it’s stop recycling old pols. Don’t even think Howard Dean. Who exactly besides committed progressives you already have would be attracted to Keith Ellison. Does the party really need someone on the wrong side of the Anti-Defamation League? Politics is about addition and Ellison is subtraction. Tom Perez is probably capable but boring. The last thing the Democrats need is boring but he’s better than the other two. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana on the other hand is young, personable and aggressive. Right there he’s way ahead in taking on the Republicans. We’ve never seen him, but we’d guess that Republicans would rather take on any one of the others than Buttigieg. It’s time for a new young face and a new direction. Someone who just might entertain actions such as those we proposed above. No matter who the Democrats nominate in ’20, he or she will need a firm base party base down to the precinct level. One that showed significant progress in ’18.  After 2008 the Republicans rebuilt, but it took 8 years to recapture the Presidency.  Possibly opening up to real world rather elite ivory tower solutions would speed up the process but we wouldn’t hold our breath. Democrats have their work cut out for them. Next the Republicans.  .