All Politics Is Local
Why Progressives Must Fight for the States
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
Democrats have largely ceded control of state governments to the GOP, allowing them to rig our political system and undermine democracy itself.
After the 2016 election, Republicans had their largest majority in the states since 1928, controlling legislative chambers in thirty-two states and governor offices in thirty-three. They also held both chambers of Congress and the presidency despite losing the popular vote. What happened?
Meaghan Winter shows how the Democratic Party and left-leaning political establishment have spent the past several decades betting it all on the very risky and increasingly foolhardy strategy of abandoning the states to focus on federal races.
For the American public, the fallout has been catastrophic. At the behest of their corporate patrons, Republican lawmakers have diminished employee protections and healthcare access and thwarted action on climate change. Voting rights are being dismantled, and even the mildest gun safety measures are being blocked.
Taking us to three key battlegrounds--in Missouri, Florida, and Colorado--Winter reveals that robust state and local politics are the lifeblood of democracy and the only lasting building block of political power.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this rousing debut, journalist Winter blames the political struggles of the left on "long-term disinvestment" in state and local politics, arguing that transformative political change will only be accomplished by building robust, tenacious progressive organizations in all 50 states. Her reporting on organizing efforts in Missouri, Colorado, and Florida demonstrate the role that cultural polarization and corporate money play in entrenching Republican power, as well as the potential local advocates have demonstrated as they build necessary connections and momentum. Winters also acknowledges the pivotal role that private donors play: the ultra-rich tend to support conservative causes with increasing consistency; wealthy liberal donors tend to donate more sporadically and to causes with personal importance or organizations that have already had some success, rather than struggling state organizations. However, the success of such organizations as the Colorado Roundtable which coordinated funds and efforts to bolster progressive state groups, garnering a bump in young voter turnout and more progressive candidates in office proves the value of disciplined long-term investment. Conversely, in Missouri and Florida, which lack progressive organization cultures, progressives struggled to get candidates elected, which eroded voter confidence. Winter's account is well-reported and reasonable, although switching among the three case studies sometimes undermines the clarity of each state's narrative. With its emphasis on the power of long-term organization and incremental change, this book will speak deeply to aspiring activists.)
