Progresso is a Soup, Progressive is a Party

I had a dream that I was telling someone about the outcome of the Michigan Democratic Convention, and after I told them that the progressive candidates won, I said, sagely, “Progresso is a soup, progressive is a party.” As if that somehow explained everything.

It doesn’t, of course, but don’t you worry, I’ve managed to torture some meaning out of it. 

The fact is, the Democratic Party is not popular. 

“Just 28% of Americans hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, with the Republican Party a few points higher at 32%,” CNN reports, “in large part because Republicans take a more positive view of their own party than do Democrats.”

In other words, not even Democrats like the Democratic Party. 

I’m glad that CNN included that last bit there because too often polls are presented as if negative views of the Democratic Party translated into positive views of the Republican Party. But that isn’t the case. Both parties are wildly unpopular and Trump’s own popularity looks to be sinking every day.

Republican voters have a more favorable view of the Republican Party because the Republican Party actually does what it says it's going to do. Granted, the things they’re doing are unconscionable, but you can’t argue that they’re not doing it. They promised to round up immigrants and deport them. They’re doing that. They promised to end abortion. They’re doing that in many states. They promised to roll back regulations. They’re doing that, too.

Granted, they also promised that prices would go down and to not to start a war. And even Republican voters are pissed about that. 

Democrats, on the other hand, promise to do good things, things that help people. Make health care more affordable, help families afford college, protect abortion rights, fight for civil rights and social justice. 

But health care and college are still out of reach for many and only growing more expensive. Abortion rights have been decimated since the overturning of Roe v Wade, and as for civil rights and social justice, well, let’s just say in the face of raging fascism much of the Democratic Party has ranged from disappointing to complicit.

For example, there are Democratic Senators who are STILL voting to confirm Trump’s nominations. You don’t have to look very hard to see how Trump’s nominees are wildly incompetent at best and full on white supremacists at worst. Any Democrat who is still voting for these folks is either living in an alternate reality where fascism doesn’t exist or they support this fascist regime. Really no middle ground at this point.  

Meanwhile, Democratic voters are feeling abandoned. We’re being told by elected Democrats to get out in the streets and protest. But we aren’t seeing that energy reflected back by them. They feel largely absent and voters are feeling largely abandoned. 

So, yes, Democratic voters are pissed and are rejecting a moderate response to extremism. Moderates seem incredibly out of touch at this moment in history. It’s no wonder that voters are gravitating to people who acknowledge that we are mired in shit and the answer isn’t just wearing taller boots. 

So, back to the soup. If offered a choice between a can of Progresso or a can filled with Democratic promises of Soup for All Someday, which would you choose? I mean, Progresso isn’t exactly fine dining or even very good for you (so much sodium!), but at this point, I think a lot of voters would choose the can of soup. Because it’s better than nothing. 

Right now, progressive Democrats are offering more than nothing. They’re saying to voters, “We see you, we are living in the same reality as you, we are as angry as you, and we are fighting for you.” And that truly is something.

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