Saturday, March 15, 2025

"Generation Now" Needs To Saddle Up

 

Younger Democrats are chafing at and increasingly complaining about what they see as the feebleness of the old guard’s efforts to push back against President Trump .... In other words, the younger generation is done with deference.

 --Shane Goldmacher


The truth of that last sentence will be proven when candidate filing for 2026 opens in North Carolina less than nine months from now (on December 1st). I want to see younger Democrats filing for offices up and down the ballot, but wait! I intend they be young Democrats smart enough to gather a team and a strategic plan for raising unholy hell, which will include raising unholy money. 

I don't mean starry-eyed moon children who've never been involved in any political activity and who all-too-often think too much and do too little, who in fact sometimes mistake thought for action. I want the young Democrats who've participated already in the trenches, as campaign operatives or volunteers, who understand what's involved and have innovative ideas about thinking outta the box. That's actually a respectable number of young people in North Carolina, experienced political operatives under the age of 30. That's who I'm talking about.

Here's the catch: Sometimes the talented ranks of young organizers aren't always also gifted with speaking abilities and a talent for connecting with people.

Here's the other catch (aside from lack of money, which is a killer catch): Young Democrats experienced in the political arts, particularly in gerrymandered districts where Democrats don't win -- their knowledge of local reality makes the very thought of running a joke. 

Totally understandable. And forgivable. I'm a realist (at least on Saturdays).

But there are districts on the cusp, not necessarily in Western North Carolina -- those semi-urban and suburban NCHouse and Senate districts all over the state that I've written about since 2018. Those districts might be rated R+5, but in a backlash year -- anger/disappointment/indifference for the whole of the NCGOP and their caesar(s) --that +5 can turn mirage very quickly.


1 comment:

Wolf's Head said...

"I don't mean starry-eyed moon children who've never been involved in any political activity and who all-too-often think too much and do too little, who in fact sometimes mistake thought for action. I want the young Democrats who've participated already in the trenches, as campaign operatives or volunteers, who understand what's involved and have innovative ideas about thinking outta the box. That's actually a respectable number of young people in North Carolina, experienced political operatives under the age of 30. That's who I'm talking about."
That's good, their experience will prepare them for failure.