The Democratic party in the U.S. has evolved since its inception. Changes and modifications in agendas and platforms are necessary to accommodate important problems of the times.  However, the recent evolution of the Democratic party means slowly inching away from liberal policies into chaos is an extremely disturbing trend.  Coupled with this is the widening inclusion-exclusion criteria which the party seems to be practicing regarding minority issues is also disturbing. The Democratic party continues to give one group of minorities preference over other groups and this is utterly against the core goal of what the party once stood for.  

Backdrop

The U.S. political system is set up to maintain two-party dominance.  There is little chance for a third party or a stand-alone candidate to make in-roads especially in Presidential elections.  Unlike parliamentary systems where multiple parties running on specific agendas – the environment, affirmative action, women’s rights, etc.–end up forming coalitions to form representative government, the U.S. does not allow any such coalition building given the presidential system.  Meaning, the two parties dominate politics and members from either party have to form “coalitions” with special interest groups.  The groups which fund and/or influence the party the most get to have a say in policy making.  In contemporary times, those who cry the loudest regardless of substance seem to get the most attention and even a piece of the pie.

Both the Republicans and the Democrats are influenced by special interests in the U.S.  However, the Democratic party seems to have disintegrated and dare I say co-opted during the post-Obama Presidency years.  The hatred for current President Donald Trump has served as a common ‘problem’ for various groups – many of whom are questionable.  Given a common cause to work against the status quo they are united against the real or perceived common enemy- Trump. The anti-Trump coalition is unique – it has a hodgepodge of players who wouldn’t have otherwise aligned with each other except for in the twilight zone.  Why are free-Palestine groups joining forces with or co-opting other, smaller and/or varied interests such as gender-rights groups, LGBTQ, Free Kashmir groups, the Muslim Brotherhood, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Black Lives Matter (BLM) movements?  This jumble of various groups and movements are being viewed as pro Democratic party entities who seem to have created a narrative which blames President Trump for all their woes. 

For Democrats, all Minorities are not Equal

The Democrats used to be a beacon of hope for all minorities. They gave a voice to those who had no stake in politics; the party stood for all those who did not fit into the White privilege umbrella by default.  The Democrats stood for equality, religious tolerance, racial justice, lending a helping hand to those in need – all these values used to resound in me as a person of Indian origin.  My family and I over the years have been card-carrying Democrats, proud of the party’s stance towards minorities; we have made financial contributions to liberal PACs, performed door-to-door canvassing during election cycles and spent numerous hours volunteering and making campaign calls, proudly pushing the Democratic candidate running for office.  Voting for the Democratic party was a no-brainer. Until now.

Joe Biden is the primary front runner Democrat challenging the Republican, incumbent candidate Trump.  Biden has been extremely careless in misinterpreting India’s internal struggles in Kashmir caused by consistent meddling by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Communist neighbour China.  Biden has lost all credibility which the party has worked building over the years.  The Democratic party today has lost the values it once stood for and I must say that a minority which the opportunist movement of today is not supporting are Hindus.  I feel deliberately excluded by the Democrats.  My family and I feel betrayed.  The Democrats no longer represent our best interest.  In fact, the Democratic party is working against my own people.  The Democratic party is anti-India, anti-Hindu.  

I feel sad for Biden whom I used to tremendously admire.  He was a great number two to Obama; he was like the cool uncle who knew how the political world worked and he seemed to navigate through it with ease.  Now when I look at the unsolicited political advertisements online, Biden’s face seems blank, devoid of that once-sparkling energy and he seems to be struggling to keep his words straight.  The incoherent call for support from Biden represents the current status of the Democratic party which is on the brink of utter collapse.  For a party which used to boast strong minority members in Congress has been reduced to an aging, White man’s party – a problem most thought was more applicable to Republicans. 

Where are the educated, accomplished, credible, minority leaders in the Democratic party?  Nancy Pelosi, one of the party elites seems to be barely holding it together herself.  If that wasn’t bad, those minorities-in-name-only who were elected on an anti-Trump wave Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib have proven to be ineffective and belligerent towards their own party elders.  These young women lack education and training and have failed to introduce any effective legislation to foster equality in the current times of discrimination.  In fact, their main goal continues to be dividing society instead of integration.  I mourn the steady decline of Democrats. 

This “othering” from the Democratic party towards my people – the Hindus – has to end.  There is a dire leadership vacuum among the Democrats and Biden has been reduced to acting like a puppet controlled by strings which do not represent me or my family any longer.  Like thousands of other Hindus in the U.S., I am sad to admit that I am no longer a card-carrying Democrat.

Image credit: Sticker Shoppe website

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