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Nothing in the Russiastory will improve the personal economies of working-class Americans. It will not give them good health care. It will not rebuild infrastructure to provide jobs. It will not educate our children. So while working-class America continuesto suffer from subpar wages, while they continue to see their health carecosts rise,they hear a narrative that's anathema to their reality. The liberal intelligentsia, the Democratic establishment,is concentrating on a subject that will do absolutely nothing to make their lives better while at the same time giving President Charlatan an excuse for his inability to accomplish anything for the working class.

No one is asking that we ignore the Russiastory. In fact, taking it off of the front burner as folks build a substantive,evidence-based case would be much more effective. Think of how impactful a breaking story would bebut one thatis well-developed,where the Trump family's financial entanglements and collusion with Russia emerge with clarity.It would be much more effective than the daily Russian repetitiousness which causes everyonebut the political junkiesto switch to the Food Network,Discovery Channel, ESPN, or some other station to break said monotony.

So what should the progressive intelligentsiaexpend its resources on?Education, for startersbutin a manner that is palatable to working-class America. Trumps three mostdisruptive policiesTrumpcare, tax cuts, and immigrationcan be tied into a perfect economic narrative that exposes Republicans for the charlatans that they are.

Instead of spending time repeating the same old Russiastory, journalists should go to every industrialized country and do reports aboutreal people interacting with their health care systems, illustrating pricing and outcomes. Go to highly-taxed industrialized countries and talk to working-class people who can describe the social benefits they receive from their government. Do the mathematical analysis that showswhen Americans include their insurance costs,child care expenses, elderly care costs,and other expensesabsorbed by the state, how much more efficient it is than some invisible source capturing some unearned profit. The shortage of farm workers created by Trump's xenophobic stance will ensure higher prices for our produce and other farm goods.

Most of us in the progressive intelligentsiaknow there is a fundamental difference between Republicans and Democrats, since the lattertruly believe in the Democratic platform.The problem is that we are governed within a thin center that minimizes the differences, somany in the working class see a convergence into the establishmentwithlittle distinction between the parties.

Many of us are hesitant to engage those who chose Trump, simplybecause we know how flawed they are. A few weeks ago Iwrote the following, and I hope manymore willheed it.

Many Americans are racists. Some are homophobes. Too many are sexists. A growing number are xenophobic. Misogyny still reigns. Americans are humans with all the frailty humanity brings. We will not fix these defect within our lifetime.

We can break the backs of the Republicans if we stop striving towardan unachievable purity and insteadworkon economic, health, and other commonalities while refusing to allow our human defects to stopall progress. It can be done.

Here is an aside that liberalsshould note: Ivebeen to many Netroots conventionsand a couple of tea partyconferences. This black Caribbean Latino with a Panamanian accent was treated better at the tea partyconference than at Netroots when outside of my Daily Kos clique.In fact, I wrote about oneshocking experience at Netroots Nation 2015 that is worth a read.

Yes, of course thetea partywas likely trying to make a point with me, but that is my point. Like them, we can suppress our bad urges when we want to accomplish agoal.

Liberals will do well to read the Politico piece titled "Why Liberals Arent as Tolerant as They Think,which may open the eyes of those willing to self-examine. It's something we can work on within our local progressive groups.

If we progressivesdon't change our game now, we willhave squandered the opportunity to take over the House and the Senate in 2018 and the White Housein 2020. Republicans care less about losing Trump than we do. They will be happy with President Pence and the semblance of a Republican ultra-conservativerebirth.

And so far, theyresellinga bad product much better than we are able to sell a good one.

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Progressives are blowing 2018 by dedicating too many resources to Russia story - Daily Kos