Dread Talking Politics with Your Republican Family?
3 reasons you should — and how to do it well — this holiday season
Many of us hate the idea of having political conversations with Republican family members — we may even avoid them to keep the peace. But the political stakes for the nation are too high for us to pretend our political differences don’t matter.
If you’re worried about the rise of authoritarianism, concerned about climate change, or committed to ending systemic racism, talking about politics with Republican family and friends isn’t just a good thing to do — it’s a moral obligation.
Here are three reasons why:
#1 Winning elections
Democrats have been chasing the myth of mobilization for far too long. Registering voters and getting out the vote are very important, but they won’t get us where we need to be, from the presidency and Congress down to state officials and even school boards. If our losses and narrow victories last week showed us anything, it’s that we need to sell our message to a wider range of voters — not just those who already agree with us. Yes, Republicans have rigged the game with gerrymandering and voter suppression, but that makes it even more important to reach voters who aren’t on our side.
