Everyone including political candidates and the party they represent possess a “Shadow” which also includes many positive and creative elements.
One of the fundamental tenets of Depth Psychology is prior to pointing the faults of one’s opponent that one take a deep introspective look at themselves or in the case of politics at the “Shadow” of the political candidate and party of their own preference.
This would be the first step in seeking a “Transcendent Function” to reconcile opposing views.
The continued onslaught against President-Elect Trump including the “He’s not my President” which is so reminiscent of the cries after the 2008 Presidential Election is proof that the projection of fault onto the “other” is alive and well.
The back and forth demonization of political candidates is reminiscent of the story about the two lepers who would spend all day at the local bar arguing over who had the most fingers left.
Such a conversation is fruitless.
What would be fruitful is if supporters of Clinton-Kane and Trump-Pence would do an in depth analysis of their own respective candidate.
In confronting their own “Shadow,” opponents of President Elect Trump might be well served in asking themselves:
•Democrats may ask themselves why Democrats have lost 12 governors, 69 House seats, 13 Senate seats and 910 State Legislature seats since President Obama took office a trend which began years before a Trump candidacy.
Why in spite of Mr. Trump’s offensive and egregious comments about and actions toward women did 42% of women reject the message and the candidate of the Democratic party and opt to vote for the Trump-Pence ticket.
Why when facing a potential rolling back of progress in Civil Rights did so many African Americans simply choose not to vote in numbers equal to the previous Presidential elections costing the Clinton-Kane ticket victories in Michigan, Pennsylvania, etc.
Why when faced with the prospect of mass deportations was Latino voter turnout down from the previous Presidential election. It might be noted in this regard that President Obama deported more undocumented aliens during his Presidency than all of the Presidents of the 20th century …..combined. President Obama also has never issued a Presidential pardon to any undocumented alien.
Why did millions of blue collar workers and rural American’s turn their backs on the Democratic Party which they have traditionally supported for generations.
Ought not a view of the election results by counties across the United States give pause to the Democratic Party when it is observed that an overwhelming majority of counties between New York and California voted for President Elect Trump?
Democrats must look closely at the fact that they have incurred enormous losses of seat in the Senate, House of Representatives, Gubernatorial Houses, and State Legislature commencing in 2008 long before President-Elect Trump was even a candidate for Office.
Overall Trump won approximately 2,600 counties to Clinton’s 500, or about 84% of the geographic United States.
It might also be noted that prior to a Trump-Pence candidacy that a wave of "Populist Nationalism" had begun to sweep over Europe as sure sign that greater powers are at work.
Somewhere the Democratic Party cast a “Shadow” which motivated millions not to accept their message and/or candidate and either vote for the opposing candidate or not vote at all.
These are the questions opponents of President Elect Trump need to answer and provide pragmatic messages of hope and inspiration to those who chose not to vote for their candidate.
President Obama once famously said: “Yes, we can.”
It is now the responsibility of each Democrat to fulfill this promise.
This will only happen with the formulation and presentation of a pragmatic message of inspiration and hope to the American public including the millions who have rejected the Democratic message and or candidate in the last election.
Surprisingly, there is some commonality of belief between Republicans and Democrats which could serve as the basis of agreement and cooperation and be the basis of a “Transcendent Function” uniting the two points of view and forming a third unifying element.
Both President Trump and Bernie Sanders while on the far right and left of the political spectrum profess a belief in “change.”
Happily, while the term “change” is mercurial and possesses many meaning there are two aspect of “change” which President Trump and Senator Sanders agree upon:
1. Both are opposed to U.S. involvement in Iraq.
2. Each support the Blue Collar Worker and Rural America.
3. They agree upon the need to rebuild America’s infrastructure.
One can only hope that members of each Party can move beyond the political hyperbole and relentless demonization of one another and seek out the seeds of agreement wherein a fruitful future might blossom.
This is the only means to gain back Congress in the next Congressional Elections.
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