THE CHOICE - PART 1: What Happens to YOU if We Lose Democracy?

The First in a Series of Proposed Democratic Ads and Internet Videos

The Armageddon Door at which voters stand in 2022.

A “Republican” vote is to end the American Republic and exit democracy.

In October 1964, with Barry Goldwater trailing far behind President Lyndon Johnson in the presidential race, the Republican nominee accepted a suggestion from a sometime advisor, F. Clifton White, to create a campaign film focusing on “the moral crisis in America today” that would awaken voters to what right-wing Republicans believed was at stake in the election.

The result was a half-hour film titled Choice that wasn’t broadcast in 1964 because Goldwater decided it made him out to be a racist, but contained most of the elements that animate the extremist heirs to that campaign who have complete control of the no-longer-Republican Party in 2022: stoking fear of an “Other” America populated by people of color, filled with crime, sex, drugs, pornography, immigrants, and rioting in the streets—all blamed on Democrats—and promised to, in essence, Take America Back.

Unlike what the Goldwater film would have brought before the voters had it been shown in 1964, the threats to the United States as we engage in another election 58 years later are real and existential. Democrats—and the nation—could benefit greatly from a clear presentation of the dramatic choices before voters in the 2022 midterms. A series of one-minute information ads for television and longer versions for the internet clearly presenting “The Choice” should be produced immediately and put into wide distribution.

The first unifying theme of all the videos: The fundamental choice before voters is between democracy and authoritarianism. Without democracy, nothing else good can be accomplished—and all sorts of bad things will happen with the American people having no means to stop them. If voters make the wrong choice this year democracy may be lost, and if that happens, the people will be able to make no more choices on anything else.

A second unifying theme: Across the board, the choice comes down to this: What are Democrats doing for you? What are Republicans going to do to you?

A third unifying theme: Which side are the parties on? Democrats are on your side. Republicans are on the side of corporations and the superrich.

Here is the first idea. Others will follow in subsequent posts:

We, the people, would be unable to change anything, while they, the authoritarians in power, would be able to change anything.

Democracy is the safeguard of all our rights.

None of our freedoms will be safe. The all-powerful government will be able to strip away any freedom we now enjoy.

As an image of doors departing an airport security area saying EXIT ONLY. NO RE-ENTRY appears, the point is driven home that the voting booth this year amounts to those doors. If Americans choose to exit democracy, there will be no re-entry for a long time.