My Thoughts on the Recent California Primary and a World that Works for Everyone

The results of Tuesday's California primary were underwhelming but could have been worse.  Turnout was low despite supposedly high activism and engagement.  What energy, space and consciousness do we have to be to notice primary elections are important and to really focus on them?  What else is possible?  How does it get better than this? 

Historically turnout is only high in Presidential election years.  This November we have a super important election to determine who will lead the US Congress.  Currently Congress is being controlled by a political party that is dismantling health care protections, lowering tax rates for the wealthiest, trying to weaken social security, programs that help the neediest amongst us.  It is also defaulting on its responsibility to oversee the Presidential branch and hold it accountable if it is engaging in illegal activity.   The people in control of Congress now do not share my values of a world that works for everyone.  

Many Congressional seats around the country will have to change hands in order for us to stop the bad policies being advanced and to have a chance to move forward on the economic and social issues that most Americans relate most to. 

What will it take for American voters to notice that their values and their future is at stake in every election?  What will it take for us to vote for a world that works for everyone and also encourage and help others to vote for a world that works for everyone?

Results in this election that move in the direction of a world that works for everyone:

• State Sen. Kevin de Leon (D) garnered just enough votes to make it into the general election runoff against US Senator Dianne Feinstein (D).  de Leon is a stronger champion than Feinstein for the rights of all people to have clean air, clean water, affordable health care, housing, and a living wage.  Although the odds are heavily stacked in Feinstein's favor, what would it take to mobilize a strong vote for de Leon to send a message to Sen. Feinstein that California's values are stronger than she thinks? 

• Voters sent candidates who are more likely to vote for a world that works for everyone to the top two of several congressional races in the state--so many Democrats were running in those seats that there had been a decent chance that they would only advance Republican candidates to the general election

• Voters strongly defeated Prop 70 a dirty deal to stop climate action.

All in all, it could have been worse.  There are some strong candidates on the ballot in the fall.  What can we do to educate ourselves and others about the importance of the fall general congressional election and to come out in force for a world that works for everyone?