Move Fast, Strike Hard

Spurred by this WaPo piece on Democrats potentially repealing right-to-work in VA (despite opposition from Sen. Majority Leader Dick Saslaw and Gov. Ralph Northam):

If there's one lesson to be taken from the past five years of us being screwed by the GOP, not to mention Scott Walker wrecking Wisconsin, it's that progressive governments should, and must, move boldly and aggressively on their agendas.

Power unused is power ceded.

David Broder, Pres. Virginia SEIU 512, at rally
supporting minimum wage. Photo credit VCU Capital News Service

Strengthening unions and ending "right-to-work" is absolutely the right thing to do on a social level. It's also the right thing for the Dems to do on a strictly tactical level. Strengthen your power bases and your institutions of support. Make sure that those organizing against the entrenched oppression of capital are not hamstrung. 

Hemming and hawing and tacking to the center and placing vain hopes in "bipartisanship" is going to result in long-term failure.

Having said this, I recognize that yes, Dems have won as a coalition party. Yes, members in redder districts may need to make compromises to appeal to their constituents. But those compromises can be brought in down the road, on the smaller, less critical votes.

Right now, Virginia's Democrats have a trifecta. They need to move fast and strike hard and make use of that power, or else it's gonna fade away and there will be nothing to show for it but wasted opportunities.