Which solutions should the Democrats focus on now?

[The_Doctor]

Can we offer our own solutions? I have other ideas that would be top priorities for Democrats (if they wanted) that aren't listed here.

[The_Doctor]

The Democrats, pretty much, need to stop worrying about being the Party of Roosevelt or Clinton, or whatever historical model they want to be. The great Democratic problem is that they are trying to be liberal, but their liberal views aren't connecting with people. The middle class isn't better off; but there are Democratic policies that could actually better it.

For one - Democrats need to start handling issues like Uber, driverless cars, and harnessing the technology of the future. We'll call this issue technology issues, and they're going to become important issues down the line. The twin issues of how to harness the technology to empower and help the middle class is going to be one big issue.

Let me sketch out this issue for you a bit. As the middle class struggles, and manual jobs become automated, the middle class is going to need help to reach these new jobs that are created through the technological revolutions we'll be seeing in the next few years/decade. They won't get there by themselves; Democrats need to actively promote programs to help the middle class become trained and certified to handle these new jobs. Think IT, coding, handling the new emerging fields, solar, etc. The big issue of linking the middle class to these jobs will be one big issue.

Democrats need to also move on from supporting unions to supporting private contractors and workers to negotiate their own salaries, benefits, and the like, and create a platform to protect these workers in their quest to achieve a middle class sustenance. It's pretty clear that the days of manufacturing in the United States are pretty much over, and technology will continue to reduce the number of workers needed for the manufacturing sector (while requiring remaining workers become more sophisticated and able to operate the new technology in manufacturing).

Really, the party that can talk about integrating the workforce into the future innovations coming our way will be the party that can secure an enduring majority. Republicans are trying to do this with supporting Uber, and the like. If Republicans can legitimately steal the issues of renewable energy, the emerging technological innovations, and brand themselves as the party that will help link the middle class with the new technologies and interlink the two (with benefits for the middle class), Republicans will hold even more sizable majorities than they do today. Were Democrats to take these issues, they'd expand their hold from being a bicoastal party and extend their reach more firmly into states like Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, and the Midwest. (Which, frankly, right now, are for all intents and purposes, except Virginia, Republican controlled).

Virginia is the best example of the emerging Democratic majority state - a state that votes Democratic, because the tech sector in North Virginia is heavily Democratic and is expanding. (Government workers have always been in Virginia - the highly educated populace of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudon, and Fauqier, etc are the ones driving the Democratic majority status in Virginia).