Letters: To win, Democrats must expand their approach, not restrict it

Re “Forget white swing voters. To win Congress, Democrats must appeal to LGBT, minority voters” (Viewpoints, Nov. 13): Op-ed writer Tim Monlina seems to have forgotten that the major campaign messages of the Democratic Party in the last presidential election were aimed at minority and LGBTQ voters. By seemingly narrowing their approach to get them out to vote, Democrats alienated many voters outside these groups. As a declines-to-state voter, I voted Democrat for most races because I could not agree with the GOP. But many other independents did not vote because they felt the Democrats no longer represented them. The Democratic Party needs to address all voters, no matter their race, religion, national origin, sexual preference, or age. The aim should be to unite the party and the country with an approach that speaks of a better economy, lower taxes for the middle class, improvements to the infrastructure, greater availability of job training and college education, participation in the global agreements on climate change, and the resurgence of American industry. The anti-Trump message will not appeal to chagrined voters who saw him as the way to a better life. Instead, Democrats must appeal to that desire to improve their condition with strong messages of hope. People who voted for Trump because they feared the future should know that while jobs and our society will change, they will not be left behind. Change should be seen in a positive, not a negative light. The nation needs to move forward with a view toward a better tomorrow.

This story was originally published November 14, 2017 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Letters: To win, Democrats must expand their approach, not restrict it."