Updated on January 6, 2021.
While Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are now in the White House and Democrats control Congress, a clear takeaway from this election is that Democrats are a long way from building a strong governing majority. Seventy-four million Americans voted for Trump—11 million more than in 2016. The Democrats’ grip on the Senate and the House is tenuous; either or both could easily slip away in 2022. Republicans hold both the governorships and legislatures in 23 states, positioning them to dominate redistricting.
Democrats need to do better, much better. And so does the vast constellation of organizations that are working for progressive change. They must connect more persuasively with a broader swath of Americans, win more elections and—when they do gain power—use it in ways that make a real difference in people’s lives.
Blue Tent was created to report on the myriad efforts underway across the United States to advance this all-important project.
We are not aligned with any wing of the Democratic Party. We believe that the path to winning power lies in creating an effective multiracial coalition that is inclusive of moderates, liberals and Democratic Socialists. We report with an open mind on what’s working to build a strong Democratic majority—and what’s not. We approach our work with an ethos of curiosity, fairness and critical inquiry.
Since our launch on December 1, Blue Tent has begun reporting along several fronts.
First, we are writing about the social movements and civil society groups that are pushing with new energy and boldness to reimagine America. In recent years, and especially since Trump’s election, the left-of-center universe has grown much larger, fueled by an influx of new activists, new grassroots groups, new donors, and more.
The mainstream media has paid attention to some of the players in this progressive resurgence, such as the Movement for Black Lives. But much of the organizing going on in communities around the country goes unreported. Important new thinking by policy experts and scholars—on issues like anti-trust and financial regulation—also gets scant media attention. Likewise, news outlets mostly ignore other critical areas of work, such as innovations in media and technology aimed at empowering people in new ways, or the activism of progressive faith groups.
Blue Tent aims to fill these gaps in reporting and knowledge. Our coverage focuses heavily on the how of making change—digging into leadership, organization-building, strategy, communications, funding, and more. We write for readers who work in these areas and who want to increase their impact—personally and collectively.
The second big story Blue Tent is reporting is about the Democratic Party. While electoral politics is often covered separately from social movements and nonprofits, we are putting these topics under the same roof for a simple reason: Political parties are the main vehicles by which civil society groups translate their goals into policy and law. That reality has never been more evident than today. Until Democrats achieve greater power at the federal and state levels, advocates working for progressive change will repeatedly see their hopes thwarted.
Blue Tent reports closely on the quest by Democrats to win more elections and create a governing majority. We write about candidates, party committees, donors, independent campaign finance groups, polling and message work, and voter mobilization efforts.
This site joins a crowded marketplace for political journalism. Our contribution is to focus exclusively on what’s happening under the blue tent, within a fragile left-of-center coalition that includes a range of players, from moderates elected in Trump country to Democratic Socialists. In a parliamentary system, the Democrats would probably be three separate parties. Thanks to our country’s two-party system, Democrats of varied stripes are stuck with each other—arguing endlessly over ideology, priorities and strategy. A half-century of disputatious history, including finger-pointing over this year’s election, suggests that no one faction will be dominant any time soon. They must find a way to work together and get better at winning elections.
Blue Tent will help advance this goal through fair and probing reporting. We will look closely at successful electoral efforts and explain what went right, spotlighting effective leaders and approaches. We’ll also dig into failures to show what went wrong—interrogating the assumptions behind strategies and campaigns that fell short.
The third big story Blue Tent is covering is about how Democrats govern when they do hold power. We are reporting on the work of social movements to hold public officials accountable; the pull and push of coalitional politics; the pressures from donors and special interests; and the challenges of implementing policy change.
While much of our focus here will initially be on the new Biden administration, we are also reporting on how Democrats govern in states and cities—arenas rich with bold experimentation by progressive leaders, but also rife with dysfunctional dynamics that point to troubling weaknesses of Democratic governance.
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A diversity of views and lived experiences should be a signature strength of America’s left-of-center coalition. Tensions along a broad ideological spectrum can be healthy, pushing everyone to defend their ideas and strategies in an ongoing dialectic that elevates the best approaches.
A central premise of Blue Tent is that better sharing of information and more candid, respectful dialogue can help the left-of-center coalition operate with greater effectiveness. The alternative is unacceptable: a fractious, underperforming coalition that can’t figure how to connect with a broader swath of Americans, win more elections and govern in ways that improve life for most people in this country. In the past four years, and in the past two months especially, we got a chilling glimpse of what an alternative America might look like if Democrats can't decisively secure electoral power and deliver results.
Like any new media venture, Blue Tent is likely to find its way forward through a fair amount of trial and error. Developing the site’s voice, cultivating sources and building trust among key stakeholders will take time. We’re excited by the work that lies ahead. We hope that you are, too—excited enough to join us for this journey by becoming a member. We need your support to succeed. Please sign up today.
And thank you!
