In a historic reversal of roles, Democrats such as President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are now heavily emphasizing the concept of “freedom” in their campaign messaging. Traditionally, it has been the Republican Party that has framed their agenda in terms of advancing freedom and liberty, while Democrats have focused more on ideas like equality and justice. A key motivator for this shift has been the GOP’s push to roll back the rights revolution of the past six decades, particularly through laws limiting access to abortion and reproductive health care. This has provided Democrats with an opportunity to redefine the concept of freedom in their own terms.
President Biden began emphasizing the importance of freedom in his campaign messaging from the outset, highlighting themes such as personal freedom and the protection of rights in the face of perceived threats from MAGA extremists. Vice President Harris has also joined in delivering the freedom message, linking multiple issues such as abortion rights, voting restrictions, LGBTQ rights, and gun violence to the broader concept of freedom. By tying these issues together, Democrats are portraying Trump and his allies as threats to basic freedoms.
The liberal group Way to Win has been advocating for the Democratic Party to focus on the freedom argument, emphasizing that connecting issues like abortion to larger stories about rights and freedoms can be a powerful messaging strategy. By framing these issues within the context of personal freedom, Democrats believe they can appeal to a broad range of voters, including traditional Republican voters, suburban voters, and their own base. They see freedom as a critical and unifying idea that can help secure swing voters in the upcoming election.
Despite the increased focus on protecting rights and freedoms by Democrats, polling shows that the public remains divided over which party they trust more to defend these principles. While Democrats have a strong advantage on issues like abortion, Republicans are preferred on questions related to protecting constitutional rights. There is a perception among Republicans that their rights are under siege, leading to a strong sense of threat from government actions. However, recent real-world developments, such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade, have heightened the relevance of the rights and freedoms debate to key Democratic constituents.
For libertarians, the ongoing struggle between Biden and Republicans over the concept of freedom is both bemusing and frustrating. Libertarians advocate for minimal government intervention in personal behavior and the economy, finding fault with both parties on different aspects of freedom. While the Biden administration is championing reproductive and LGBTQ freedoms, libertarians question where else freedom is evident in their policies. Similarly, Republicans promote economic freedom but also engage in actions that undermine it. The issue of Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election is seen as a fundamental freedom issue that sets Biden apart in the eyes of some libertarians.
Overall, the debate over freedom has become a central theme in the upcoming election, with Democrats seeking to redefine the concept in a way that resonates with a broad range of voters. By linking various social issues to the broader idea of freedom, they aim to portray Trump and his allies as threats to fundamental rights and liberties. While the public remains split on which party they trust to defend these principles, the changing political landscape and recent events have made freedom a prominent issue that could influence voter behavior in the election.
