Ever since the stopgap funding bill debacle, I seem to get more and more questions, not about how do we stop Donald Trump, but how do we press “go” for the Democratic Party.
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I went out to dinner the other night with politically astute friends that I haven’t seen in a while, and I girded myself for questions about everything Trump has been doing to make our lives miserable. Instead, the first question was Trump’s miserable opponents, “WTF is wrong with the Democrats.”
While I was prepared to answer a bevy of questions about how our Constitution is being shredded, I was at a loss at how best to answer that question, and it dawned on me that the reason I was grappling for answers was that there’s so much wrong with the Democratic Party, it’s hard to figure out where to start.
Shockingly, in recent months, Democrats have found themselves grappling with the same question that I was charged with answering. They seem saddled with a profound sense of frustration, while disillusionment toward them is on the rise from Democratic voters. It seems everywhere you turn now, online chatter and headlines are screaming about the do-nothing, impotent Democrats, and it’s causing some serious problems for the party.
Late last week, Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, and New York U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez drew over 30,000 people at their “Fight the Oligarchy" tour at a stop in Denver. The anger and exasperation from the crowd was palpable. Sanders, who twice campaigned for the presidency, said it was the largest crowd he’d ever addressed.
This sentiment of frustration — actually, it’s more like anger — is not unfounded. There’s been a confluence of lackluster poll numbers, tepid responses to pressing challenges, and internal disarray among the party and its leaders that has left many of us questioning the party's direction and resolve.
On Friday, Politico revealed a striking downturn in approval ratings for congressional Democrats among their base, with the subhead of their story “Democratic voters are even angrier than you think.” Only 40 percent of Democrats approve of their performance, while 49 percent disapprove, which is in stark contrast to the 75 percent approval rating just a year prior.
How did things go from smooth sailing to shrinking ships in less than a year?
The Democratic Party's response to Trump's actions, which many view as threats to the Constitution, has been perceived as disjointed and feeble, and that’s putting it mildly. From attempts to undermine democratic institutions to controversial policy decisions affecting public health and education, Trump's agenda has been met with what many see as a lackluster opposition.
The party's inability to present a unified and vigorous counter-narrative has only deepened the frustration among its supporters. I’ve been dumbfounded, and frankly pissed off, about how easy it has been for Trump to roll over them.
Take the Democratic response to Trump's addresses to Congress. It lacked cohesion and impact. While some members like Rep. Al Green took bold stands by vocally challenging the president, the broader party response was criticized — by me and many others — for its lack of unity and assertiveness. I, for one, wished more members of the House Democrats would have acted like Green. He was criticized, but why? At least he reflected the anger of the party.
The recent horrific handling of the stopgap budget vote further exemplifies internal party discord. While House Democrats largely opposed the Republican-crafted bill, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and eight other Senate Democrats inexplicably shifted their stance, allowing the bill to pass without securing concessions.
This uncoordinated approach not only undermined the party's negotiating position but also conveyed a troubling image of inconsistency and lack of strategy. At first I thought, Maybe Schumer has a point. But then I thought, Whether the government is open or closed, Trump is going to do whatever the hell he wants. This was validated by my recent conversation with Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin.
Internal debates have also surfaced regarding the party's strategic direction. Figures like James Carville have suggested a passive approach, advocating for patience in anticipation of Trump's potential self-destruction. However, this strategy is contentious, as it risks portraying the party as complacent and reactive rather than proactive in addressing the nation's challenges.
Compounding these issues is the recent revelation that former President Joe Biden and his wife want to start to help rebuild and raise money for the party. This is a giant step backward. Given Biden's record low approval ratings upon leaving office, the party should focus instead on cultivating new leadership and innovative strategies rather than reverting to former figures.
Highlighting the Bidens would send exactly the wrong message. Love you, Joe, but it’s time to go.
Conversely, during the last couple of weeks, I’ve spoken to emerging party leaders like Sen. Chris Murphy, Reps. Raskin, Ro Khanna, and Maxwell Frost, and even former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all emphasizing the necessity of a more confrontational approach. They have all been vocal about the imperative to actively oppose detrimental policies, energize the base, and seize the message from Trump.
With the midterm elections looming, the Democratic Party faces a critical juncture. The current trajectory, marked by internal strife and perceived passivity, threatens to further alienate the base and diminish electoral prospects. To reverse this trend, the party must coalesce around a clear, assertive agenda that not only counters the opposition but also inspires and mobilizes supporters.
Here’s the deal. Voters live vicariously through their elected representatives. If voters are angry, then they expect their elected representatives to be angry too, and when they’re not, it further infuriates their constituencies.
This palpable anger among Democratic voters is both a warning and an opportunity. It signals a demand for leadership that is bold, unified, and unafraid to challenge threats to democratic principles and societal well-being that Trump is threatening.
The clock is ticking, and without a decisive course correction, the party risks not only electoral defeats but also the erosion of the foundational values it seeks to uphold, particularly among the working class.
A message to the Democratic leadership: the time to get angry, and fight back hard, is now!
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