Democrats' bind, and a way out

"Democrats could make a reasonable argument that 2016 was a fluke. The results of the 2024 election were far more of an existential threat to the party," writes Politico. "This time, Trump won the popular vote victory he was denied the first time he captured the White House. He ran the table in the seven swing states. [He] carried a larger percentage of Latinos than any other Republican in history. A plurality of young men and a majority of Latino men backed him, and he made gains with Black men, too. In fact , it’s hard to find a part of the country that didn’t shift toward Trump."

I for one mistakenly believed 2016 was a fluke. For eight ensuing years I referred to it as a black swan event — a rare, unforeseen calamity. The strange thing about 2024 was that voters agreed throughout most of those eight years that Trump was the calamity not to be repeated. But a form of amnesia coupled with electoral blockheadedness took hold because of inevitable inflation caused by covid's pent-up demand busting loose and strangled supply chains. President Biden got the blame, even though inflation was a global happening. By Election Day the rate of inflation was near the Feds' target rate, but no matter. Voters held a grudge — and voted for the man who had been promising more inflation due to insane tariffs.

The question now is what should Democrats do? In answer to that, Politico files a withering report, arguing that when Democrats aren't busy doing anything smart to recoup they're doing something really stupid, seemingly oblivious to the black hole they're being sucked into, or so says Politico. And others. "I don’t know if Dems realize how fucked they are right now as a brand," said a Democratic strategist. For instance at the DNC meeting featuring candidates for the chair, "It was a bunch of people politely discussing how many deck chairs on the Titanic should be reserved for transgender people," said the strategist. Notes Politico: "This was their last big forum before the vote to make the case that they had what it took to rescue their party from irrelevance.

"Over the next hour-and-a-half, the aspiring DNC leaders inadvertently showcased the party’s self-absorbed tendencies that strategists argue have driven away swing voters, by turns fixating on identity politics, displaying scorn for large swaths of the electorate" — that, nearly impossible to resist — "and failing to focus on the pocketbook concerns of ordinary Americans."

As for doing really stupid stuff, focus your embarrassed eyes on this video released on social media.

Said Obama strategist David Exelrod, "The Democratic Party has to assess how the self-styled party of the working class became seen as a party of elites and institutions at a time when so many Americans are enraged at elites and institutions." How Democrats came to be seen as a party of elites and institutions — the latter, I should hope so — is answered in large part by a base of educated, high-information urbanites, which today is a drag on their public relationsf but nothing to apologize for. Heaven forfend that the Democratic Party adopt a right-wing lookalike base of anti-intellectualism, pervasive electoral ignorance and easy foolability.

An undeniable black mark on the party is that it's been tough going for the few Democrats who have tried some fine-tuning of message, a bit of tailoring on party positions that have nothing to do with appealing to the Trump crowd, just political common sense. "[Those] who have argued for taking a different approach than in 2024 have largely been rejected or pilloried," such as Seth Moulton, who "questioned his party’s position on allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports. He also criticized its unwillingness to even talk about certain issues, arguing that 'as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.'" Confirmation came in "hundreds of people gather[ing] outside of his office to protest his remarks," one group threatening to primary him and "a professor at a nearby university reportedly threatened to stop student internships at Moulton’s office."

What most Democrats are hanging their hat on as a measure of regrowth is retaking the House in 2026. "The crazy thing is, they might be right," notes Politico. The usual forces will work against Republicans: the majority party losing seats in midterms and a better informed, more active in off-year elections voter base. (The Senate is a different story. "Democrats are hemorrhaging support in places like Ohio and Florida.")

The problem with that reasonable hope is that it deters Democrats from asking hard questions about the party's positions. "There’s still a pervasive sense among some in the party that they don’t need to bother with all that — the pendulum will swing their way regardless." It likely will, but that, as noted, poses real danger. It leaves in place certain positions that drove moderate voters away in 2024. Along that line, the Democrats' most lethal, long-term threat is their obeisance to ultraprogressive demands which are deeply unrealistic as well as uncompromising and just as likely to again motivate loads of Trump voters in 2028.

The Politico piece is harsh, but its clear and present intent was to awaken elected Democrats by kicking them in the ass. No major publication has been even harsher toward Trump, his economic stupidity, general reactionaryism and flagrant authoritarian maneuverings. Perhaps the Dems will feel the kick and appreciate its purpose: not to undermine but strenghten what should be Trumpism's most powerful opponent. The fear is that even though Democratic leaders are now aware of the damage ultraprogressives' wish list is doing to the party and perhaps prefer breaking from it, the hold the list has on the party will remain unrelenting. That in turn would commit it to a fpermanent minority, always struggling against its best interests.

That said, there is one other way the party could make significant strides in reshaping its sagging image while not discarding but at least downplaying by substitution much of its reputation for obediance to unpopular special interests. Each member of its congressional conferences could join New Jersey's Cory Booker in his full-throated anti-Trumpism crusade. "These are not normal times in America, and they should not be treated as such," he said in his spectacular 25-hour speech from the Senate floor. "This is our moral moment. This is when the most precious ideas of our country are being tested…. Where does the Constitution live, on paper or in our hearts?"

In short, no more tactics but one: exposing the monumental dangers of Trumpism, every day, week after week — the political magic of focused repetition. Elected Democrats are in a state of shock, dazed and disoriented by the national catastrophe of November 2024. What's needed to shake them out of it are blistering, unified voices aimed at the personified wrecking ball. Do what opposition parties are meant to do: oppose with a vengeance.