We’re a few months into Donald Trump’s Presidency and we’re all learning a lot about how both the Republicans and Democrats yield power.

Republicans take control of power like a squirrel stealing a steak off your backyard grill and running as far and as fast as they can go into the forest with zero regard for how their opposition feels. They’ll gleefully slash social programs and privatize public resources, only to turn around and tell their supporters that it’s all in the name of “balancing the budget.” They’re liars and scammers, but at least their supporters get what they asked for.

But when Democrats are in control, they squander every opportunity to make good on the progressive promises they made during their campaign trail. They walk back on their promises when times are good, or they cower with their tails between their legs when times are tough.

When Hakeem Jeffries’ responded last month to Trump’s executive orders by claiming that democrats had no leverage to do anything at all, many on the left were quick to call out how representative Hakeem’s words are of the entire modern Democratic party.

In both victory and defeat, Democrats consistently treat elections as the end goal rather than a stepping stone to transformative change. In power, they prioritize maintaining the status quo of establishment elites while ignoring the working-class and working-poor who voted for them. But in defeat, they bicker about messaging problems and blame the left for distracting us from the center when they really should be focused on building a stronger progressive base.

We. Are. Tired. And we need answers. But to find the solutions, let’s take an overhead look at the cancer that’s slowly killing the Democratic party.

1. Democrats Ignore Working-Class Voters

Democrats love to talk about being the party of the working class, but when the boot of fascism has kicked open the front door, Dems abandon their base like a baby in a crib so they can jump out the window and escape into the warm embrace of their wealthy donors and suburban centrists.

Their failure to prioritize labor rights, fair wages, and economic security has left millions of working-class Americans wondering, “Do you even notice us? Do you even care?”

Since the days of FDR, the Democratic Party has been regarded as the working people’s party thanks to a coalition of unions, farmers, and blue collar workers. But in our current age of neoliberalism and “Billionaires are ethical if they’re from a marginalized community,” Democrats have lost support across The Rust Belt, in swing states like Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania, among Latino Americans, and among immigrant voters.

This is bigger than a messaging problem. This is a problem with out-of-touch leadership, neoliberal economic policies, performative outreach, non-existent community development, and shallow platforms that prioritize celebrity endorsements over people-powered change.

Solution: If Democrats want to win back working-class voters, they need to aggressively champion pro-labor policies, full stop. They need to fight like hell to increase the minimum wage, strengthen our unions, and fight against corporate exploitation. Instead of inviting the Liz Cheney’s of the world to entice more centrist suburban voters, they should bet it all on economic justice for everyday Americans.

2. They Campaign on Progressive Promises, But Abandon Them in Office

We’ve all witnessed the betrayal in real time: every election cycle, Democratic candidates deliver lavish speeches filled with promises about economic justice, climate action, diversity utopias, and healthcare reform—only to abandon those commitments once they’re in power.

We saw this exact thing happen during Biden’s 2020 campaign, when Joe promised a public healthcare option. He delivered speech after speech discussing the hardships of Americans struggling to afford healthcare, and promised a radical change.

Yet, when the time came to act during his term, discussion of a public option vanished. Sure, Biden was faced with COVID-19 hardships, but during his 4 years in office, Biden only added provisions to the Inflation Reduction Act that allowed Medicare to more successfully negotiate prices and lower the cost of prescription drugs. That’s progress, sure, but compared to a public option? Peanuts. And that’s just healthcare. What about their promises on affordable housing, the cost of childcare, and increasing wages?

Solution: Progressive voters need to hold elected officials accountable and demand clear commitments and consequences for inaction. Instead of waiting for Democratic establishment politicians to release their approved platform of half-promises, grassroots organizers should pressure the party from within, forcing them to deliver on promises that align with values we the people share in common.

3. The Party Cares More About Messaging Than Real Change

Instead of fighting for structural changes to improve our lives, Democrats constantly fixate on “better messaging” and media narratives. They treat our elections like ad campaigns and Superbowl parties instead of opportunities to introduce transformative policies onto the mainstage.

When Republicans lost the 2012 election to President Obama for a second term, the Republican National Committee (RNC) performed a post-mortem autopsy to diagnose the problem. They concluded that the GOP was too whitewashed and in desperate need of diverse faces.

They emphasized the need to engage with people of color, women, and young voters, and in return, the Republican party invested enormous financial and human resources into building the right-wing media ecosystem that currently dominates Youtube, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Their adoption of modern technology and independent media created the necessary right wing media machine that made the election of Donald Trump in 2016 a reality.

But after the 2024 election loss, the Democratic National Committee (DNC) failed to conduct a similar post-mortem analysis, and failed to organize under a unified message against fascism and Trump. They blamed Arab-Americans for Kamala’s loss and have everyone else to blame but themselves.

Officials like Al Green, AOC, and Jasmine Crocket may be the outspoken few, but the party as a whole hasn’t launched a cohesive plan to remedy Trump, and fringe Democratic centrists are throwing progressives under the bus entirely.

We have transphobic Democrats like Tom Suozzi D-N.Y who told the New York Times that “Democrats have to stop pandering to the far left… I don’t want to discriminate against anybody, but I don’t think biological boys should be playing in girls’ sports.”

Rep. Seth Moulton D-Mass parroted similar transphobic views: “Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face. I have two little girls. I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat, I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”

Solution: The party must prioritize true progressive policies over PR. Instead of running endless focus groups and hosting celebrity star-studded fundraisers, they should engage directly with communities in town halls, libraries, cafes, book shops, and school auditoriums and enact policies that represent the voices of those people. Real promises driven by the will of the people will always be a more effective message than a well-crafted slogan cooked up by establishment Democratic strategists.

4. They Worship Donors and Despise Their Base

Capitalism is the common denominator and problem between the Democratic and Republican Party. While Republicans openly praise their super PACs and billionaire donors, Democrats are more discreet about the corporate donors and elite fundraising circles that control them. In many cases, these big donors also play a huge role in lobbying for the same Capitalist problems that working-class people are trying to dismantle.

Pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson have contributed to Democratic campaigns, even though they also lobbied against universal healthcare and a reduction on prescription drug prices. Financial companies like JPMorgan Chase and Citigroup have made massive contributions to Democratic candidates while also opposing student debt forgiveness. And on climate change, massive multinational organizations like ExxonMobil and Valero backed the Democrats but spent millions lobbying against climate reform.

These big money donors are in direct opposition of everyday people whose lives are made less safe and more financially and environmentally insecure. If Democrats continue to line their pockets with lobbyist money, they’ll bleed out every last drop of support they have.

Solution: These under-the-table deals that conflict with our progressive values need to end. Democrats must refuse corporate PAC money and commit to small-dollar grassroots fundraising. We should incentivize Progressive candidates to reject big money donors like Bernie Sanders, Ilhan Omar, and AOC who have shown that it’s possible to run successful campaigns without selling out to special interests.

5. The Left Has No Say in the Democratic Party

Establishment Democrats have more tolerance and love for right-wing fascists than the Left, resulting in a party with no desire to listen to progressive voices. When governor Gavin Newsome launched his podcast “This is Gavin Newsome,” folks were quick to notice that his first guest was famous alt-right influencer Charlie Kirk and his most recent guest was former Trump advisor Steve Bannon.

Progressives are consistently sidelined by party leadership, who prioritize centrists and moderates at every opportunity. We first saw this unfold when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) sabotaged the Bernie Sanders campaign to elevate Hillary Clinton in 2016. And we saw the same process unleash again when Bernie led the polls in 2020 but was ultimately knee-capped by the DNC to make way for Biden.

Whether it’s their allergy to being associated with a proud Democratic Socialist or their allegiance to big donors (most likely both), the Democratic establishment continues to reject and straight-up ignore populist issues that everyone to the Left of Trump would cheerfully applaud.

Solution: The Left must build independent power both inside and outside the party. This means supporting strong progressive candidates in local and national elections while also pushing for changes in Democratic Party leadership. We must also consider the importance of third-party alternatives who will agitate the Democrats asleep at the wheel and wake them up to the reality that better candidates and parties exist, and they are not afraid to unseat spineliness Dems.

A Progressive Change Is Gonna Come

Despite these failures of Democratic leadership, we can’t forget that we have an opportunity to revolutionize the American Left. When a political tyrant rises (Trump part 2, Elon), they create a window of opportunity for true revolutionary leaders to emerge who won’t shy away from fighting back.

This new wave of progressive politicians and grassroots movements will have to emerge if we want to challenge the status quo in small towns and big cities across America. There is no ethical billionaire opposite of Elon Musk. But we do have collective power, and leaders who come from within our communities, and that’s a hell of a lot better.

Folks like Summer Lee, Zohran Mamdani, and Cori Bush are proving that unapologetic progressives can win elections and push real policy change. Issues like affordable housing, support for Palestine, an end to privatized prisons, and rent control should be the start of our political demands, not the limit.

The future of the Democratic Party depends on its ability to embrace bold, working-class-centered policies. As Progressives, we must continue to stay informed, organize effectively, run for office, support our candidates, and demand accountability from those we elect into power.

A New Way Forward — With or Without You

The Democratic Party’s repeated failures are not just mistakes—they are a series of habitual choices. They choose to prioritize donors over workers. They choose to ignore progressive demands. They choose to blame messaging instead of looking in the mirror at the values and promises they offer.

We should choose to hold them accountable.

If Democrats want to remain politically viable, they need to stop treating elections like PR campaigns and start delivering on real policy. Because if they won’t fight for us, we will find leaders who will.

Change is coming. Whether the Democratic establishment chooses to embrace it or be left behind is entirely up to them.

Stories On My Radar

Trump and Rise of the Multiracial Right

You can’t insult MAGA supporters by calling them white supremacists when a large (and constantly growing) portion of them are people of color.

This is one of the limitations of identity politics: it can easily be appropriated by fascists and right-wing grifters.

And that’s precisely what the GOP and the far-right have done over the past 10 years: finance and build a massive network of independent media companies, think tanks, and identity-based outreach programs to rebrand conservativism for the communities of color and win over their votes.

We saw the results of these investments in the 2024 election in stark display:

In 2016, Trump won 8% of Black voters, 29% of Latino voters, and 27% of Asian voters.
In 2020, Trump won 12% of Black voters, 38% of Latino voters, and 34% of Asian voters.
In 2024, Trump won 14% of Black voters, 42% of Latino voters, and 38% of Asian voters.

That is a massive growth among people of color. A frightening amount.

Check out the rest of this article to learn more about how it all happened:

Mexico Shows How Social Democratic Politics Can Win and Be Popular

Mexico’s Leftist President Claudia Sheinbaum—a Jewish climate scientist leading a Catholic-majority nation—and her party, MORENA, have defied critics by proving progressive politics works.

Under her predecessor, AMLO, MORENA doubled the minimum wage, slashed poverty, and rebuilt Mexican infrastructure, all while Sheinbaum now boasts an 85% approval rating.

But across the border, where U.S. Democrats struggle to energize their base, Mexico’s success raises an important question: Why can’t America’s left deliver on the same strategy?

From out-negotiating the “Master Negotiator” in Trump on tariffs, to lifting millions from poverty, MORENA’s mix of social democracy and shrewd politics offers a learning opportunity for Democratic leadership.

Read the full piece to see what Democrats refuse to learn.

Monday Meme Dumps

Wednesday Reel Roundup

BIPOC Creators You Should Follow

When I first starting writing about politics and discovering my activist voice, I was heavily inspired by the boldness of Jose Antonio Vargas. My earliest memories of him were seeing him on the news after he was arrested by border patrol at Texas airport after he openly admitted his status as an undocumented immigrant.

There I was, 24-years-old, fresh out of college with a growing platform on social media. The amount of success Jose accomplished and the hardships he endured woke up a part of myself that wanted to fight back. Against a fascist system that would arrest an innocent man, and against a racist culture that labeled him undocumented in the first place.

Jose Antonio Vargas continues to do great work by platforming fellow BIPOC progressive voices and advocating for the rights of immigrants and against our racist and fascist system. He is a legend and someone I admire deeply, and I hope you enjoy the wonderful guests on his Youtube channel Define American. 

You can follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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