Holding Out for a Hero: Democrats Need Bold, Fearless, Risk Taking Leadership Now
The last four years have been a political roller-coaster ride. I'm a loyal Democrat, I'm active in politics and my educational background includes American history, civics, economics and political science. So I am informed and stay informed and can discern the truth.
And I'm going to emphasize the fact that I'm a loyal Democrat once again, because I want to drive home the point that what I'm saying here isn't idle bashing or criticism based on candidate preference. It's the reality that we are facing in what is now well beyond a constitutional crisis. The Democratic party is left without unified, solid leadership and that's not intended to sound critical, it's just the way it is, and any other evaluation of the situation is an attempt to put a happy spin on crazy.
We've had some articulate, forward-thinking, sharp and polished Democrats in the House and Senate who have made some angry speeches, pointing out, accurately and succinctly, the illegal, immoral, crusade of lies that Trump and Musk are using as pretexts to cut the government according to Project 2025 plans, and also pointing out that they have found absolutely no proof for any of their pretexts at all. The reaction to it, mainly through the judicial branch, is holding back most of the damage for now, though the media keeps clamoring about it as if they know what they are talking about. There are a lot of reporters and commentators who would get a flat out F minus in my civics class, if what they've reported is based on what they know.
But there's not been much in the way of resistance or opposition that has formed and is looking for an effective way to stop Trump. The Democrats are having trouble getting the approval of many of their own supporters and party members, because they aren't unified, and what leadership we have, especially in the Senate, is either too interested in protecting their own interests, power, and influence, or too caught up in playing old politics, long after the Republicans have abandoned civility and compromise as a means of getting things done. When have we ever heard of members of our party voting to allow a piece of legislation through Congress in which not one single Democrat had input in developing?
That's not leadership.
Look Who's Resonating With Democrats, Disaffected Republicans and Independents
The hero of the moment, for the Stop Trump movement, is the 83 year old independent Senator from Vermont, Bernie Sanders. Senator Sanders ran for the Democratic party nomination for President twice, and his message hasn't changed. A year after Trump was elected the first time, he was addressing the opioid crisis in front of packed houses in deep red counties. He's a truthful populist, and his resilience and the fact that the people of his state have repeatedly placed their trust in him is affirmation of his belief in the American people and his desire, as a politician, to benefit them, not himself.
I'm going to say something that will make a lot of people angry, but it needs to be said. If Bernie Sanders had been the Democratic nominee in 2020, and had been in the White House, Donald Trump would now be in prison for the crimes he committed during his first term, especially for inciting an insurrection against the United States.
That's why he's the one who, along with Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez, are drawing the kind of crowds and interest that are surpassing the size of campaign rallies, and is building the kind of popular support, and pressure, that it will take to stop Trump. That is a big job, given the failure of the GOP to stand up for itself, and their spineless support, which is based on what they are getting out of it. Democrats in Congress, especially in the Senate, are stuck in their old way of thinking, and a few of them have sold themselves out. So there's no credibility for a resistance there. Sanders isn't a Democrat, and AOC is on the House side, where there appears to be a bit more in the way of unity.
I'm almost convinced that if Bernie had been the nominee in 2016, Trump would never have been elected. He brings working class support and credibility in his message that, united with moderate to liberal Democrats, would have swamped Trump and maybe even picked up a couple of red states, in addition to solidifying the blue wall.
Among the resistance to Trump, they are getting attention. We know the other groups are out there, and organizing, but they sure don't show the kind of momentum Sanders and AOC are showing. The only question, really, is whether they will be able to rally the kind of public pressure that will be necessary to break the tiny Republican house majority into enough pieces to put a stop to Trump, toss Musk on the trash heap and perhaps, over time, allow Democracy enough time to hang on until the mid-terms, if that's where the hope now lies in making a change.
So How Long Do We Really Have?
I still spend some time watching MSNBC, and a few of their commentators I can still trust. But even they are prone to put a happier spin on things than the reality which exists. Attempts to mess with Social Security are going to awaken a sleeping giant and the blowback from that is going to be quite a surprise smash in the face to Trump and Musk, and to the GOP. Democrats don't seem to have put a lot of effort into helping their candidates, facing special elections to take away GOP seats in Congress, so I don't know if we can count on that. I sure hope they pull it out but if they do, it will be in spite of the DNC and the party, not because of it. Too much of that old style politics as usual again.
Something has to neutralize Trump before the mid-terms roll around, otherwise, the damage might be too big to fix quickly. My biggest fear is foreign intervention at the point when our enemies think we will be weakest, and they'll know that because Trump or Musk will tell them.
So I don't know, and won't venture to guess how long we really have before our democracy and Constitution can't be saved. I know that we need to take every possible step we can now, to try and save it.
And let's not forget, we had four years to get this job done, including two years up front when we had full control of both houses of Congress and the Presidency. Four years, to prosecute a criminal for his crimes in a country that claims to be based on the rule of law. But interminable delays, because of allowances and concessions made to the rich and powerful, in the justice system are not characteristics of a country that respects the rule of law, and taking more than two years to hand down indictments in a crime where the overwhelming evidence was made public within a year of the crimes being committed is unacceptable.
Had Bernie Sanders been President of the United States in 2020, the Senate filibuster and Democratic party seniority traditions would have fallen by the wayside. He'd have pushed to pack the court, had five or six liberal justices on the court, there would have been no immunity ruling and they would have taken the insurrection case and brought it to its rightful conclusion before the mid-term elections were held. And the budget would be balanced, and a good portion of our government debt paid off by now on the 'fair share' of taxes he would have led Congress to levy on the 1% who have 99% of the money.
Maybe that's AOC's plan. If it is, she has my vote.
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