But I sense there's a new factor involved that is finding its way into the Democratic minority during this Trump administration, and that's self-preservation. It seems there are a few Senators who, after winning their seat on the backs of moderate to liberal Democratic party supporters with strong rhetoric and appealing characteristics, have now decided to preserve their power and their seat, not by compromise, but by being conciliatory. There were several of those who didn't have to run for re-election in 2024 with Trump on the ballot, who won a decisive race in the 2022 mid-terms, and who are now sitting back thinking that they may somehow achieve the "king's" favor by kissing his ass or his ring.
There are others who are taking the "Poor, poor, pitiful us" route, throwing up their hands, declaring that there is nothing they can do, in spite of evidence to the contrary, and deciding that if they can't do anything, they are not going to take any risks or be bold, either.
Most of them still believe that Trump is an existential threat to American democracy, and we saw that in the votes they cast against cloture which, if there had been just a couple more, we would have actually had the beginnings of a true resistance in Congress. Democrats in the House had both the spine and the fortitude to take risks to vote against Trump's CR bill, and stood as a party united. That helps me have a lot of confidence in Hakeem Jeffries' leadership and in what the members believe.
Can We Hold On to the Party's Values and Still Offer Effective Resistance?
Trump's faction of the Republican party has no values. They have demonstrated a willingness to break the law in order to remain in power. After getting over the initial shock of the Trump Insurrection on January 6, 2021, the Republican members of the Congress, with few exceptions, put up no objections or criticism of the Insurrection and refused to follow through with consequences for Trump, who instigated it.
The Democrats had a chance, with control of both houses of Congress and the White House, to protect the country from having this happen to us once again. And yet, here we are, because when that chance presented itself, the Democratic party leadership was unwilling to step outside of the boundaries they set for themselves, because they were still thinking that the old rules of bi-partisan give and take compromise, were somehow still in effect. So, in the old line partisan thinking, they gave away their Democratic party majoity and sold us out to the GOP. And yet, everything we would have done would have been within the law.
Granted, it would have taken some really politically risky moves. But anything worth achieving is worth the risk. There were Democrats who were farsighted and visionary enough to see what needed to occur in order to prevent Trump from being the existential threat to democracy that Democrats said he was. And if we really believed he was such a threat, real action could have accompanied the rhetoric, and we would have succeeded in making sure Trump was never able to walk the halls of the White House again.
There were plenty of Democrats who appeared willing to take the risks, and they said so. Yes, they were big risks. Breaking the Senate filibuster, something that the current partisan rancor we see in American politics has made irrelevant and ridiculous, would have required some brain power to figure out how to frustrate the other party's ambitions when Democrats didn't have a senate majority. The exact intricacies of how to pack the Supreme Court for maximum, long term effectiveness, in order to achieve the goals of preserving Roe, stopping the ridiculous ruling on Presidential immunity and making sure Trump's trial for Insurrection got moved to the fast track would have required some deep thinking. Democrats were capable of figuring out how to make that work, and also, to take the necessary protective steps needed in the aftermath to keep the other party from taking advantage of it without a lot of work.
If the Republicans had ever felt any of those steps were necessary to advance their agenda, when they had the power to do them, they would beyond any shadow of doubt. They're already there, they've done the impossible, and they have looked as political as it is possible to look during the process. What do Democrats think they have to lose?
The fact that this old line, old style, left-over political practice is still providing the script for Democratic party leadership is, frankly, disgusting. Do they not see that we are now on the side of a line that, had we drawn it, and carried out our convictions, would not exist today?
And specifically, what values are we holding that prevents us from doing the right thing simply because of appearances?
Schumer was wrong when he claimed that shutting down the government would be worse for democracy, and an advantage for Trump. That is not true. Both outcomes were bad, as far as our side is concerned, but a vote for cloture to allow the Republicans to pass a bill, rather than shut down the government and let them figure it out was caving into pressure. Schumer could only muster nine other Democrats to vote with him, while 37 Democrats in the Senate voted no on cloture. There's where our next senate minority leader needs to come from.
When We Have a Chance, Take It!
We won't beat this guy by not taking the risks. When something needs to be done to protect democracy, do it! They are already way out in front on this, because they no longer are restrained by the rule of law. So anything that throws up obstacles, roadblocks or would lead to his being pushed out the exit, we need to facilitate, support and get it done. And it will take bold action and taking risks to unite all of the elements who want to see Trump just go ahead and resign, or be impeached and removed, or be taken out by the 25th Amendment.
Move with boldness. Take a few risks. Preserve our democracy and save the country.
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