Democrats aren’t tearing our democracy apart. And that’s great. But why don’t we know what they’ll do with power?

Democrats won’t tell us what they’ll do. For years, I’ve criticized them for being so cryptic. I keep asking for something they support, but I get nothing. And now I get the faithful telling me to shut up. “Don’t be divisive.” (Apparently, ‘any’ criticism is too much.) “No ‘Litmus Tests’.” And Pete Buttigieg tells us it’s time for a coalition.

OK, sure. What should we coalesce around? Can anyone tell me the Democratic position on, say, economic inequality? How about workers’ rights, healthcare, immigration and asylum, civil rights, or climate change? Democratic Senators and Congresspeople lament that their Republican colleagues are prostrate in front of their orange demigod. They must have alternatives, right?

Silence. I could get better answers from a Magic 8-Ball.

This — this — is how Democrats can lose everything.

Lost Opportunities for Democrats

Women’s Healthcare

Abortion used to be safe and legal. Remember? Like it or not, abortion remains important healthcare. Back when Biden was President and Democrats held majorities, we begged Democrats to protect abortion rights. (Then) Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer poo-pooed it. (Then) Speaker of the House Hakeem Jeffries barely considered it. They insisted Roe v Wade was ‘decided law’ despite an openly stacked Supreme Court. When Democrats lost the presidency and both houses, Roe fell, and they couldn’t do anything about it.

Has that lesson penetrated the Democratic Party mentality?

“Reply hazy, try again”

But those same Democrats were all over social media about the unfairness of that decision, so I feel much better that they screwed it up.

Income Inequality

Does anyone know the Democratic positions on progressive taxation? (‘Progressive’ taxes are when the rich pay a higher percentage of their income than the poor.) That’s been a popular Democratic position because it’s fair. Trump squeals in delight about tariffs because they are regressive taxes. Higher prices on everything mean that rich bastards pay a tiny fraction of their massive income while everyone else struggles for whatever crappy stuff they can afford. Unsurprisingly, Trump’s hyper-rich backers love that.

Democrats? In the past, they’ve opposed Trump’s tariffs, at least in theory, but I don’t see much of that in practice. Maybe they aren’t doing anything visible because they can’t get the votes, so why bother? They still find time to have their staff write lots of social media posts about what Republicans should do about it.

Is progressive taxation something Democrats support powerfully, moderately, or are they playing mum so they can negotiate it away for something else they want more?

“Don’t count on it”

Keep going: Anyone know the documented Democratic stance on human rights, childcare, women’s rights, birth control, religious control of federal functions, fucking genocide, gun safety, foreign policy, economic policy, high infant mortality, or the goddamn certainty that some whackjob will gun down schoolkids next month? They post their outrage every damn week. There must be a Democratic position on paper somewhere more substantial than, ‘Please don’t shoot kids as much.’ Right?

“Cannot predict now”

Doesn’t sound inspiring.

The Crumbling News Media

We need a vibrant press, not the lickspittle toadies that recent mergers and acquisitions have left us bemoaning. With right-wing Larry and David Ellison already buying CBS and poised to buy Warner Bros, we’re about to lose CNN, Comedy Central, and other critical news sources along with CBS News. And that’s after the New York Times, The Washington Post, the LA Times, and every Sinclair-owned TV station. Billionaires bought up our flagship news organizations and turned them into cringeworthy shells.

How will we pry the news out of the hands of billionaires and restore balance without introducing bias? They’ll never be perfect, and those same influential billionaires will attack every change mercilessly. These are complex and difficult problems to fix, but we can’t ignore them.

And while Democrats are moaning about all that in post after post, they’re not suggesting anything they’d do to fix it, either. Maybe they have secret plans somewhere?

“Concentrate and ask again”

Epstein and the Trump Abuse Ring

Crap! I forgot about the widespread sexual corruption that the Epstein sex ring uncovered. That’s important, and it’s endemic. Half the population knows this in painful and personal detail. What will they do for the victims? What’s the Democratic Party’s position on prosecutions? And if the Statute of Limitations has passed, do the Democrats have anything else they might do? Truth Commission? Civil suits?

While we’re here, think about the deeper problems just underneath. As cartoonishly evil as Epstein, Maxwell, Trump, Wexner, Black, and the rest were, they only showed us a tiny sliver of a much larger problem: the rich and powerful subjugate men, women, and children. Coaches abuse athletes; mentors try to trick their students; and doctors take advantage of young kids. Abuse from pastors and priests has become infamous. This is everywhere.

Don’t pretend. We always knew. How many coaches abused players? Every month, I can read about clerical abuse (not that I want to). The “casting couch” was a cliche long before Harvey Weinstein was revealed. Everyone knew, back then. Everyone knows it’s happening now. People who have that power aren’t about to give it up. The rot runs very deep.

[Aside: Notice that I don’t call this ‘sexual’ subjugation, because it’s just violence. Read the details. Violence and beatings were intrinsic. There’s a reason Trump was almost rubbing one out while erotically describing military violence during his SOTU. Does anyone believe that he doesn’t get off on mayhem?]

Will the Democratic Party even pretend to deal with deep, difficult problems like systemic abuse and subjugation? What if that meant dropping a donor? Would they persist? If so, they need to count the ways.

“Very doubtful”

If they’re not saying yes, then the answer is ‘no.’

The End of the American Democracy?

And we haven’t even started on everyone’s top-of-mind fear: the end of this American democracy, and the fallout across the planet. If we manage to push Democrats back into power despite their haplessness, how will they deal with accountability, remove the fascist tools like ICE, and restore the pillars of American liberal democracy? (You know: the rule of law, free and fair elections, equal rights and liberties, separation of powers, etc.) If we give Democrats their majority, what will they do?

Accountability

What’s the Democratic answer to Trump’s open corruption? Will there be any accountability? Investigation and prosecution? Truth Commission? Nuremberg Trials? Can we fix our damaged institutions, or should we create new ones? What new guardrails might Democrats create that might survive the next autocrat?

“Better not tell you now”

We can’t wing this. Trump has corrupted the people who are in charge of investigations. Who can investigate the Department of Justice itself? The Department of Defense? All the Inspectors General?

Democrats, any ideas?

“Very doubtful”

We need to plan now, because even if we take the majority, there will be another autocrat who’ll try to take over. Soon. Trump’s reelection should have shown us we’re vulnerable to them. And we already know that if we don’t plan how to stop the next guy — now, while we have the time — we’ll have to fight twice as hard later. I mean, Jan. 6th should have taught us that one.

Oligarchs

Republicans have spent most of my adult life rebuilding the Gilded Age. How will Democrats counter billionaires (or trillionaires, god forfend) who can buy enough politicians to stop any reforms before they start? ‘Citizens United’ opened the floodgates, and that’s been the SOP ever since. They are powerful and difficult to oppose. Democrats better have some solid plans in place now.

Anything Democrats do will have to survive this Supreme Court supermajority. We already know they’ll overrule anything that Democrats do, anything that changes the balance of power, or whatever their billionaire owners tell them. (They know what side their bread is buttered on.)

“My sources say no”

We get word salad or silence. The Democratic Party leadership won’t even give us empty promises on that one.

The Supreme Court

Speaking of SCOTUS, is there anything Democrats will do about the individual corrupt Supreme Court Justices? You know, the people with magically provided RVs, lavish vacations, sweetheart real estate deals, and magically disappearing school debt. (Must be nice.) It’s not like Democrats don’t know all about it. There were lots of breathless social media posts.

What are the Democratic ideas about limiting the power of corrupt individuals? There aren’t many options. First, there’s no point in waiting. Yeah, they’re old and retiring, but Trump will only nominate compromised candidates who Republicans will rubber-stamp. And sure, impeachment sounds nice, but it’s never worked before and won’t work now. Finally, SCOTUS term limits sound more practical, but that requires a Constitutional amendment. Yes, ‘lifetime appointment’ is in the Constitution. It may be possible, but that’s very long-term stuff. It will not save us now.

I only see one option left: expand the court. Will Dems do that? This issue was just as obvious back when they held the Presidency and majorities in both houses, but Democrats sat on their hands anyway. Too scared. Have they changed since Trump? Yes? No? Something else?

“Ask again later”

New Boss, Same as the Old Boss

As much as I hate today’s elected Republicans, I don’t want to trade one despot for another. Trump showed us that American laws are, at most, suggestions. Are Democrats prepared to reestablish our democracy as a system of three coequal branches? That’s tough. And can we trust them to give up Trump’s absolute power if the President were a Democrat? Remember that fixing Trump’s damage will take decades.

Are Democrats prepared to make those hard choices? If that were the case, you’d think they’d have mentioned it.

“Outlook not so good”

No, the Democrats Aren’t Ready

I’m not bringing up new issues. Democratic politicians write about this stuff all the time. Well, maybe not the systemic sexual abuse part, but Democratic leadership writes about all the other issues I raised and more on social media. They make their staff post stuff every hour or two. Endless whiny shit about today’s hot topic. Can’t get ‘em to shut up, honestly.

Senator, nobody needs another “Woe is me!” post telling us stuff we already know. Stop wailing about how unfair Republicans have been and how someone should do something about it. Why is it always someone else who’s supposed to fix this? You’re a Party leader! And if we ask for specifics, we either get silence, empty promises, or a brush-off: “How dare you question us with Litmus tests?!?” they have their proxies shout.

Democrats are Losing

Fixing our nation will be complex and politically difficult. No politician will succeed if they’re making this stuff up as they go. The Democratic Party will need substantial popular support to power through the painful parts. They should be building that strong base of support now.

Instead, Democrats are bleeding enthusiasm. They have individuals with vision, but we can see how feckless the leadership has become. There’s no sign they have political goals, policies, or positions. Without plans, they can’t hold. Democratic leadership won’t do anything substantial. They’re the problem now.

We all saw Sen. Chuck Schumer grin and shake the (allegedly) corrupt sex offender Howard Lutnick’s hand at the SOTU — like they were buddies.

Make the Democratic Party Stand for Something

If they want our full-throated support — if they expect us to protest, fight through voter suppression, and give them the substantial majorities they’ll need for years to come — they need to tell us what we’re fighting for. Tell us the Party’s goals. Yes, as cliché as it sounds, our democracy might die in silence. The Democratic Party needs to count the ways they’ll deliver the goods. Be specific, or go home.

And as nice as it might be to envision a charismatic leader with the vision we need, this will be a longer enterprise than one person can support. We need durable goals. We need the whole party to stand for something.

Instead, I alternate between ‘feckless’ and ‘hapless.’ Democrats have positions, but the Democratic Party doesn’t. That’s a terminal problem.

The Republican Party isn’t afraid of planning. They’ve spent generations developing detailed goals, strategies, and tactics. They lined up the specific people they wanted. They published all of it, too! If you’re curious, read them in Project 2025. I’m not saying we should emulate their destructiveness, but any argument that announcing your plans is politically harmful is provably horseshit.

Conclusion

We don’t need you, Senator Schumer. You are the wrong man for leadership. We don’t need you, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, with your robotic gestures and empty talking points. You’ve both done good work in the past, but you aren’t up to the moment.

We need better leaders, but even more, we need a political party with goals and the methods to achieve them.