A recent poll just confirmed what a lot of us already know: voters do not like the Democrats very much.
The poll found that only “8 percent of registered voters said they view the Democratic Party ‘very favorably,’ while 63 percent said it's out of touch with the everyday concerns of Americans. In contrast, Republicans are now trusted more on key issues like the economy, immigration, and crime.”
Democrats have only themselves to blame here. All of my life, Democrats have been promising to make life better for the average American. That fabled middle class. And they have not been delivering.
Meanwhile, Republicans have been promising to make the Average American’s life worse. And they have been delivering like wild.
While the majority of people polled said the Democrats suck, that doesn’t mean they like Republicans. It’s possible to be wildly disappointed by the Democrats and utterly disgusted by Republicans at the same time.
But let’s be clear, there is a notable difference between the parties, especially at the most basic level. Democrats, for example, believe that the government needs an expert and fully staffed workforce to do things like make sure airplanes don’t collide, answer the phone when seniors call about their Social Security checks, and give people accurate information about cancer screenings.
Republicans very strongly and very openly do not care about any of these things. Since Trump took office for the second time, his administration has fired the very people we depend on and, admittedly, were able to once take for granted.
Julie of our Point of Disorder podcast likes to use the question, “Would you prefer a haircut or a beheading?” when comparing the Democratic and Republican parties
On the face, it’s a pretty simple choice. I would rather have someone take a pair of scissors to my hair than a guillotine to my neck. So why do so many people trust Republicans even though that flies in the face of self-interest? Why do they choose beheading?
Well, for one thing, they never believe it’s going to be their head on the chopping block. The Republicans do a very good job of convincing their base that they will hurt only the people they don't like: Black people, immigrants, transgender people, the poor, etc. Republicans promised that heads were going to roll if Americans gave them power again. And heads are indeed rolling.
Of course, not everyone is happy about this. A lot of the country is horrified, especially Democratic voters. They want to see the Democrats they’ve elected actively doing something to stop the abuse and cruelty, and lawlessness the Republicans have unleashed on the country.
But, by and large, that’s not what we’re seeing. We’re seeing “leaders” like Rep. Hakim Jeffries and Senator Chuck Schumer stand aside and watch the Republicans run roughshod over the country. We’re seeing Democratic Senators (include Michigan’s own Gary Peters and Elissa Slotkin) who voted to confirm Trump’s wildly unqualified cabinet members like Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who likes to cos play and thinks concentration camps make for a good photo backdrop, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who thinks its cool and normal to lock people up for their political views.
And then there are the names being floated to potentially be the next Democratic candidate for President like California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who platforms right-wing extremists on his podcast and has gone out of his way to wage war on the homeless and scapegoat transgender people. Hard pass.
The smell of fascism in the air is inescapable. We’re literally choking on it. And instead of doing everything they can to clear the air, it feels like Democrats are telling us they don’t smell anything at all.
So, yeah. People are pretty pissed at Dems right now. And not just Republicans. The Democratic base has been given the choice between a haircut and a beheading and they’re saying, “You know what? I don’t want anyone to touch my head at all.”
It’s bad out there, folks. People are scared, people are angry, and people are not in the mood to swallow the usual centrist platitudes from Democrats. Promising to “fight for working families” and “make the rich pay their fair share” just rings hollow after decades without any discernible action.
Anyone running as a Democrat needs to find a way to pull apart from the muddling middle. You have to stand out. You have to be unafraid to call bullshit. You have to make it very clear that you recognize what is going on and are actually willing and able to meet the moment.
The Guerrilla Politic can help you do that. In fact, we’d love to work with you if you’re in it to win by taking risks. If you’re a progressive candidate who believes in universal healthcare, that abortion is health care, that climate change is not only real but is an emergency, that billionaires amassing wealth while people starve is immoral and unsustainable, we’d love to talk.
But if you’re a candidate who believes that transgender people are a distraction from the “real” issues or if you’re trying to strike the right balance on how much to dehumanize immigrants to pick up the ever elusive “undecided” voter without alienating too much of the Democratic base? No thanks. Keep your money. You’re welcome to debase yourself, but we’re not going to help you do it.
It’s called having principles. More Democrats should try it out. Voters are literally begging for it.