The Democratic Party could well be renamed the ‘Resistance to Trump Party.’ For over five months, the Democrats haven't voiced anything other than criticisms of Trump. And even there, they don't know what alternatives to provide to the American voter.
There are the usual players who are drawn to TV cameras.
Senator Cory Booker achieved a historic milestone by delivering the longest Senate floor speech in U.S. history. He spoke for over 25 hours and protested President Trump's policies on immigration, education, and the economy. He emphasized the importance of standing up for American values and democracy, drawing inspiration from civil rights leaders like John Lewis. Like most politicians, Booker relished the spotlight and broke the previous record of 24 hours and 18 minutes set by Senator Strom Thurmond in 1957. We doubt if anyone tuned in other than Booker's family and staff. Even if they did, we doubt anyone could summarize the highlights in fewer than five minutes.
Last week, another controversy erupted when Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) flew to El Salvador to advocate for the rights of a deported individual allegedly linked to MS-13. The moment—captured in a photo tweeted by El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele—showed Van Hollen seated across from the man, with margaritas staged in front of them. Van Hollen later attempted to downplay the optics, blaming local officials for the setup. It was a surreal scene—especially coming from a party that enabled an illegal immigrant invasion of over ten million and now finds itself defending the indefensible.
Senator Adam Schiff, the uber-Trump hater, has lately been quiet, secure in the knowledge that he received a preemptive pardon from former President Biden as he left Washington. Schiff must be spending sleepless nights as he is in a delicate bind. We don't know if Schiff formally rejected the pardon—something he would need to do in order to retain his right to invoke the Fifth Amendment if the Trump DOJ pursues him for those pardoned offenses.
In 1915, George Burdick, an editor of the New York Tribune, refused to testify before a grand jury, invoking his Fifth Amendment rights. The President granted him a pardon, but Burdick declined to accept it. The Supreme Court, in Burdick v. United States (1915), ruled that acceptance is considered a confession of that guilt in exchange for forgiveness or immunity from punishment. However, refusing a pardon protected Burdick's Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.
If Schiff were to accept his pardon, he would no longer be at risk of prosecution for specific actions. But he can't assert his Fifth Amendment rights, so he will be forced to testify regarding all the backdoor deals that he made to damage Trump during Russia, Russia, Russia, the first Ukraine impeachment, and January 6. Plus, he has to lawyer up.
On Tuesday, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) finally confessed to her repeated lies during last year's campaign. Recall that she publicly and vigorously defended Biden against a Wall Street Journal report about his mental sharpness. Yet after the Atlanta debate, Pelosi joined a chorus of leaders to call for Biden's withdrawal. She told Aishah Hasnie of Fox News: "I love him. I respect him. I respect his family and all the rest. But it was at a point where we had to win the election." That's right. Do whatever it takes, including lying to your voters, but win. It was such a hollow statement that was so wrong all through.
Perhaps Pelosi thought it prudent to come clean. For the first time in her long career, she is being primaried by one of the most progressive members of the Left. Saikat Chakrabarti rose to prominence when he co-founded Justice Democrats, an ultra-liberal wing of the Democratic Party, and was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's former campaign manager and chief of staff. Chakrabarti was the brainchild behind helping liberal candidates launch primary challenges in safe seats, knowing that the general election would almost certainly return the Democratic candidate. Now, he is challenging the very altar of Democratic Party power.
Some of the House's most visible members in recent years - Ilhan Omar (MN-05); Rashida Tlaib (MI-12); Ayanna Pressley (MA-07); Pramila Jayapal (WA-07); Ro Khanna (CA-17); Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07); Summer Lee (PA-12); Delia Ramirez (IL-03); Greg Casar (TX-35); and Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) - are all Justice Democrats alumni.
Pelosi, 84, has filed for re-election but has not publicly confirmed whether she will run again. She may not withstand a political challenge from Chakrabarti, whose main argument is that the party leadership is too old and needs a generational change. He has a point. Voter sentiment clearly reflects these internal fractures.
A TIPP Poll conducted for the League of American Workers shows that just 29% of Americans approve of the Democratic Party’s performance, while 58% disapprove. Among independents, disapproval climbs to 63%, with only 18% expressing support. The results reflect a broad erosion of confidence in the party’s leadership and direction.
Chuck Schumer (Senate Majority Leader) is relatively young at 74; Dick Durbin (Senate Democratic is 80; Steny Hoyer (Former Majority Leader is 85; Jim Clyburn (Former Assistant Democratic Leader) is 84; Jerry Nadler (Ranking Member, Judiciary Committee) is 77; Maxine Waters (Ranking Member, Financial Services Committee) is 86; and Bennie Thompson (Ranking Member, Homeland Security Committee) is 77.
The problem for Democrats is that their younger generation is mainly clueless and unknown. The current chairman of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is Ken Martin, whose claim to fame is that he has served as the chairman of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party since 2011 and President of the Association of State Democratic Committees since 2017. Most Americans don't even recognize these organizations.
David Hogg, a telegenic 24-year-old, gained national attention after the Parkland, Florida shootings and has remained a high-profile progressive voice. He was elected Vice Chairman of the Democratic Party during the February party elections. After a year of activism, he enrolled at Harvard University and continues to advocate for policies such as abolishing ICE, defunding the police, and imposing a 100% tax on billionaires.
The media has been fixated on covering every move of President Trump, as it should be. However, the media has remained silent about the Democrats, well aware of the dire political situation the Democratic Party is currently in.
