As he marks 100 days in office, much ink will be spilt on Donald Trump’s divisive transformation of the US government, but Democrats are themelves under scrutiny over missteps in opposing his blitz of reforms.In AFP interviews, multiple political analysts said Democrats have become a rudderless, divided party struggling to decide what it stands for.”If I were giving them a letter grade, it would be a C-, below average. They don’t understand yet why they lost to Donald Trump,” said veteran political strategist Matt Klink.”The party continues to focus on issues that are unpopular with the American public — men playing in women’s sports, support for illegal immigration and fighting cuts, any cuts, to the federal bureaucracy.”What’s more, “most voters (are) not listening or caring” to Democrats’ allegations that Trump is a dictator or authoritarian, Klink said.Booted out of the White House and reduced to a minority in Congress, Democrats’ opportunities to make their mark in Trump’s Washington are threadbare. But most analysts interviewed by AFP said the party could have better articulated a coherent message, unified around priorities and tactics and figured out how and when to oppose Trump. “Broadly speaking, I think most Americans would regard congressional Democrats as failing to meet the moment,” said Flavio Hickel, a politics professor at Washington College.Central to the frustration is the disconnect between their dire warnings of the threat Trump poses to democracy and their enthusiasm for being seen cooperating with his administration. In a whirlwind first three months in office, Trump has unleashed a trade war, stoked allies’ fears America has switched sides in the Russia-Ukraine war and unleashed tech billionaire Elon Musk to dismantle much of the federal bureaucracy.Meanwhile Democratic senators have voted to confirm Trump cabinet appointees, doing little to slow down his breakneck agenda and even voting with Republicans to pass immigration legislation.- Resistance -“We’re not going to go after every single issue,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the New York Times in February. “We are picking the most important fights and lying down on the train tracks on those fights.”But Schumer — and potential 2028 presidential contenders like governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer — have infuriated grassroots activists over various efforts to cooperate with the White House or build bridges with Trump’s “MAGA” movement.Meanwhile Democratic lawmakers have been mocked on social media for ineffective gestures such as silently waving paddles bearing protest slogans during Trump’s speech to Congress.Rare glimpses of a fightback have included victory in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and a hugely popular “Fighting Oligarchy” tour by progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Popular New Jersey senator Cory Booker provided a possible roadmap for eyecatching opposition, say analysts, with a blockbuster 25-hour Senate speech that made headlines for days. But Madeline Summerville, a former communications advisor and speechwriter for Democratic state senators, said Booker’s actual message had been lost in the noise.”The Dems struggle with messaging. They don’t understand that you need a rallying cry — a slogan — to motivate the masses. And that slogan needs to be clear, concise and inspiring,” she said.”They’re calling on people to ‘fight oligarchy’ but they’re not telling us how — nor is that a very catchy slogan.”Andrew Koneschusky, a former communications aide to Schumer, said that he would give Democrats in Congress a D grade, noting that while individual lawmakers were making a splash, “no one seems to be conducting the orchestra.”But he was more optimistic about grassroots opposition, which he awarded a B grade, pointing to lawsuits that have had some success in reining Trump in.”After a deafening silence, we’re also seeing more visible signs of resistance such as the recent marches in Washington DC and across the country that drew hundreds of thousands of people,” he said.”It feels like Democrats are finally emerging from their post-election funk.”
As he marks 100 days in office, much ink will be spilt on Donald Trump’s divisive transformation of the US government, but Democrats are themelves under scrutiny over missteps in opposing his blitz of reforms.In AFP interviews, multiple political analysts said Democrats have become a rudderless, divided party struggling to decide what it stands for.”If I were giving them a letter grade, it would be a C-, below average. They don’t understand yet why they lost to Donald Trump,” said veteran political strategist Matt Klink.”The party continues to focus on issues that are unpopular with the American public — men playing in women’s sports, support for illegal immigration and fighting cuts, any cuts, to the federal bureaucracy.”What’s more, “most voters (are) not listening or caring” to Democrats’ allegations that Trump is a dictator or authoritarian, Klink said.Booted out of the White House and reduced to a minority in Congress, Democrats’ opportunities to make their mark in Trump’s Washington are threadbare. But most analysts interviewed by AFP said the party could have better articulated a coherent message, unified around priorities and tactics and figured out how and when to oppose Trump. “Broadly speaking, I think most Americans would regard congressional Democrats as failing to meet the moment,” said Flavio Hickel, a politics professor at Washington College.Central to the frustration is the disconnect between their dire warnings of the threat Trump poses to democracy and their enthusiasm for being seen cooperating with his administration. In a whirlwind first three months in office, Trump has unleashed a trade war, stoked allies’ fears America has switched sides in the Russia-Ukraine war and unleashed tech billionaire Elon Musk to dismantle much of the federal bureaucracy.Meanwhile Democratic senators have voted to confirm Trump cabinet appointees, doing little to slow down his breakneck agenda and even voting with Republicans to pass immigration legislation.- Resistance -“We’re not going to go after every single issue,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told the New York Times in February. “We are picking the most important fights and lying down on the train tracks on those fights.”But Schumer — and potential 2028 presidential contenders like governors Gavin Newsom and Gretchen Whitmer — have infuriated grassroots activists over various efforts to cooperate with the White House or build bridges with Trump’s “MAGA” movement.Meanwhile Democratic lawmakers have been mocked on social media for ineffective gestures such as silently waving paddles bearing protest slogans during Trump’s speech to Congress.Rare glimpses of a fightback have included victory in a Wisconsin Supreme Court race, and a hugely popular “Fighting Oligarchy” tour by progressive lawmakers Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.Popular New Jersey senator Cory Booker provided a possible roadmap for eyecatching opposition, say analysts, with a blockbuster 25-hour Senate speech that made headlines for days. But Madeline Summerville, a former communications advisor and speechwriter for Democratic state senators, said Booker’s actual message had been lost in the noise.”The Dems struggle with messaging. They don’t understand that you need a rallying cry — a slogan — to motivate the masses. And that slogan needs to be clear, concise and inspiring,” she said.”They’re calling on people to ‘fight oligarchy’ but they’re not telling us how — nor is that a very catchy slogan.”Andrew Koneschusky, a former communications aide to Schumer, said that he would give Democrats in Congress a D grade, noting that while individual lawmakers were making a splash, “no one seems to be conducting the orchestra.”But he was more optimistic about grassroots opposition, which he awarded a B grade, pointing to lawsuits that have had some success in reining Trump in.”After a deafening silence, we’re also seeing more visible signs of resistance such as the recent marches in Washington DC and across the country that drew hundreds of thousands of people,” he said.”It feels like Democrats are finally emerging from their post-election funk.”
