I’m a Liberal. My Vote for the Democrat Party Has Never Been Less Guaranteed.

The American political landscape has never been more aggressive in its political division. A leading contributor is a combination of factors from the cost of living crisis to negative political optics, such as the US involvement in the Israel-Hamas war. To rub salt in the wound, both major party’s have congealed behind two deeply unpopular presidential candidates. Neither of whom are seen by the each wing’s majority blocs, left and right-centrists, as adequately equipped to resolve the divisions. For the Conservatives, there was but one choice: One Donald J. Trump. For it was Trump’s strangle-hold over the Conservative base that guaranteed his frontrunner status. However, for the Democrat party, there could’ve been another. Of course Biden is the sitting incumbent president, and tradition follows that he would be the party’s nominee. But let’s not forget, at the onset of the race for the 2020 presidential elections, Biden declared on the campaign trail repeatedly that he sought to be a one-term president. The reason the former Vice President re-emerged from a suspected retirement after Obama’s second term was for one reason. That reason was to protect the Republic from Donald Trump. But, there’s something lacking in his logic. While Trump was handedly defeated in 2020, it was all but confirmed Trump would reenter the fray come 2024. Biden’s cited 2020 reason for running and the forewarning of Trumps ‘24 plans contradict Biden’s earlier declaration. It’s understandable of course why the Democrats put up Biden for the upcoming election. A proven candidate is a far safer bet than one unknown on the national stage. But was he the only option?

My displeasure is less so with Biden himself, but rather the regressive philosophy of the Democrat party. How the party whose values supposedly are said to coincide with my own have lost their way. So begins my personal and displeased account…

Concerning the Democrat’s governing philosophy, I can see no contrary evidence that it’s one of anything but complacency. I have watched with agonizing patience as the Democrat party has clung to unimaginative, familiar, and antiquated electoral strategies. This stagnant philosophy is a main factor behind Biden’s support for the ‘24 nomination. I’m aware there are advantages to this. Incumbent sitting presidents are usually the safest bet. But in the context of 2024, Trump has leading margins on Independent voters over Biden in almost all of the battleground states, and nationwide. A bad prelude for Democracy on account Independents constitutes ~40% of the electorate. And that’s nothing to say regarding the fact that Trump’s base has not shrunk since his successful 2016 presidential bid. More concerning, a majority of polls discover that it has grown, accounting for more college-educated males supporting him than in 2020. In face of this troubling reality, the Democrat party begrudgingly rallied behind a candidate whose approval rate (39%) is the lowest of any modern incumbent president entering an upcoming election.

What irked many Liberals such as myself, was that even as early as Spring of 2023, they made neither effort nor posed debate into potential alternatives. Where is the party that once plucked a relatively unknown Senator from Illinois, to nurture and successfully win two consecutive presidential terms? Terms that saw a staggering electoral victory of 125+ votes against both his opponents. To the grief of many Liberals, that Democrat party lives only in the pages of history. A Democrat party whose boldness and vigor saw what could excite the nation, and persuade the electorate to vote accordingly. In the place where that spirit once lived, now stands a mere creature of complacency. It whispers lies of “safe bets” and cautions against nurturing our younger, future Democrat lawmakers. Ironically, that same caution it advocates against, saw Obama become one of the Democrat Party’s most formidable Liberal presidents since the days of Kennedy.

While unpersuaded Liberals hear that argument and posit “now is not the time for an experimental candidate, too much is at risk. These are different circumstances”, I’m hard-pressed to see the distinction. At least to the degree they would represent. At the time of the 2008 presidential election, Iraq continued to dominate public discourse, the recession had upended our economy, and social divisions flared. On paper, who was an inexperienced, one-term Illinois Senator to address these daunting tasks? Such challenges must surely be entrusted only to seasoned leadership. But the shadow of the current Democrat party, and later that fateful November, the nation, came to a different conclusion. A more hopeful one. Doubtful Liberals say the political climate of 2024 is not the time for new blood. I say it could have been. But the Democrat’s strategy of complacency and crying wolf of Trump’s threat to Democracy, while true, only solidified the aspiring dictator’s hold over the GOP base.

Although Trump’s hold over the GOP base is impressive, it pales in comparison to how he shaped the makeup of another body: the Supreme Court. And in June of 2022, this 6-3 Conservative-majority bench would capitalize on one of the greatest victims of Democrat complacency in nearly 50 years: the death of Roe. What made Roe’s reversal infuriating, save the obvious reason of bodily autonomy, was that it didn’t have to die. Since its conceived 1973 ruling and prior to its reversal, the Democrat party had both Executive and Congressional control in no less than three separate administrations from the ‘80’s - 2021. Despite this right-of-way of translating policy into federal law, the fundamental right to an abortion was never enshrined in a national statute. In any of the eras of Democrat control. I will not dignify some of the remedial excuses that have been offered regarding past inaction. I’m certain we’ve all heard the same ones regurgitated. But make no mistake, Democrat complacency is one of the principal reasons tens of millions of women were robbed of self-autonomy. I still hold a grudge against the Democrat party for this historic loss.

Next, it’s time to address the elephant in the room. It’s not only Biden’s age that serves as a hesitating factor for many fellow Liberals, but such concern can be witnessed throughout Democrat leadership. Whether it be the president, former House Speaker Pelosi, Schumer, or the late senior US Senator Dianne Feinstein. The Democrat’s have an age problem. Do not fall prey to the pitfall of decrying “ageism!” Our elders and their experience are deserving of respect. That of course include when they walk the halls of. Congress. However, every new generation must be allowed to hold the baton. It’s their experiences and views that can best represent our upcoming generations. Their position as younger lawmakers are naturally more attuned to translate the critical issues burdening our nation’s younger constituents into firm policymaking. In the time junior Democrat lawmakers are waiting for their elders to pass the baton, the critical window of their tutelage thins. To pass power after having reaped its comforts is a struggle for any leader, regardless of political affiliation. The longer the junior congressional leaders must wait, the more the wisdom of our senior Liberal lawmakers is validly scrutinized.

Upon Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s 2019 confirmation, and indeed her fellow “squad members” ascension to Congress, many Liberals were hopeful in seeing a new generation begin their ascension to Democrat leadership. However, since then, the four lawmakers and many within similar age brackets have faded into the background. Policymaking influence within the Democrat party has remained solidified and stagnant to those above 70 years of age. This flagrant abandonment of mentorship from senior Liberal lawmakers has irked many Liberals such as myself. When this particular debates emerges, blind allegations of ageism mustn’t operate as a mechanism to shut down any legitimate discussion on congressional mentorship. They must be respectfully evaluated so as to cultivate effective, well-equipped future Liberal leaders. More concerning, the GOP has proven diligent on the score of raising up the future generational leaders of its party. That of course is no endorsement as to the policy beliefs of said GOP mentees. The reluctance to prepare future effective congressional leaders is tragically an issue solely belonging to Democrats. Yet another frustrating product of their regressive philosophy.

Having said all that, I remain hopeful in light of the Democrat’s performance in the 2023 special elections, and their successful mitigation of losses despite narrowly losing the House in ‘22. I’m hopeful that in the coming years, Democrat leadership will uplift more leaders such as Hakeem Jeffries. But one thing is clear, regardless of whether Biden is successful this coming November, and that is the Democrat Party’s philosophy must adapt to the times. It’s inherent complacency contributed to loss of fundamental abortion rights, rapidly-waning support among essential electoral-blocs such as Latino, Independent, and college-educated voters, and an utter ostracizing of America’s working class. If Democrat influence is to be sustained beyond whatever results in November, their electoral philosophy must change. It must change into a philosophy that attracts long-lost supporters, while maintaining the base values that aided Biden’s 2020 success. Because if the party continues on as it currently does, the shadow of Trump will never fade.