Staff Reports
In the great political theater that continues to unfold on the American stage, it seems the Democrats are once again lost in a time warp. They’re stuck in the past, recycling tired narratives around a good ol’ bogeyman they love to hate—Donald Trump. As summer bids farewell, they are gnashing their teeth and shaking their fists at a man who no longer sits in the Oval Office, yet somehow still occupies their nightmares. Maybe it’s Trump Derangement Syndrome at its peak, or maybe it’s just the lack of a better villain in their script.
Amidst the usual chaos, the Democrats have rolled out some rather peculiar ideas, like warning against prayer after a tragic event. There’s a notion, incredibly rich with irony, that they seem to think that praying for victims is the real problem. One would imagine they’d get points for creativity if it weren’t all so dubious. And speaking of questionable strategies, there’s the bizarre tendency to let blue states stew in their own high crime rates. The refusal to accept help from the former president to reduce crime is akin to declining help while drowning, just because the lifeguard had differences of opinion in the past.
Meanwhile, Republicans do have a warning bell to heed, as the election season’s call requires action. Although the polls, which seem to be conducted with all the accuracy of a Magic 8-Ball, don’t favor Republicans, one can’t take anything for granted. The usual political wisdom must hold: getting people to turn out to vote is key. Trump, always the showman, suggests a pre-midterm convention, proving that whatever Democrats are against, he’s all for making it an event. Let’s be honest, organizing an event is something Trump could do one-handed, which is probably more than can be said for some Democratic strategies of late.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is in on the action, spewing dramatic predictions about interference at polls with ICE agents lurking ominously in the shadows. It’s almost comedic to think gubernatorial concern now comes with a side of paranoia. It’s spaghetti against the wall, hoping something will stick, and understandably, it suits Newsom’s penchant for theater and flair for the dramatic. In his world, facts take a backseat to fearmongering—a classic move straight from the Democratic playbook of “If you can’t convince them, confuse them.”
On the national stage, former President Obama has jumped back into the fray, making calls for preserving democracy against perceived threats. He’s dusted off his trusty sidekick, Eric Holder, to join him in these pleas, but it feels like another episode in a series we’ve all seen before. For Democrats, their problem seems less about who the messenger is and more about the lack of message innovation. They’ve hit repeat on the same old tune: “Save Democracy,” while in reality, the need for fresh jingles is more pressing. If Republicans manage to rally their base, they just might be able to navigate their path over the Democrat’s disjointed narrative landscape. But let’s keep watching, it’s sure to be a show.
