IN THE AFTERMATH of Kamala Harris losing to Donald Trump and with the subsequent emergence of an authoritarian Presidency, there has been a wide-ranging and often angry debate within the Democratic Party about what went wrong. How on earth did Harris manage to lose to a political charlatan, a convicted felon and a rapist? The finger of blame has pointed in many different directions, but it has finally seemed to have settled on the Democratic Party corporate establishment who managed to devise ways to lose to Trump not once, but twice.
Even Tim Walz, the running mate of Kamala Harris, has been critical of the Democratic Party leadership. In several recent meetings, he has freely conceded that the Democratic Party did little to convince potential voters that their lives would markedly improve under a Harris presidency. Too often, Walz said, the Democratic Party looked and sounded like the complacent defender of an economic status quo that had failed working people.
Walz, who has described himself as 'middle of the road' politically, has also been critical of the centrist/corporatist/third way politics that have held sway in the Democratic Party since the days of the Bill Clinton presidency.
'Maybe we have been too timid in government,', he told one meeting.
Walz has called on the Democratic Party to lay out a policy agenda that has clear benefits for the American working class.
Tim Walz's comments come at a time when dissatisfaction with the present Democratic Party leadership continues to grow. That dissatisfaction has intensified since Senate leader Chuck Schumer and a handful of corporate Democrats capitulated to Republicans and voted for a government funding package. This allows Trump to slash critical social programs and bolster his continued lawless assault on federal agencies.
The progressive lobby group Justice Democrats angrily said that the 'corporate Democratic leadership is all talk and no fight. Gutless, spineless, and utterly unqualified to lead. Schumer should step down from Democratic leadership—or be forced out—and let someone actually willing to fight Trump and Musk take his place.'
And, increasingly, it is congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who is being promoted to replace Schumer. There will be other contenders (including Tim Walz) but it is indicative of the mood for change within the Democratic Party that many want AOC to be the public face of the party. This is the same AOC who has often been attacked by the Democratic Party leadership for her left-wing views. She is a member of the America's largest socialist organisation, the Democratic Socialists of America.
AOC herself has been extremely critical of the Democratic Party senate leader. She said that Schumer's decision to vote for the funding bill was a 'tremendous mistake' and that it was 'dangerous and reckless' to enable Donald Trump and Elon Musk.
She has declined to say whether she intends to stand against Schumer.
AOC has joined Bernie Sanders on the 'Fighting Oligarchy' tour. The tour kicked off in Arizona, filling a 5,000 seat arena in Tempe.
It is clear that Americans have, so far, been less than impressed by the timid Democratic response to Trump, and it has only contributed to widening the gap between the corporate Democratic leadership and the grassroots membership. But in politicians like AOC and Sanders it still has the ability to bridge that gap. Their intention is to build a party that is motivated by the concerns of its voters, not its corporate donors.
The question is whether the present embattled and discredited leadership will step aside and allow the Democratic Party to be rebuilt.
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| Approximately 35,000 people attended the 'Fighting Oligarchy' rally in Denver on Saturday. |
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