In the long run, a party that stumbles from one vacuous trendy issue to another for its core identity is doomed to collapse.
Successful American political parties cannot offer narrowly crafted, closely argued programs. Moreover, unlike ideology-based European parties, American parties with their heterogeneous electoral supporters must win majorities to gain office, and this requires coalition building.
That reality acknowledged, the current Democrat party’s offerings far exceed the usual hodgepodge of appeals. What, for example, links facilitating sex change operations for minors and increasing taxes on billionaires? Or “free” government-funded medical care (“Medicare for All”) and defunding the police? How is “affordability” related to enacting the “Green New Deal,” a policy that invariably increases energy costs? Can government lower prices while simultaneously boosting everyone’s wages? Why defend open borders and sanctuary cities when the resulting cheap labor will drive down wages for American workers? Will millions vote Democrat to allow men to play on women’s sports teams, legalize deadly addictive drugs, condemn Israeli “genocide” in Gaza? This “platform” is an incoherent collection of bumper stickers-like slogans.
Many of these appeals are also unpopular and have zero chance of implementation. Do Americans really want to pack the Supreme Court to advance some vague agenda or replace it altogether? What about supporting a political party that displays a lukewarm enthusiasm for patriotic symbols like the flag and the glories of American history? American political parties typically resemble budget-breaking Santa Clauses, but the Democrat party’s current version of Old Saint Nick promises toys few want, will not work as advertised, and are dangerous.
Nor is altering the English language a winning election strategy though it is alluringly cheap to accomplish. Using “sex workers” versus the supposedly offensive “hooker” is hardly a winning election strategy. Or “birthing person,” to replace “mother.” Such often comic wordplay only conflates terminology with reality and fools nobody.
Particularly desperate is chasing electoral advantage by invoking “socialism.” No doubt, few Americans correctly understand “socialism” other than lots of “free stuff.” More importantly, implementing genuine socialism necessarily requires deeply unpopular measures such as public ownership of key industries, government-controlled media, eliminating private banks and similar draconian government controls over people’s private lives.
Even further afield from the party’s historic identity is playing footsie with Muslim extremism, especially Michigan’s Abdul El-Sayed, despite his anti-American and Anti-Israeli baggage. This is in Michigan, the home of the United Auto Workers, a traditional core Democrat constituency, and one hardly disposed towards Islam. Apparently, the Democrat “Big Tent” here excludes the old faithful in favor of a religion deeply antithetical to American values.