By Daniel Nardini
Speaking to crowds of tens and even hundreds of thousands at any one event across the country, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and U.S. House of Representatives Alexandria Occasio-Cortez are starting to gain real traction among a growing number of Americans who are seeing inflation still cutting away their spending power, and the fear that the Republicans under U.S. President Donald Trump are trying to turn the country in an oligarchy dictatorship where only the rich have complete control. This seems almost impossible to believe because just five months ago Trump and the Republicans were riding high on the wave of an election victory that swept them into power not only to the White House but the U.S. Congress as well. This should still be a Republican honeymoon period where they should still be riding high with the electorate and their own Republican-based electorate in particular.
It is starting to change dramatically as inflation continues to go unchecked, the economy is beginning to tank, household incomes are falling, people in the federal government have lost and are continuing to lose their jobs due to Trump government job cuts, and Trump’s tariffs have started a trade war with just about every major partner among America’s friends and allies. We are not even three months into the second Trump administration and the Democrats are already smelling blood in the water. This should not be happening. What should not also be happening are Republicans rapidly losing support in largely Republican-held distracts in special elections. But this seems to be where we are all right now.
We are also seeing the further rise of the Democratic Socialists of America in the ranks of the Democratic Party. As the right wing nationalists and the Christian nationalists have become a powerful force in the Republican Party, so the Democratic Socialists and progressives have become a powerful force in the Democratic Party. And now desperate people are beginning to listen to them. And they are winning converts. Alexandria is the most popular Democratic Socialist among the ranks of the Democratic Socialists of America. She has become the face of this movement. While Bernie Sanders is technically not an official member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he has been known to be sympathetic to them and uses their language. The Democratic Socialists have been growing in the Democratic Party ranks for some time, and now there are over 100 Democratic Socialists in elected office from three U.S. congressional personnel to state and local officials. Technically the Democratic Socialists of America is an organization, not a party.
However, they have had and continue to run candidates not only in the Democratic Party but also the Green Party as well as the minor progressive party the Working Families Party and as independents. The Democratic Socialists reach into many parts of American society is considerable, and is growing. Mainstream centrist Democratic candidates, while still available, are becoming fewer as time goes on. Why? Because the radical right in the Republican Party has galvanized so many Americans to turn to the radical left. If the radical right attacks the unions, then the unions and their membership become more radically left. If the radical right attacks religious minorities, then these religious minorities will seek unity in strength and the radical left become a force within them. Moderate candidates in both ruling parties are being shut out, and this trend seemingly will continue.
The Democratic Socialists of America made real inroads into the United States political and social fabric in the 2010’s under then U.S. President Barack Obama and in Trump’s first term. This trend is continuing in the 2020’s, and we are in uncharted territory for this decade. The main problem I now see is that with more extremist forces in both ruling political parties it means that getting more moderate candidates in both parties will be harder to do. But not just in both ruling parties but also in other third parties like the Green Party and Working Families Party on the one hand and the Constitution Party (a very right wing party) on the other. Radical movements within the parties will mean that more radical candidates may become the norm. This all remains to be seen.
The Dark Decline of the Two Ruling Parties Part II: The Democratic Party
By Daniel Nardini
It is starting to change dramatically as inflation continues to go unchecked, the economy is beginning to tank, household incomes are falling, people in the federal government have lost and are continuing to lose their jobs due to Trump government job cuts, and Trump’s tariffs have started a trade war with just about every major partner among America’s friends and allies. We are not even three months into the second Trump administration and the Democrats are already smelling blood in the water. This should not be happening. What should not also be happening are Republicans rapidly losing support in largely Republican-held distracts in special elections. But this seems to be where we are all right now.
We are also seeing the further rise of the Democratic Socialists of America in the ranks of the Democratic Party. As the right wing nationalists and the Christian nationalists have become a powerful force in the Republican Party, so the Democratic Socialists and progressives have become a powerful force in the Democratic Party. And now desperate people are beginning to listen to them. And they are winning converts. Alexandria is the most popular Democratic Socialist among the ranks of the Democratic Socialists of America. She has become the face of this movement. While Bernie Sanders is technically not an official member of the Democratic Socialists of America, he has been known to be sympathetic to them and uses their language. The Democratic Socialists have been growing in the Democratic Party ranks for some time, and now there are over 100 Democratic Socialists in elected office from three U.S. congressional personnel to state and local officials. Technically the Democratic Socialists of America is an organization, not a party.
However, they have had and continue to run candidates not only in the Democratic Party but also the Green Party as well as the minor progressive party the Working Families Party and as independents. The Democratic Socialists reach into many parts of American society is considerable, and is growing. Mainstream centrist Democratic candidates, while still available, are becoming fewer as time goes on. Why? Because the radical right in the Republican Party has galvanized so many Americans to turn to the radical left. If the radical right attacks the unions, then the unions and their membership become more radically left. If the radical right attacks religious minorities, then these religious minorities will seek unity in strength and the radical left become a force within them. Moderate candidates in both ruling parties are being shut out, and this trend seemingly will continue.
The Democratic Socialists of America made real inroads into the United States political and social fabric in the 2010’s under then U.S. President Barack Obama and in Trump’s first term. This trend is continuing in the 2020’s, and we are in uncharted territory for this decade. The main problem I now see is that with more extremist forces in both ruling political parties it means that getting more moderate candidates in both parties will be harder to do. But not just in both ruling parties but also in other third parties like the Green Party and Working Families Party on the one hand and the Constitution Party (a very right wing party) on the other. Radical movements within the parties will mean that more radical candidates may become the norm. This all remains to be seen.