Commentary

Shuffling through my stack of stuff, I decided to read the Spectator piece by Aiden McLaughlin, “Can the Democrats rediscover themselves in the age of Trump?

I was reminded that it was in the 1990’s, that I began paying more attention to politics, following the comments of Democrat pollster Doug Schoen, who generally presented an honest viewpoint of his party, avoiding the talking points.

During the 2024 campaign, he was critical of his party “bashing” Trump and conceded he could not vote for Harris.

While appearing on The Faulkner Focus on Fox, Schoen bemoaned that his party’s moderates, who have a relevant message, are being marginalized by individuals on the far left “in ways that it makes the party unrecognizable to those of us in the national center.”

The Network Contagion Research Institute recently revealed that 55 percent of its left-of-center respondents believed an assassination of Trump would be “somewhat justified,” while 13 percent said his killing would be “completely justified.” Incredible!

Of course, Schoen was referring to Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who have teamed up on an “anti-oligarchy” tour targeting Trump and Elon Musk, and Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who has also targeted Musk, but has made a fool of herself discussing DEI.

Perhaps the best advice for Republicans challenging AOC is her lack of a record in sponsoring legislation in the House and her opposition to Amazon when it wanted to establish a facility in her NY district.

I like Louisiana Republican Sen. John Kennedy’s endorsement of Operation Let Her Speak, a movement that encourages individuals to allow her to speak, because she usually steps in it with a cringe worthy statement.

Personally, “I think she is the reason there are directions on a shampoo bottle,” quipped Kennedy.

Then there’s Crockett, the lone voice in Congress still supporting diversity, equity and inclusion after Trump has issued executive orders to “terminate every diversity, equity and inclusion program across the entire federal government.”  Trump supports the use of merit in hiring and promoting.

In a cringe worthy moment of her own, Crockett recounted her experience being hired as a public defender despite having no prior criminal experience. Without embarrassment, Crockett said she told her prospective boss, “Listen, you should hire me,” and when asked why, she replied, “because I’m black.”

We need to support her ability to speak for her party, too.

Another voice of stupidity came from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, often mentioned as a candidate for president on the left, who said, “we will not blindly follow illegal orders because Donald Trump wrote them down on a piece of paper. Illinois follows the laws of the land – not the decrees of an aspiring king hell bent on disenfranchising millions of voters.”

Ward Clark, writing in RedState about requiring citizenship verification to vote, notes the many activities whereby IDs are required, “verifying citizenship for voter registration, or to actually vote, it seems, is a bridge too far.”

Back to the Question …

… Can the Democrats rediscover themselves in the age of Trump?  “The humiliation of losing to Donald Trump has not yet worn off when the Donald stormed back to the White House with a vengeance … Democrats have found themselves less powerful and less popular than at any point in history,” noted McLaughlin.

After reviewing the gains Trump made in support from almost every voting group coveted by the Democrats, he writes that Democrats are in their deepest hole in nearly 50 years.

The usual names – AOC, Sanders, Newsom and Harris were mentioned.  Added was Rep. Ro Khanna, another California progressive, and missing was Michigan Gov. Whitmer.  Chuck Schumer’s viability is in question.

Paul Begala, former Bill Clinton advisor and strategist, offered, “if we’re not a party of middle-class, working-class strivers, we don’t deserve to exist.  Democrats gotta get their act together.  They’ve got to win back the blue-collar middle-class.”

While strategist James Carville, says “I am a big proponent of the big-personality theory of politics,” obviously thinking of Trump, “he conceded that without a clear leader, we need to “roll over and play dead … allow the Republicans to crumble beneath their weight and make the American people miss us. 

“Citing the need for an inspirational presidential candidate, he predicts “odds-on, we’re going to have one for 2028.”

That Democrat does not exist today.

Women in Space

Understandably, the six women who flew some 62 miles into space, which included a four-minute weightless experience aboard the Blue Origin, did something newsworthy but their comments upon return to earth were unremarkable to me.

At least they weren’t of the foul-mouthed variety coming from some women of Congress lately opposed to Musk.

Although referred to as a crew of six, the journey was fully autonomous, not controlled by anyone on board.  That didn’t keep CBS’s Gayle King from saying she would not call it a “ride,” claiming it was a “bona fide freakin’ flight.”  Having a fear flying, King surely has reason to be proud.

I wasn’t impressed with King’s remark upon returning saying as she looked down on the planet, “That’s where we came from?  To me, it’s such a reminder about how we need to do better- be better.”  What does she mean?

Pop star Katy Perry, also along for the ride, said, “I feel super connected to love.” Without an explanation, Perry said “this is all for the benefit of earth,” adding, “I wanted to model courage and worthiness and fearlessness.”

Lauren Sanchez, fiancée of flight sponsor Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, saw her experience as “profound,” referring to earth as a “beautiful jewel.”

May God continue to bless the United States of America.