Politics are cyclical, but Democrats need to do more

[cartoon id="293328"] Over the past few weeks, many have bemoaned what they see as the Democratic Party’s downward spiral. Democrats have no message. Their party is broken beyond repair. They are in disarray with no sign of rebounding anytime soon. And so on. For all the Chicken Littles among the pundit class who believe the political sky is falling, allow me to remind you that politics is cyclical. During the mid-1990s, there were countless articles about how the Republican Party was in the political wilderness, mortally wounded, and bereft of any ideas. Less than four years later, George W. Bush and the GOP won the White House (with the help of the Supreme Court) and Congress. Let’s go back even further. Remember in early to mid-1991 when George Bush Sr. reigned victoriously after Operation Desert Storm and his popularity was a record 92 percent? Virtually everyone in the pundit class argued he was unbeatable, yet a year and a half later, Bill Clinton won the 1992 presidential election. Two months into Donald Trump’s second term, the honeymoon is over. His job approval numbers have plunged, and Elon Musk’s numbers are even worse. Not surprising, the public appears overwhelmingly opposed to mass civil service firings, the shuttering of federal agencies, banning transgender people from military service, and eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Meanwhile, Trump’s tariffs have depressed consumer confidence and could lead to a recession, and Republican town halls have devolved into forums where irate voters confront members of Congress about callous spending cuts and various programs being defunded across government. Last week, polling gave Democrats a three-point advantage in the generic congressional ballot test. It would take little effort for Democrats to regain the House — they need only three seats to regain the majority in 2026. The only time during the last 75 years the party out of power failed to garner at least four seats was during the 2002 midterm elections, when President George W. Bush was riding high in the polls after the 9/11 tragedy but had not yet embarked upon the Iraq War. The major challenge facing Democrats at the moment is strategy. Centrists and neoliberals, such as party consultant James Carville, argued in a recent New York Times op-ed “the most radical thing [Democrats] can do” is nothing at all. Such a “give your opponent enough rope to hang themselves and it will happen” response is irresponsible. Carville himself should be aware no competent or responsible person or organization would “take a break” when they are being severely attacked and in considerable danger of being defeated. Such a benign form of respectability politics is insufficient in a political climate that is anything but respectable or polite. Those that have acted haven't had much success. Numerous Democrats demonstrated during Trump's joint address to Congress. Some women wore pink, others were mock for holding paddles with statements written on them. Texas representative Al Green heckled the president and was later censured by some of his colleagues for doing so ( as some colleagues sand "We Shall Overcome"). Such largely hollow performative antics do little to reassure voters Democrats possess either the sincerity or temerity to do battle with the Trump administration. At the moment, Democrats appear to be clueless, or at the very least apprehensive about taking on President Trump and his draconian efforts. They need to grow a backbone and transparently fight for the people to prevent the nation from becoming autocratic and fascist. Simply waiting for Trump to implode politically (which he may very well do) is not the wisest choice of action. Trump, if anything, is a political Houdini. He has managed to evade justice throughout his life, including during his tenure as president. It is as if he has made a deal with the devil. While karma may indeed catch up with him (karma has been distressingly belated), the best course of action for Democrats is to get proactive, develop a clear, unambiguous message, and declare to their constituencies that they are ready to address their needs and concerns. The current affairs facing the nation are far too dire to not do so. - Copyright 2025 Elwood Watson, distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate Elwood Watson is a professor of history, Black studies, and gender and sexuality studies at East Tennessee State University. He is also an author and public speaker.