It’s a great question — and Aaron Sorkin wrote it into The Newsroom over a decade ago. Why do liberals seem so convinced of their intellectual and moral superiority, yet completely unwilling to do the hard, risky work to win?
This year, in the early days of Trump’s second term, the failure was especially stark. We already saw what Trump and his movement were capable of on January 6th, 2021. We knew their goals — they laid them out plainly in Project 2025. So why did Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill seem surprised when Trump and Musk started doing exactly what they said they’d do?
When Trump and Elon Musk initiated the DOGE cuts and thousands of federal workers lost their jobs, Democrats had a political opening. They started holding rallies outside federal buildings to raise awareness. But what was the actual plan to stop it?
Many Senate Democrats still voted to confirm Trump’s appointments — leverage that could have been used to block nominees until the DOGE cuts stopped. Instead, Senate Leader Chuck Schumer stood outside chanting, “We will win!”
Votes for Trump Presidential Nominees
No one doubted our intentions. What we questioned was: what are you actually going to do about it?
And the sad truth is… it seemed like they didn’t know.
Yes, this is a new political reality. But even if you don’t have the answers, leadership is about projecting strength — especially in uncertain times.
On February 4th, a group of Members of Congress protested outside the Treasury Department over DOGE potentially gaining access to payment systems and Americans’ Social Security Numbers. Rep. Maxwell Frost posted a video of the moment which ended like this:
Frost: “What do we need?!”
Other Members: [incoherent yelling of various things]
There was no clarity, no coordination. Just vibes.
Eventually, Democratic leadership settled on a response: a strongly worded letter. No teeth. No consequences. Just words.
There were bright spots. Sen. Cory Booker set a record filibuster: 25 hours and 5 minutes, surpassing Strom Thurmond, to protest the Trump Administration’s agenda.
Sen. Chris Van Hollen flew to El Salvador to locate one of his own constituents, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was deported and detained without due process.
Senator Alex Padilla was violently tackled and handcuffed confronting Secretary Noem while other members of Congress got arrested confronting ICE. They demanded entry into detention facilities — as federal law allows.
That’s the kind of boldness our base wants to see. That’s what it means to fight.
But what was our grand plan for a follow up?
F***ing tacos. F***in’ tortillas with meat, cheese, lettuce, salsa in them tacos. Literal tacos.
When Democrats rebranded “Trump Always Chickens Out” into the acronym “TACO,” Schumer rolled out a taco cart as a cutesy PR stunt.
What. Are. We. Doing?
One Big Beautiful Bill? One Big F***in’ Mess
These stunts might get attention, but they don’t move people — not anymore. This isn’t 2017. Clever bill names and tongue-in-cheek acronyms don’t work when Republicans are systematically gutting Medicaid, slashing SNAP, and pushing mass deportations of undocumented and naturalized citizens.
And let’s talk about that budget reconciliation bill.
Trump and MAGA allies literally branded it the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” So what did Chuck Schumer do with his power as Minority Leader? He renamed it “The Big Ugly Bill.” That’s it.
Sick burn, Chuck.
You just erased all of the fingerprints that the MAGA sect of the party had put on that bill and didn’t do anything to stop it. And it still passed.
Democrats used to fight harder. Harry Reid would twist arms, cut deals, and do whatever it took to deliver for working people. Now, we act like strong leadership is somehow impolite.
And that brings me back to the original question:
We Think We’re So Damn Smart... So Why Do We Lose So Damn Much?
We blame the voters. We blame misinformation. We blame apathy. But what if the real problem is us?
Too many in our party spend more time courting celebrities than connecting with voters. We confuse cleverness for courage. We write speeches about “fighting fascism” but fold the second we might upset a donor or lose a polling point.
While we wag fingers on Sunday talk shows and subtweet the GOP like it’s high school, Republicans bulldoze our rights and institutions without shame.
We don't talk like real people anymore. We say things like "defend democracy" or "combat fascism," but most voters just want to know: Can I afford groceries? Will my kids be safe at school? Is my rent going to skyrocket?
Speaking of “fighting to save democracy”--not to be too Mandy Patinkin–I’m starting to think that phrase doesn’t mean what many people think it means. In the past few years, this has been a line that everyone says. In the latest primary for the special election in Virginia’s 11th congressional district, almost every single candidate out of the 11 candidate field said that “saving democracy” was somewhere in their Day 1 agenda.
But what does that mean?
Recently, the fight to save democracy has just been those sternly worded letters that I referenced earlier.
And you know what? The Republicans just don’t care. They continue to do what they wanted to do shamelessly while we bend over backwards to make sure everyone is happy and everyone likes us because of our desperate need to feel wanted because we have only had 2 Democratic Presidents who have been re-elected since FDR.
Most voters see our fight for justice comes at the detriment of the masses. But we can–and should—be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. But right now we are failing at both.
Weak and Right vs. Strong and Wrong
That’s how voters see it. Republicans are “strong and wrong.” Democrats? “Weak and right.”
We’ve lost the tenacity that Democratic leaders of the past used to have when in the face of opposition–Harry Reid, Tip O’Neil, and even Nancy Pelosi in her heyday.
We may be more intelligent, more compassionate, and morally aligned with history — but that doesn’t matter if we’re perceived as losers who won’t fight.
That perception is bleeding support, especially among young men. We were once the party of the working class — now we’re seen as elitist and out-of-touch. The phrase “Beyoncé doesn’t pay my bills” might annoy us, but it resonated across the country because people feel unheard.
And let’s not pretend decorum is the answer. When Rep. Jasmine Crockett blasted Marjorie Taylor Greene, she was scolded — even though MTG herself constantly violates norms. We silence bold voices in our own ranks to avoid making anyone uncomfortable. Meanwhile, the other side brings chaos with no consequence.
There’s Another Way — But We Have to Choose It
We’ve seen glimpses of what’s possible. The pressure we’ve put on Republicans around the Epstein list worked. We forced Speaker Mike Johnson to recess the House for six weeks.
That’s what real pressure looks like.
Let’s do more of it.
Make them uncomfortable. Make them earn every vote. Use the rules. Use the floor. Use every inch of leverage — like the GOP did when they blocked two of Obama’s Supreme Court nominees.
If democracy really is on the line, why are we afraid to act like it?
We Must Do Something.
If we want people to trust us again — if we want to win again — we need to stop tweeting cleverly and start legislating boldly. We need to stop branding and start brawling (politically).
No more food stunts. No more clever names. No more vibes-only politics.
We need to lead. We need to fight.
We need to stop trying to be liked — and start trying to win.
TL;DR:
✅ Democrats talk a big game but often fail to act boldly.
From weak responses to Trump’s second-term agenda to cringe-worthy stunts like taco carts and bill renaming, voters are left asking: What are we actually doing?
✅ Strong words, weak follow-through.
Strongly worded letters aren’t enough. While some Democrats have shown guts — like Booker’s filibuster or Van Hollen flying to El Salvador — most party leaders seem passive, out of touch, or scared to upset the status quo.
✅ We’re not speaking to people’s real lives.
"Saving democracy" is important — but doesn’t resonate if voters can't pay bills or afford food. We’ve lost connection with working-class America, especially in rural areas and among young men.
✅ The GOP plays dirty — and wins.
While Republicans shamelessly bulldoze through their agenda, Democrats cling to decorum and cleverness. We wag fingers, tweet snark, and get steamrolled.
✅ We need to get tougher.
No more food stunts, no more cutesy acronyms. Use procedure, apply pressure, and fight like democracy really is on the line. If we want to win — and be trusted — we have to act like it.
👉 Stop trying to be liked. Start trying to win.
By the Ballot is an opinion series published on Substack. All views expressed are solely those of the author and should not be interpreted as reporting or objective journalism or attributed to any other organization. I am not a journalist or reporter, nor do I claim to be one. This publication represents personal commentary, analysis, and opinion only.
let me talk to em coach
Thank you for your call for the Democratic Party to toughen up, get real, and stop losing.