The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Scramble for Democratic Leadership
My mother used to say all the time, “A hit dog will holler,” and I must say, she ain’t never lied. Watching Democrats and left-leaning progressives scramble these last few weeks has been mind-boggling. It reminds me of It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, that classic film where a bunch of misfits frantically search for a treasure buried beneath a giant “W.” The Democratic Party looks exactly the same, chaotic, lost, and desperately searching for a leader to save them.
Let’s start with the younger Democrats, the ones who were supposed to be the future of the party. Jasmine Crockett, Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, and of course, AOC were expected to bring fresh ideas and real change. With the exception of Summer Lee, who at least has a bill that became law, the rest are the epitome of performative politics. They posture, they tweet, and they make speeches, but they rarely move legislation forward in ways that materially impact the Black community. If they were serious about change, they would be focused on real policy work instead of just talking about it.
Meanwhile, Congress itself has become nothing more than a stage for grandstanding. The Squad and other left-leaning members show up in their blue suits, ready to put on a performance. There is no negotiation, no strategy, and no compromise, just more political theater. While they are busy chasing social media applause, older Democrats like Hakeem Jeffries sit back and watch, allowing the spectacle to continue. At this point, the Democratic Party is less about governance and more about who can go viral first.
Where’s the Policy?
Let’s be real. When was the last time Congress seriously tackled inflation, gun violence, prison reform, Social Security, veteran care, homelessness, or drug addiction? These issues have become nothing more than talking points, debated in hearings, thrown into campaign speeches, and then promptly forgotten when it is time to take action. Instead of addressing real concerns, the same politicians who have failed to deliver on these core issues are now gearing up to rally behind Kamala Harris or Governor JB Pritzker for president, as if either of them has the vision to fix the mess Democrats are in.
The Democratic Party is not just divided. It is fractured beyond repair. On one side, you have progressives like Sabby Sabs, Marc Lamont Hill, and Brianna Joy Gray, who are obsessed with climate change, Gaza, and Medicare for All. They are still convinced Bernie Sanders was robbed in 2020 and refuse to move on. While I align with them on reparations, their broader policy agenda is wildly unrealistic. They push for free healthcare, free housing, and free food, yet offer no real, sustainable plan to fund it without overburdening taxpayers.
On the other side, you have the Kamala Harris loyalists. Angela Rye, Tiffany Cross, and Andrew Gillum still cannot admit she was never the right candidate to begin with. Instead of facing reality, they are stuck in 2020, bitter about how things turned out and blaming everyone but the voters who rejected her.
Then you have the entertainers-turned-political-commentators like Charlamagne Tha God, who spent years cheerleading for the Democratic Party but now want to act like they have been skeptics all along. Suddenly, they want to distance themselves from the party’s failures and pretend they saw the red flags when, in reality, they helped plant them.
The Bigger Issue No One Wants to Talk About
Beyond all the noise, there is an even bigger problem that no one in the party is addressing. The Democratic Party lacks Black leadership in any meaningful position of power. Where is the Black leader who can actually win an election and command respect on a national scale? Sure, Black women in the House make noise, but where are the Black senators stepping up? Even within the House, the loudest voices are not translating their influence into real leadership.
At the end of the day, the Democratic Party is making the same mistakes they always make. They continue to ignore the real concerns of everyday Americans while pushing empty symbolism and performative activism. Nothing is going to change in politics, corporate America, the military, or healthcare if the same people keep running the same playbook.
They do not need another viral moment. They do not need another social media star. They need leaders who actually lead. Until that happens, they will keep running in circles. When 2028 rolls around, they will have no one to blame but themselves.
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