A Democratic Victory, but What Comes Next?
Many across the United States woke up on the morning of November 4 feeling relief. The United States midterm elections resulted in a massive blue wave; Democrats secured control of the Senate and House of Representatives, and history was made with Texas voting for a Democratic senator and governor. To add to the celebrations, many minority identities gained representation in the halls of power. Social media flooded with memes declaring victory, people sharing statements from the likes of former President Barack Obama, and an overall feeling of catharsis. Are we all able to sit back and relax, or is now where the real work begins?
Since 1857, the United States has flip-flopped between the same two political parties. For 170 years, U.S. citizens have only been able to choose between Democrats or Republicans on the ballot lest they “waste” their vote on a third party. For Gen Z’s lifetime, the Democratic Party has claimed to be the party for working people. With control of the Senate and House of Representatives, it’s time they show us what that means.
Holding Newly Elected Democrats Accountable
Abdul El-Sayed won his Senate race in Michigan campaigning on “Money Out of Politics, Money in Your Pocket, Medicare for All.” Maintaining his campaign promises means El-Sayed needs to be an ardent proponent of political spending reform. He must work to prohibit billionaires and corporations from buying our elections as they tried to do this past cycle. He must fight for his campaign headliner, Medicare for All – a policy 94% of Democratic voters support – by building a coalition within the Democratic Party and forcing other Democratic representatives like Jon Ossoff, who oppose this policy, to fall in line.
The people of Texas flipped the state with the election of James Talarico to the Senate and Gina Hinojosa to the governorship, both positions being filled by Democrats for the first time in over 30 years. This is a state that has charged a woman with murder for an abortion and seen crackdowns by ICE. Anything short of securing women’s right to bodily autonomy and actively working against ICE by protecting both citizens and non-citizens should be seen as a failure to deliver for the working class.
Challenging the Democratic Establishment
Do-nothing Democrats such as Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer – who laid the groundwork for a second Trump term with their ineffectual positions during Biden’s presidency – are taking their victory laps. Insurgent Democrats must not back these politicians for positions of power. Falling in line behind establishment Democrats simply affirms that their power over the party is not threatened and no changes need to be made in their actions. Without removing the old guard, Hakeem “Israel today, Israel tomorrow, Israel forever” Jeffries and his ilk can continue doing nothing for the people of the United States.
Newly elected Democrats must differentiate themselves from establishment Democrats and form coalitions to promote new party leadership. They must reject the mega-donors, lobbyists, and corporations that currently fund and control the Democratic Party. Whether or not they do so will reveal if entryist politicians can change the party or if they are forced to conform and allow the party to change them.
Outside Our Borders
While there is something to be excited about with this round of insurgent Democratic Party electeds, we must not forget that Republicans and Democrats are oftentimes two sides of the same coin, especially when it comes to foreign affairs.
While formal family separation as policy was instituted under Trump, the ICE cages were put in place and used by Obama. Despite liberal media lambasting Trump in his first term over the treatment of migrants, ICE and its infrastructure were kept in place by Biden, giving Trump free rein to expand the agency in his second term. The ongoing Gaza Genocide, perpetrated by Israel, was enabled and funded by a Democratic administration. Democratic politicians have done nothing to end the U.S. blockade causing death and starvation in Cuba, and they have said next to nothing regarding the kidnapping of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
In order to honestly assess the effectiveness of these newly elected Democrats, we must look outside of our borders as well. If we don’t see an arms embargo and sanctions against Israel, relief for the Cuban people, or an end to the Iran War, any concessions made to workers would amount to bribery to get us to look the other way.
Back to Brunch?
Gen Z is facing climate catastrophe and a lack of access to healthcare, housing, and jobs. If the politicians we voted for this cycle fail to deliver on these issues, it is up to us to keep them in check. Now is not the time for complacency. The time to hold politicians accountable is when they obtain power. The Democratic Party is not your favorite sports team – though Gen Z often has more smoke for their favorite athlete when they underperform than when politicians they support fail to deliver. We’re supposed to criticize politicians when they don’t live up to their campaign promises, not coddle and make excuses for them.
Pay close attention to what these elected politicians do, not what they say. Saying the right thing matters little if they don’t materially improve our lives. Will Abdul El-Sayed continue to champion Medicare for All in the halls of Congress as he did on the campaign trail? Will he materially oppose weapons to Israel as he claimed he would, or will his stance remain rhetorical despite obtaining power? Will Texas protect the rights of women and shield immigrants against the secret police that is ICE?
Can a party that has been servile to corporations and mega-donors be reformed? Or will it become apparent that an organization apart from either main political party is a prerequisite to instituting meaningful change for those within and outside U.S. borders? The answer lies in the material.
Absent a fundamental change occurring within the Democratic Party, driven by the newly elected officials, the status quo will remain. Democratic voters put in the work to get their preferred politician to a place where they can enact change. If the Democratic Party fails to deliver for its electorate and remains the lesser of two evils, then we must stop uncritically voting for evil.
The Real Work Begins
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, arguably the spark that ignited the current progressive wave, stated it plainly: “It is not enough for us as Democrats to win power… We have to use that power to deliver change that Americans can feel… What I’m excited to see now is a recognition that the work is only just starting and that this has to be delivered for working people across the country.”
It’s not time to go back to brunch; now is the time to hold their feet to the fire.