What Should Democrats Do Now? Everyone’s Got an Answer — and So Does History
The truth is simple: Everything Republicans are doing right now, Democrats could — and should — have done too.
But somewhere along the way, Democrats forgot how to cast their bucket into power — and pull it up full.
How Democrats Lost Their Base — and Their Message
For most of American history, Democrats were seen as the party of the people — the working class, the underdog, the everyday American trying to build a better life.
It was the energy Obama tapped into in 2008 with his “hope and change” campaigns. Biden too — despite the crises he inherited from Trump in 2020 — often leans toward compromise, trying to heal divides rather than dominate the field.
But once Democrats really had the reins of power, between all the placating, compromising, and trying to please everybody, they lost that connection. And Donald Trump — for all his chaos and corruption — swooped in and picked up the pieces.
Let’s take a look at the numbers:
- Trump made historic gains with Black, Hispanic, Asian American, and young voters — traditional Democratic strongholds.
- Democrats didn’t just struggle to win voters over. They couldn’t even turn out their own base like they used to.
- Even among voters disgusted by Trump, many simply stayed home rather than enthusiastically voting Democrat.
“Cast Down Your Bucket” — A Lesson for Democrats
Booker T. Washington in his famous 1895 Atlanta Exposition speech to African Americans about how they should be: “Cast down your bucket where you are…”
Washington’s point was simple: Stop waiting for perfect conditions. Stop looking elsewhere. Start with what you have, where you are, and build power right there. In other words, use the resources you have and start wielding the tools you already know how to use.
Use the courts. Use executive power. Use legislative majorities to reshape the landscape. Fill the judicial seats with overwhelming Democratic appointments.
Use the cultural levers — education, media, public trust — that you already influence. Cement influence in executive regulatory agencies, courts, and public institutions. Invest in alternative media, community organizing, and legal warfare — the same way the right has done through Truth Social, Project 2025, Fox News, and a generation of judicial appointments.
Washington vs. Du Bois — and Knowing How to Fight
Now, it’s worth remembering — not everyone agreed with the “cast down your bucket” philosophy.
W.E.B. Du Bois, a prominent African American activist, often critiqued Washington’s belief of his gradual approach to overcoming slavery and racism — much like the people of today who are “sheltering in place” as Trump sends shockwaves through the world.
Du Bois believed you can’t always just settle or accommodate — sometimes you have to demand, confront, and refuse to wait.
Both lessons matter today.
Democrats need Washington’s pragmatism — work with what you have — but also Du Bois’s urgency — push beyond what the system is willing to give.
Democrats, It’s Time to Move
Trump didn’t win over voters because he was the smartest or most ethical candidate. He’s winning because he understands the power of seizing opportunity — fully, relentlessly, unapologetically.
Democrats have the better message. The better vision. The better plan. They always did — it’s why they were known as the party of the people.
Until then, my fellow Dems — good night, and good luck.
