Democrats, How Did We Lose? What Now?

Op-Ed by Jenna Nicodemus

I woke up with heaviness in my stomach today. I knew what had happened before I checked the news. Based on the direction of the electoral votes from last night, it was unlikely that Harris had pulled through.

And so here we are.

There’s an unfortunate fact in the United States of America operating off a two-party system. I find it hard to call myself a Democrat, after all; I don’t necessarily support the Democratic party. While it is true that Democrats are more likely to take up liberal stances between the two parties, the number of Democrats who actually put their money where their mouth is are few and far between. I would love to vote for a candidate whose views actually match mine; I would love to vote without feeling shame and agitation, without feeling as though I’m settling. If voting Independent were practical, I’d do that. But we are far from a USA that welcomes such a thing. In the two-party system, non-Republican and non-Democrat votes go to waste, serving to only split the vote. So, functionally, you really do have to settle for the lesser of two evils.

Yesterday, unfortunately, the Democratic party was not united. We wavered. While I know many people who would stick their hands into fire to vote for Kamala Harris, I also know people who abstained from voting altogether. They felt they couldn’t morally back Harris’ policies. I know people who voted Independent for similar reasons.

As to whether those sentiments are productive is irrelevant: it left the Democratic party divided and weaker compared to the raging storm of the Republican party.

Indeed, the Republican party had little wavering last night. They were very united. In fact, I know there are people who voted for Trump not because they agree with his policies, but because they wanted relief in the economy – for gas prices to lower, for housing to become more affordable, for long-term economic growth – even though these things are not necessarily guaranteed. I also suspect that there are Democrats who voted for Trump because they could not stomach the thought of the American president being a Black woman. Beyond that, of course, there are voters who wholeheartedly agree with Trump’s policy, disposition, and ideology. This ideology will continue to exist far past Trump’s time, and has rooted itself deeply into the American consciousness across old and young generations.

The heart of this country is deeply misogynistic – not to mention racist. Though many of us continue to become more conscious of our cultural biases and discriminatory attitudes every day, we nonetheless still share a nation with those who would rather strip women of their rights to abortion and contraception, those who would deny transgender individuals of gender-affirming care, those who would encourage queer youths to undergo conversion therapy, those who would advocate for the proliferation of guns, and those who would sneer at the systemic oppression of racial minorities. What’s more, we share a nation with those who deny any oppression is happening at all, or that said oppression is the way things should be, or that it’s putting people in their place.

It’s funny. Older generations cry out, “Gen Z will save us!” But it’s not that simple. We can do away with this narrative that Gen Z is filled with magically enlightened, emboldened youth. The truth is that we will be battling this same strain of destructive, far-right ideology for years to come. The male population of Gen Z, particularly the white male population, is more conservative than most like to think. The podcasts of Joe Rogan and Andrew Tate aren’t streamed in a vacuum; young men are being radicalized into being far-right by the day. The failing public education system is of no help to this, either. As such, contrary to popular belief, Gen Z is not characterized by a far-left ideology so much as a stream of volatile extremism in several directions. We have just as many folks who want to rework the government to be more socialist or anarchist as those who want to rework it into being fascist. These ideological battles will continue, albeit with even more intense fervor and intense stakes than before.

Meanwhile, the United States will presumably continue to perpetuate this two-party system which favors the black-and-white, hate-fuelled ideology of the right compared to the variance of the left. Having two parties is overly simplistic in general, and neglects to properly represent the diversity of thought and opinion in the nation’s population. It’s disastrous, too, when one party is united more than the other, as we can see. 

And so, because the Democratic party was second-guessing itself, whether due to morals, economic concerns, or discrimination, Trump won. And now there is much to be worried about, from the Democratic perspective. Trump will continue to uphold the Republican supermajority in the Supreme Court, ensuring that rulings remain conservative for the next few decades – potentially setting back progress in many areas, from gay marriage to female contraception. Trump will also be the first president to be elected as a convicted felon, setting the worrying precedent that there is immunity to one’s crimes so long as they are in office. There is also, of course, the looming nightmare of Project 2025, which threatens the livelihood of women and minorities across the country. Though many argue that Trump does not support and will not carry out Project 2025, many of his policies are not far from those depicted in the Project – not to mention, he has many connections to those who drafted it in the first place.

So, where do we go from here?

It’s hard to say. Many are feeling defeated and exhausted right now. I understand; I do, too. I have spent so many years – since 2016 – feeling abject horror at the state of politics of this nation that it almost feels like I have nothing left to give anymore. I am numb, tired, and jaded.

However, if anything has become clear to me, it’s not only the uselessness of the two-party system – it’s the utter uselessness of superficial discourse which worries itself silly over what is morally, politically correct. It’s the uselessness of this cowardly, distinctly white, liberal disposition which would rather have one be comfortable in their privilege than being in the fray, fighting for what they say they believe in. It’s the uselessness of the corporate-motivated, shallow shows of inclusivity whose purpose is only to inflate diversity statistics, doing nothing to curb the very real malice and hatred in people’s hearts. It’s the uselessness of a lack of effort; it’s the uselessness of inaction.

After all, action is what precedes any sort of change whatsoever. 

Although I know many people who have participated in protests, who have gone canvassing, who have donated to charities, and more, the lack of national-level organization unfortunately drowns out these small-scale gestures. As such, an effort must be made on a broader level. While there is no overstating the importance of individual efforts, we must ultimately work together at a bigger scale – as a collective body – for bigger, more permanent change, because that is what needs to happen for improvement. We need to do away with the two-party system; we need to improve the education of this nation; we need to restructure aspects of our government’s checks and balances, such as the electoral college. Reposting sensationalist sentiments on social media isn’t enough, no matter how much momentum you think you feel in your Instagram reels. Real change is tangible and happens in-person, with a community. Think organizations, training programs, networking, meaningful dialogue, movements.

We the people have become so comfortable in our tidy, passive, individualist lives – in our jobs and mundane day-to-days – that we have forgotten what it means to work together, to organize against something that needs to change. Since its inception, the idea of “America” has stood for the expression of resistance and free will. We have a right to do so. We only need to empower ourselves such that the American government finally heeds the wishes of its people.

If we hold onto what we know is good and let that guide us forward into a stronger, collective effort, I believe there is still a chance for the dream of America. There is still a chance for a nation where all citizens are truly equal and treated equitably. We can’t extinguish our hope, because that is what the Republican party wants us to do. Though we may feel exhausted, tired, hopeless – which we may absolutely feel and have the right to feel – we cannot ultimately give up. Every change is a battle; this is a long, hard one.

There is no denying the difficulties this country is about to face. As I’ve heard it said, “I hate living during historic times.” But, at the very least, I am not alone. We are not alone. I hope that, during this time, our community does not feel isolated and divided, but instead united, because that is what we need. We need each other to get through this hard time, just as much as we need each other to make change. I hope that we, as a nation, can hold onto that, and that we can coalesce into a guiding, inspiring light amidst the formidable dusk ahead.

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