On every issue, Democrats oppose Trump; on every issue, they offer no alternative. Trapped between President Trump and their growing Left, the Democratic Party cannot move toward either. Their solution is to oppose but not propose: to run from Trump but not be seen as running toward their Left. It is a recipe for an inability to govern at all.
On issue after issue, Democrats refuse to offer a policy position beyond opposing the president.
On transgender issues, Democrats decry Trump’s position on barring biological males from competing against females; yet Democrats profess they champion women’s rights. On Iran, Democrats protested Trump’s use of force to deny Iran nuclear weapons and are now silent as that regime kills those protesting for freedom; yet Iran has been America’s sworn enemy and a purveyor of terrorism for 50 years. On last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill, Democrats called it a massive tax cut for the rich; yet without that legislation, tax rates would have risen across the board. On tariffs, Democrats call them a hit on consumers; yet Democrats have supported tariffs for decades.
Democrats have become the party of autopilot. Theirs is a party of ciphers, a vacuum, a black hole from which they want no policy light to escape.
Not so Trump. He is governing exactly as he campaigned.
And not so America’s Left. Since Trump started enforcing immigration law, America’s Left has called for abolishing ICE. Before this, the Left called for defunding the police. America’s Left is adamant that biological males should have a place in women’s and girls’ sports—even if it means taking places and awards away from women and girls.
Recommended
Between the two, Democrats are frozen like deer in headlights. They know what Trump wants; he’s doing it; they hate him for it. They know what America’s Left wants—the Left are more than happy to say the quiet part out loud and welcome the dystopian consequences; they are terrified of them for it.
It is just such a profile in non-commitment that has brought America to today’s illegal immigration crisis. For four years, the Biden-Harris administration simply decided to not enforce America’s immigration law or its border security. They turned the entire country into a sanctuary city.
Predictably, a massive influence of illegal immigrants came in as unimpeded as they were unvetted.
That was Democratic governance in action. Or rather, inaction. It was all that weak administration could do. Today, it is all this weak party can do.
The reason is because the Democratic Party is being hollowed out. It cannot stand up to the Left doing the hollowing, and it cannot afford to lose its historic remnants doing the fleeing.
For evidence, there is the latest Gallup polling. It found that 59 percent of Democrats identified as liberal or very liberal. Just 32 years ago, only 25 percent of Democrats identified this way.
However, broadly equating the Democratic Party with America’s Left misses an important distinction. Forty percent within the Democratic Party label themselves moderates (32 percent) and conservatives (8 percent).
To exist as one of America’s two major parties, Democrats must retain their dwindling, but still significant, non-liberal minority. This is why they are terrified to the point of inaction.
So, trapped between Trump—who they reflexively oppose—and the Left, who they must assiduously avoid offending (because they are the party’s rapidly growing majority) but cannot safely endorse (because they are too radical for the non-liberal party members and the rest of America)—the Democratic Party remains mute as to what it actually supports.
However, it is an illusion that the Democratic Party can play it safe by playing it silent. Its left-leaning members grow more virulent, even as they grow more numerous in the party.
And opposing Trump on issues like immigration law enforcement is de facto a position. It is statement that you support the status quo. That you want things to stay as they are.
Not enforcing the law means overturning the law without going through the legislative process to accomplish it. In the case of immigration law, not enforcing the law means you support open borders and amnesty for all who have entered the country illegally—even if you refuse to say this explicitly.
On highways, the Left and Right are divided by a yellow line. Aiming to be neither Trump-right nor too left, the Democratic Party is trying to be the yellow line. It is a fitting symbol for a party so fearful of taking a stand.
Democrats should remember that in the end, you can’t beat something with nothing. Even if you have a lot of nothing to offer.
J.T. Young is the author of the recent book "Unprecedented Assault: How Big Government Unleashed America’s Socialist Left" from RealClear Publishing. Follow him on Substack.
Editor’s Note: Do you enjoy Townhall’s conservative reporting and opinion? Support our work by joining Townhall VIP! Use the promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership!
Join the conversation as a VIP Member