Jeffries, the Democratic Juggler Who Drops Everything

Let’s address this head on: the baffling conundrum that is Hakeem Jeffries. As the House minority leader of the Democratic party, he’s supposedly at the center of the Democratic circus, juggling over 200 diverse priorities. It’s like trying to get a group of cats to unanimously decide on a particular brand of cat food; an utterly futile attempt. However, it’s high time he got his act together, considering the chaotic political environment we find ourselves in today.

Understand this, the capital city of our nation is under political siege. National Guard troops are being dispatched onto the streets of American cities with a clear ‘motivation’: to govern areas that refused to support the previous administration led by Donald Trump. Should we just fold our hands and back the local law enforcement blindly? There’s no denying that this is just another one of Trump’s ill-conceived political move, designed to stoke the flames of crisis and controversy because, let’s face it, he enjoys creating chaos.

Public sentiments amplify these views. Take, for instance, the majority vote against a particularly contentious bill. It’s evidently clear: the American populace is against policies that serve to strip healthcare from millions or provide tax breaks for the wealthy donors. Such policies are disparaged, and it’s about time Democrats voiced this.

No one can turn a blind eye to the blatant power play at work here. Deploying the National Guard to Democratic cities isn’t a distraction from the political agenda; it’s the manifestation of it! An egregious, unforgivable part of Trump’s strategy! Trump and his cohort have waxed poetic about their vision of using military forces to quell an imaginary crime wave for years. Now, they’re following through with their threats, and it’s not winning them any popularity votes.

The evidence is irrefutable: around 80 percent of DC residents are protesting against the present state of affairs. When Trump dared to deploy troops in Los Angeles earlier this summer, the residents were anything but quiet about their anger. Surprisingly, the local police in DC seem to be aiding federal forces, painting a truly grim picture.

Many Americans may struggle to grasp the complex political concepts and policies they encounter on mainstream media. They might be abstract, after all. But seeing the National Guard occupying cities is far from abstract. It’s real, it’s tangible, and it’s disturbing. Watching the news and online videos of these events evoke a strong emotional response, a sentiment Democrats could utilize if they set aside the misguided advice to merely highlight Trump’s unpopularity.

At this point, it seems not to matter that Trump is universally unpopular. The blatant display of disregard for the public’s wellbeing and democratic norms overshadows his dwindling popularity. So the question begs itself: why aren’t the Democrats seizing this opportunity? What other pressing matters prevent them from acting?

However, some Democrats seem to be catching on to the urgency of the situation. Take Gavin Newsom, the California Governor, for instance. He has been forthright in expressing the imminent risks of letting the Trump-led administration have a free run.

Newsom has vocally criticized Trump’s attempts to skew Texas’ Congressional maps in favor of Republicans, framing it as an unconstitutional power play. American citizens understand the unfairness inherent in such a move, which makes Newsom’s efforts to redraw maps in his state all the more appealing.

It’s worth noting that Newsom isn’t usually the poster figure for moxie within the Democratic ranks. Yet, importantly, he’s demonstrating more courage than other notable Democratic figures right now. While being a governor gives him certain powers that his colleagues in Congress lack, it’s the validity of his stance that gives him the upper hand.

Newsom’s narrative pulls no punches. He exposes the power-hungry moves of Trump as they are, entrenching himself firmly in the battle of right versus wrong. It’s high time other Democrats followed suit instead of dwelling on safe political narratives.