‘Sick and tired of this’: The Democratic party is done with playing by rules and taking pages out of Trump’s book

A new, more forceful strategy for the Democratic Party was on full display at the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting. At the meeting, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said Trump is a “dictator-in-chief” and his agenda is “fascism dressed in a red tie.” He was clear about the urgent need to abandon old political customs in favor of a much more confrontational way of operating. The general feeling among the party’s leadership is one of deep dissatisfaction with what they see as a passive attitude when dealing with the current administration.

Martin has been in his role for six months, and his remarks set the tone for the entire meeting. According to NPR, he wanted to signal that the party’s old habit of relying on polite debate and policy discussions is now seen as a weakness. He said, “Now look, folks, I’m sick and tired of this Democratic party bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve got to stand up and fight. We’re not going to have a hand tied behind our back anymore.”

The DNC chair’s message was very clear: while winning a policy argument might get a short moment of approval from the public, it does not lead to actual improvements for people’s daily lives. He stated that the party’s new focus has to be on achieving success in elections, because that is the only way to create real change. This point of view marks a big change from previous strategies that often focused on detailed policy plans and civil debate.

Democrats will finally start playing things the way the GOP does

The new approach embraces a more results-driven, election-first mentality. Martin’s leadership, which has mostly worked out of the public view and focused on strengthening state and local party operations, now seems to be shifting toward a more visible and aggressive form of political resistance. Obama had once told Democrats they need to step up, too, and even Bush doesn’t like how weak the opposition to Trump has been.

The focus on state and local initiatives was a common theme, with leaders from around the country sharing their stories and highlighting the DNC’s role in their work. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz offered a direct criticism of the national political conversation. He suggested that if he and his 2024 running mate had been elected, it would have put a stop to the daily chaos and conflict. He praised his state’s accomplishments, like a free school lunch program, as proof of the kind of practical progress the party can achieve at the state level.

In a similar way, Texas House Minority Leader Gene Wu explained his group’s fight against a redistricting plan that was designed to help the opposing party. He said the DNC provided crucial support in these efforts, which he saw as a vital part of the larger resistance. Wu’s comments suggested that the party’s supporters, donors, and advocates are demanding a more active and combative position. He indicated that these people want to be reassured that the party is doing everything it possibly can to resist and to stand up for the country.