Corporate media are helping Democrats sculpt a narrative of fecklessness.
By Julie Hollar, FAIR
As oligarchs Donald Trump and Elon Musk continue their pursuit of power unfettered by the Constitution, many citizens wonder why their elected representatives in Washington are doing so little to stop the administrative coup. They also might well wonder why the media so rarely ask the same question.
GOP congressmembers have mostly remained silent, when not celebrating, as their party leader shreds democratic institutions. Democratic leaders, meanwhile, have largely advised their own members to not make too much of a fuss—precisely the opposite of what leading scholars of authoritarianism are urgently calling for.
House Minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, for instance, told fellow Democrats not to “swing at every pitch,” while longtime Democratic adviser James Carville suggested Democrats should “play possum,” complaining that progressives voicing outrage were “detrimental” to the opposition and “never, ever learn to shut up.” Many Senate Democrats voted to confirm multiple Trump cabinet picks, who have done nothing to provide checks on unelected billionaire Musk.
Most reporting follows the tired, risk-averse corporate news script that simply quotes Democrats and Republicans in leadership positions, offering that same lens of Democratic (or even Republican!) congressmembers having no power to stop or even slow anything down. That neatly takes pressure off of those official sources to bother to do anything to protect their constituents—or, say, democracy—that might take some political capital.
Just over two weeks into the Trump/Musk dismantling of democracy, Axios (2/5/25) reported:
Congressional Democrats’ offices are being inundated by phone calls from angry constituents who feel the party should be doing more to combat President Trump and his administration.
The volume of calls appears to be at record levels, according to Axios‘ Andrew Solender, who quoted 28-year Rep. Jim McGovern (D–Mass.): “I can’t recall ever receiving this many calls. People disgusted with what’s going on, and they want us to fight back.”
Recent Posts
‘The Siege Must Be Broken’: Countries Called to Ship Fuel to Cuba After Trump Tariffs Struck Down
Take Action Now The US Supreme Court’s ruling “implies that Trump’s recent order imposing tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba exceeds the…
Elite Depravity in Imperial Decline, A Zero Hour Conversation With Richard Wolff
Take Action Now “The system self-selects for psychopathy… the most sociopathically obsessive competitor and accumulator of personal power and…
Economics of Health For All: The Plan to Put Health at the Heart of the Global Economy
Take Action Now At the World Health Assembly in May, member states may endorse an unprecedented strategy declaring that health is not a cost – but…
The Left Owes a Lot to Jesse Jackson
Take Action Now As a movement builder, spokesperson, and candidate for the presidency, Jesse Jackson’s accomplishments were massive. He was one of…