"In this conjuncture, Democrats and other center-left parties around the world have a fundamental choice to make: continue to play the role of the loyal opposition in a political order defined primarily by the populist right, or mobilize a transformative ideological vision, viable electoral coalition, and distinctive set of policies capable of defining the political order itself.
Choosing the latter will require accepting the failure of the popular front general election strategy Democrats have embraced for the past three presidential cycles. A coalition that, as Tim Walz bragged, ranges “from Bernie Sanders to Dick Cheney to Taylor Swift” will always be about defending the status quo, nor does it actually succeed in pulling Republican voters across the aisle. Even party apparatchik Rahm Emanuel can now admit that the status quo is broken and no longer defendable.
No doubt, the transformative choice is a tougher climb for Democrats. For decades, they have avoided spending the political capital necessary to push through legislation that would make it easier to form private sector unions, challenge business power, and foster a progressive social base at the heart of the party. There are some signs that an increasing number of Democrats are amenable to filibuster reform, which would lower the legislative hurdles to pro-labor legislation, and Biden did take significant though symbolic action to establish himself as a pro-union president.
But establishing a new political order requires more than just good policy. It means nothing less than resetting the very boundaries of politics and making what once seemed impossible possible."
https://jacobin.com/2024/12/democrats-blame-game-populism-postelection
