Losing Their Religion and Nancy Pelosi

The Democratic Party faces a steep climb in the coming year. Why?

Congressional delegation to the exhibit to pay respects to the lives lost, 10/1/21. Artist Suzanne Firstenberg is speaking. Nancy Pelosi with Jim Clyburn. (photo: Victoria Pickering)

With friends like Sen. Joe Manchin, Sen. Krysten Sinema, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez the Democratic Party hardly needs enemies.

After a victorious 2020, it should be surprising that the Democratic Party is already facing a steep uphill climb to electoral success in 2022. For many astute observers of Democratic Party politics though, it isn’t.

“I’m not a member of any organized political party,” quipped the humorist Will Rogers once upon a time; “I’m a Democrat.”

Part of the problem is that Democrats, while successful in defeating Donald Trump in 2020, never really divided up the spoils properly. In fact, the Democratic Party seemed reluctant to decide just who was responsible for delivering the Oval Office to President Joe Biden.

Was it firebrand progressives, with their Twitter army and fundraising prowess? Or was it the moderates, drawing in just enough members of the erstwhile big-tent party to eke out a very narrow victory?

Both arms of the Democratic Party have claimed credit for any successes of the past year; both have denied all responsibility for any failures.

At the top of the party, respected stalwarts like President Joe Biden and House Speaker…