What Does "Democrats Should Fight!" Mean?
Does it mean "flail in a way that achieves catharsis and nothing else"?
Democrats have their biodegradable, ethically sourced underwear in a twist. Discontent is so high that Chuck Schumer had to postpone his book tour out of fear that hordes of turtleneck-wearing adjunct professors might surround him and “tsk” him to death. The sentiment — usually expressed in all caps — that DEMOCRATS NEED TO FIGHT is as common on social media right now as the (correct) sentiment that Duke basketball is the source of all evil in the world. Democrats are so angry that the stridence of the stickers that we put on our Macbooks could increase by as much as 80 percent.
FWIW, I agree: Democrats need to fight. I try to be even-keeled, but I’m shocked by what Trump is doing; I thought he would be extremely bad, and he’s been much worse than I expected. If I start listing the things Trump has done that alarm me, this article will become “Orange Man Bad Chapter 372: Hath You No Respect for the Marshall Court, Sir?” So, let me just say: IMHO, what’s happening now ain’t good, and my top priority is for it to stop happening.
So, yes: Democrats should fight. But what does “fight” mean? I live in DC — should I go downtown and just start punching the marble sides of the Capitol building? Should I knit another defiant article of clothing, maybe an ascot this time? Should Matt Yglesias, Jonathan Chait, and I dress up like the gang from the “Beat It” video and strut around DC picking fights with anyone who steps to us? (If “steps” is still a thing people say, which it can’t be, because I know it.) This “fight” has to have an impact, or else it’s just a highfalutin tantrum.