I feel emotionally whipsawed. I expect you feel the same.
I was cheered by Mamdani’s election and the Democratic sweep across America.
But I was deeply upset this past week at Senate Democrats who snatched defeat from the jaws of victory by caving in to Republicans.
I tell myself that this is what progress looks like in a tempestuous time — a roller coaster whose highs are higher than its lows.
This past week’s Democratic sellout was certainly a low. But the high of the November 4 elections was higher, because it changed the trajectory of the nation.
Besides, the shutdown wasn’t a total failure. It let Democrats spotlight the Republicans’ pending withdrawal of health coverage from millions of Americans. And it revealed more of Trump’s selfish cruelty when he boasted about his lavish White House ballroom and renovated Lincoln Bedroom while refusing food stamp benefits for 42 million people.
It also showed why an older generation of Democrats — Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Tim Kaine — have had their day and must now move on.
The party’s energy and future belong to Zohran Mamdani, AOC, and others — such as Seattle’s newly elected progressive young mayor, Katie Wilson. Wilson is a community organizer, self-described socialist, and first-time candidate pushing for higher taxes on the wealthy to finance what most people in Seattle need. Some call her the “West Coast Mamdani.”
A few days ago I spoke with Mamdani’s first deputy mayor, Dean Fuleihan, and was impressed with his experience, knowledge, and commitment. I came away confident that Mamdani will be able to implement his ambitious goals, and more.
Other signs of progress — the Democrats’ surprise redistricting win in Utah and a potential upset in a special congressional election in Tennessee next month.
Meanwhile, young people across America are ushering in a new era of progressive activism.
On Thursday, more than a thousand Starbucks baristas walked off the job — demanding better hours, more pay, and better working conditions and threatening to escalate their protests if Starbucks didn’t deliver. (You can support them by boycotting Starbucks.)
Progress, too, in the ghost of Jeffrey Epstein returning this week to haunt Trump with more evidence of Trump’s complicity.
Recall that in 2024 Trump said he’d “have no problem with” the release of Epstein’s list of clients. Yet since then, Trump has done everything possible to cover it up.
House Speaker Mike Johnson even refused to seat Adelita Grijalva, the newly elected representative from Arizona, because she’d provide the crucial 218th signature on the discharge petition leading to a House vote on releasing the Epstein files. And she did, when sworn in this week.
The petition became effective Thursday when two Republican signers, Reps. Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace, refused to take their names off it — despite intense pressure from Trump and Justice Department officials. Even Marjorie Taylor Greene is splitting with Trump over Epstein.
And now, in a pathetic effort to take heat off himself, Trump has ordered his attorney general flak Pam Bondi to investigate prominent Democrats who appear to be linked to Epstein. Won’t work.
All the while, Trump’s polls have continued to tank. Only 33 percent now approve of the way he’s managing the government, down from 43 percent in March. Among independents, his approval has plummeted to a remarkable 25 percent.
Democrats, meanwhile, are fired up. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll shows them far more determined than Republicans to vote in the midterms, with 44 percent of Democrats “very enthusiastic” about casting their ballot next year, compared with 26 percent of Republicans.
All progress.
Rest assured, there will be more frustrations and setbacks to come. Trump and and his fanatic lapdogs (Miller, Vought, Vance, Hegseth, Kennedy Jr., Bondi, and Noem), will pull the nation further into their authoritarian muck.
We haven’t seen the bottom yet. But we will prevail.
We won’t be discouraged by tactical defeats, such as this past week’s. We’ll keep fighting — organizing, mobilizing, phoning and writing our members of Congress, demonstrating, boycotting, protecting the vulnerable, winning state and local elections, winning next year’s midterm elections.
We’ll keep fighting because the stakes are so high. We’ll keep fighting because future generations depend on us.
Robert Reich is a professor of public policy at Berkeley and former secretary of labor. His writings can be found at https://robertreich.substack.com/