A new, more forceful strategy for the Democratic Party was on full display at the Democratic National Committee’s summer meeting. At the meeting, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said Trump is a “dictator-in-chief” and his agenda is “fascism dressed in a red tie.” He was clear about the urgent need to abandon old political customs in favor of a much more confrontational way of operating. The general feeling among the party’s leadership is one of deep dissatisfaction with what they see as a passive attitude when dealing with the current administration.
Martin has been in his role for six months, and his remarks set the tone for the entire meeting. According to NPR, he wanted to signal that the party’s old habit of relying on polite debate and policy discussions is now seen as a weakness. He said, “Now look, folks, I’m sick and tired of this Democratic party bringing a pencil to a knife fight. We cannot be the only party that plays by the rules anymore. We’ve got to stand up and fight. We’re not going to have a hand tied behind our back anymore.”
