Leftists are the United States’ only hope

The Democratic Party cannot rely on good old Joe once again. The first time was a mistake, a second time would be a disaster for the working class of the country and the environment. While he’s busy doing insignificant things or maybe even making some positive progress, it’s not apparent that he’s not a good choice. 

I guess that this isn’t a unique Biden trait, but while bragging about how he’s saving the environment, he’s starting the Willow Project, an Alaskan oil drilling scheme. I’m sure I don’t have to stress this, but new drilling projects are not exactly saving the environment.

So once again, we’re reminded who President Biden works for, and that is the ruling class—billionaires, CEOs, and everyone else whose only goal is increasing their capital—in other words, money. 

Joe Biden is expected to run again in 2024, and Bernie Sanders has already made it clear that he’s not running if the incumbent finally decides to commit. And neither should he, might I add. Bernie is the best the working class has ever had, fighting for equal rights and a more leftist economy since he was in college. But he’s far too old at this point. The United States had many chances to elect him, but the country is not yet ready for a president who doesn’t instinctively cave to corporate interests. 

So, if Biden’s no good and Bernie is too old, who should lead the Democratic Party? My answer would be someone from the party’s left wing, and not someone so moderate they could be a Republican. In the House, however, that’s exactly what happened. Hakeem Jeffries is among Congress’ most ‘centrist’ Democrats, which in reality just means he’s a right winger in a prettier outfit. The Democratic Party needs progressive leftists, not more centrists, who are much too happy to ‘reach across the aisle’, in other words, agree to Republicans’ stupid demands.

The Democratic Party needs The Squad: AOC, Ilhan Omar, Jamaal Bowman, Cori Bush, etc. We need people who don’t hide behind the soft pro-democracy messaging of the party but propose actual reforms that could have a profound impact on the lives of the working class. These people are ready to try more things that could improve millions of people’s lives and whose campaigns don’t only consist of swearing to protect Medicare and Medicaid but are brave enough to propose a real solution to the US’ disaster of a healthcare system: a single-payer system. Members of The Squad know, as does everyone else, that it would hurt healthcare companies, but they also know that in a situation where actual people’s lives are at stake, there are indeed more crucial things to consider outside of greedy corporations’ profits.

A counterargument could very well say: well, but what if leftist policies scare voters away? The answer to that question is quite simple: we know what happens if Democrats rely on campaigning with more policing: voters don’t turn out at all. That’s what happened in the state of New York in the last midterms. Democrats campaigned with Republican policies, like policing,  and, as a result, Republican candidates were elected to the House.

Another important aspect to consider is the matter of foreign policy: moderates will never hold Israel accountable, for example; it’s always “Israel defending itself” and never war crimes being committed.

With The Squad in power, pro-Palestinian advocates wouldn’t have to physically cringe every time they hear a Democratic leader speaking about the Israeli-Palestinian issue, because they’d know they could rely on them making a statement that puts human lives and rights in the center and not military partnerships, which we’ve seen a lot of over the last fifty years.

We need The Squad to lead the Democrats so the party can fulfill the promise FDR’s pro-working-class policies made. It’s time for a truly left-wing Democratic Party.