Open Letter to the United States Democratic Party
To the elected Democrats in Congress, and to the leadership of the Democratic National Committee,
When director David Lynch passed earlier this year, part of how fans and admirers memorialized him was to recall the moment, as character Gordon Cole on Twin Peaks, when he defended his trans friend by telling others to “fix their hearts or die.”
This, bluntly, is my charge to you now.
To be clear, I do not wish death on any of you. Nor did Gordon Cole, nor did David Lynch. Rather, the importance of caring for others is so vital and central to the life of any human that to do otherwise is to already be dead, in spirit if not in body.
The Democratic party is currently dead. And I write to inform you that you now have a choice: stay dead, or fix your hearts.
Why is the party dead? Simple: there is no one in America that the party accurately represents. In recent history, the Republican party has identified as a party on the political right, and the Democratic party has claimed the left. But the current Democratic party, since some time in the 2010s, has been gradually setting aside the politics of the left. It is now an absolute nothingburger of noncommittal centrist impotence. From nominating Hillary Clinton for the 2016 Presidential election, to the recent pathetic non-resistance at Trump's March 4th address to Congress (1), Democrats have consistently and enthusiastically refused to stand for anything, much less for the values of the political left.
As the Republican party sprints farther right, into fascism and dictatorship, the Democratic party has made no effort to give the American people any opposition to truly rally behind. I mean, for God's sake, you made us vote for Joe Biden just to avoid giving Trump a second term in 2020, and then tried to make us do it again in 2024.
And now, since Trump's second inauguration, he has been breaking laws, disregarding the Constitution, and destroying decades worth of progress in our country at a breakneck pace, and the Democratic party has done worse than nothing.
Donald Trump committed treason on Jan 6, 2021 and was impeached for it. Democrats allowed his name to be on the ballot in November 2024, in direct violation of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution. Then you all made a big show of a "peaceful transfer of power," gleefully certifying the unconstitutional election results because you cared more about decorum and civility than about the impact it would have.
But you have misunderstood decorum and civility. Fascism is indecorous and uncivil. Insurrection is indecorous and uncivil. The decorous, civil thing to do is to loudly and aggressively reject it from all corners of our country, and especially from the Federal Government. The only decorous, civil way to respond to a would-be dictator reaching for power in the country you govern is to use every ounce of your political power loudly and forcefully driving that dictator away.
I've seen dozens of statements from various Democrat leaders since the election about how to handle our current circumstances. And with very few exceptions (2), they've been wet noodle, out of touch nonsense. Senior leaders within the party keep advocating for unity and "coming together" while the GOP literally dismantles government brick by brick. Senator Slotkin, in her response to the joint address, remembered Reagan fondly, when the Reagan administration is the inflection point which started America down this path in the first place.
Further, you all keep talking about the price of eggs, which is a red herring when compared to a fascist coup. Yes, the price of groceries is absolutely important to Americans, but there has to still be an America to buy eggs in for that to really matter.
If the Democratic party wants to represent the real needs of Americans, you have no choice but to do everything in your power to bring Trump and Musk to justice. And if you won't, you have a duty to yourself and to the country to disband.
When I tell you, the Democratic party, "fix your hearts or die," what I am saying is this: if you will not defend the American people from an illegitimate dictator and his billionaire accomplice, then we have no need for you. We want you to save us because of the oath you took when you entered office which obligates you to do so. But if you won't, then go away. We'll do it ourselves.
Signed,
Andrew Fallows