The Democratic Party is making democracy ‘brat’-- and not in a good way
Democratic presidential nominee and current Vice President Kamala Harris has quickly become our hope, our light, and our dream amidst political and social uncertainty. With plans to shatter the ultimate glass ceiling for women with an opportunity to be elected to the office of the President of the United States, it is easy to get behind her and rally for the historic success she will undeniably bring the United States, women, and people of color. However, with President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the election and the chaotic rush to find the next nominee, the Democratic party almost ironically forgot about the most important part of an election: democracy.
Democracy has already been established as the core of this election, particularly with the controversy over Project 2025, a 900 page manifesto authored by various members of Trump’s administration and aiming to enact conservative policies such as dismantling the Department of Education, restricting access to abortion medication and other reproductive health protections, and placing the Department of Justice at the discretion of the President. The Democratic Party’s effort to emphasize that the Republican party’s agenda is a “threat to democracy” merely furthers this narrative.
Objectively, the Democratic Party is right; as it stands, it does seem like electing Trump to office would be a threat to democracy. Trump has incited an insurrection against the Capitol to overturn election results in the previous election, proposed the idea of a third term if elected to office and has publicly proclaimed his desire to target political enemies, including Biden and former Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Not only has Trump suggested he would engage in significant executive overreach, but he is in part responsible for the overturning of Roe vs. Wade, allowing 13 states to violating the autonomy of millions of women by passing and enforcing abortion bans as a result of his self-appointed conservative supermajority in the United States Supreme Court. These are all dominant concerns to voters and of course, the Democratic Party.
After Biden’s June debate performance, it was clear that he did not have what it took to defeat Trump, Nearly one month later, he officially dropped out of the election with two-thirds of Democrats wanting him to withdraw. However, this national dissatisfaction with Biden did not commence with the this debate– in actuality, it began in February 2023 when polls indicated that 58% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning Independents did not believe Biden should be nominated for re-election. The reaction towards the debate was merely a culmination of negative sentiments towards Biden, sparked by mishandling of issues like immigration policy and ignited by the matter of Biden’s age as well as decline in mental capacity.
The Democratic Party’s ignorance of these facts is what caused the election to play out this way, and fostered the conditions that allowed them to simply appoint their own candidate without any real democratic procedure. The other Presidential candidates who were actually on the Democratic primary ballot, including Marianne Williamson, Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.), and Robert Kennedy, simply got ignored. Other potential replacement candidates like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg or even Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear did not even get a chance to present their platform and have the people decide who the nominee should be. Maybe Harris would have been the Democratic nominee either way, but candidates cannot and should not be installed at the behest of political elites without the democratic consent of the voting population.
Furthermore, inserting another candidate into the election without winning a primary, as per proper election procedure, will inevitably help invalidate what could be a monumental achievement for the United States, particularly for extremists who already believe the 2020 election was “stolen.” The Democratic Party’s hasty response to a critical moment in United States history ultimately degrades their credibility and above all, Harris’s credibility.
As a woman, and a woman of color, nonetheless, Harris already has to face the harsh reality of misogyny, racial bias, and prejudice that exist within deep pockets of the United States. Coupled with a perfect reason to disregard election results, if she wins, she will unfortunately face an uphill battle in today’s polarized political dichotomy. This is further corroborated by the Black Lives Matter movement’s statement demanding that the Democratic Party host a virtual snap primary in order to ensure the democratic validity of this election and uplift Black voices.
As a South Asian-American woman, I could not be prouder of Harris and what she represents for the future of this nation. However, as a United States citizen and resident, I am ashamed that the first instinct of the Democratic Party was to instantaneously carve another path to victory rather than respect the centuries-old ideals of our democratic republic. This democratic republic is exactly what had cultivated an environment that had finally enabled women, people of color, and other historically underrepresented groups to finally shatter the barriers repeatedly inflicted upon them since the beginning of this nation.
How can we fight against a decidedly undemocratic candidate when the path to achieving such a victory contradicts the entire point of America’s government? When it comes to an election as essential as the 2024 election, there is no room for error. To put it simply, authoritarianism cannot be excused under the guise that the ends may justify the means. We cannot preach democracy if we cannot practice those ideals and uphold them to the highest regard. We cannot claim to be the hope, the light, and the dream for millions of Americans if we are willing to sacrifice the fabric of who we are as Americans in the process.
