Democrats: KISS - embrace the freedom of being out of power

Josh Marshall has a short but to the point message to Democrats:

Being a Real Opposition Party

This paragraph gets to the heart of it.

One of the benefits of being out of power is clarity. Democrats are outsiders to all the decision-making right now. “Tough” confirmation battles, if they occur, take place entirely among Republicans. Democrats have total freedom of action to oppose on their own terms. Democrats shouldn’t be begging a Susan Collins to do the right thing. They should be eagerly putting her on notice, almost gleeful about how they’re going to use her bootlicking votes against her when she runs for reelection in 2026. The same goes for Thom Tillis and other senators up for reelection in 2026 and 2028. If she’s more focused on her reelection and doesn’t reflexively back Trump and his nominees, well … I guess Democrats will have to make do. But don’t be obsequious. Don’t exalt in your own weakness.

emphasis added

For me, this seems obvious. No reflex reaching across the aisle to find common ground. No compromises ‘for the good of the country’. No attacking your own to show how ‘principled’ you are. No minimizing the threat we are facing. No reflex pearl-clutching or apologizing.

Republicans and the interests behind them have spent billions of dollars and decades demonizing Democrats and government. It works for them — because it’s all they’ve got. When they go low, we should go high — the better to carpet bomb them. Considering what they are openly promising, it’s going to be a target-rich environment.