Will Democrats Get the Left Message?

The sky is falling! That's what the New York Times and the rest of the liberal pundit class are screaming today after Terry McAuliffe got defeated by a Republican in the Virginia governor's race. On NPR, James Carville predictably bashed the left wing of the Democratic Party for Tuesday's losses. But here's the thing: McAuliffe is no progressive. Like Carville, he's a washed-up Clintonite, a corporate Democrat from a bygone era. As President Biden tries in vain to find a middle path in Washington, it was a bad day indeed for centrist candidates.

Meanwhile, in Boston, ardent progressive Michelle Wu trounced her moderate rival by 28 points to become that city's next mayor. As the Times pointed out, Wu had ample time during the campaign to steer toward the middle. But she remained steadfastly connected to her progressive principles, championing rent control and climate action among other issues.

The Times won't say this today so I will. The Democrats better deliver on the big reforms promised by Biden, or they will indeed get rolled in next year's midterms -- and then no legislative progress will get made in our deeply fucked-up country.

Tax billionaires, expand Medicare, roll back the climate apocalypse, grant new parents decent family leave, fight Big Pharma's price gouging, give hardworking immigrants in our country a path to citizenship. These are hugely popular issues. And unless the Democrats can deliver on them, voters will decide the party is useless.